Deborah Riedel 1958-2009
It is too sad, too wearyingly sad to think that Deborah Riedel is gone. She was a woman who exuded life, energy, joy and the radiance that comes from inner beauty and great talent.
She was one of Australian opera’s most distinguished and radiant presences on stage in recent years. She was blessed with a voice that had developed, grown and become one of the most exciting and most thrillingly promising since – who knows when. She was a performer who had grown to fit her voice: as it matured, so did her ability to portray the characters inhabited by the music.
It was remarkably obvious that Deborah grew with every production in which she appeared. Her luscious soprano voice, acting and presence became formidable. She was electrifying to hear and to watch. Among her roles for Opera Australia were Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, Violetta in La traviata, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni and Marguerite in Faust. In truth she could do almost anything, not that she was allowed to do so in recent times: she has been on the missing list as one of The Criminally Overlooked at the national company. Indeed, OA's press statement issued to mark the passing of one of its finest performers of recent times was unable to get right her last appearance at the House: it was in Richard Bonynge's 2005 NYE gala concert, not the OA's 50th anniversary concert a year later. The significance of that is Riedel's position as a Bonynge-Sutherland protegee: the Bonynges recognised and nurtured the great voice from early on.
In 2005, the voice and the actress were also recognised as having even greater dramatic potential and Deborah was cast as Siegelinde in the historic and extraordinary Adelaide production of Wagner’s Ring Cycle. She, along with the rest of the wondrous Australian cast, set us all – and international visitors – on our ears with awe and delight. It was a life-enhancing experience for all who were there and Deborah Riedel’s contribution was significant.
There is not a great deal more to say about a woman whose death, at just 50, is untimely, cruel and robs us of a great and developing talent and a much-loved human being. She gave much to opera and should have been allowed to give so much more.
Her sisters Lesley and Philippa, husband Paul and his sister Selinda were able to be at her bedside at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred hospital as she courageously faced her death – which came peacefully on January 8. She was surrounded by flowers and the love of those who admired and hoped for her.
Rest in peace Deborah Riedel: 31 July 1958-8 January 2009.
