Dorothy Bond

Dorothy Bond (1921 – 20 November 1952) was an English coloratura soprano whose star shone brightly but briefly. She was noted for the purity of her tone and the accuracy of her intonation. She became a favourite singer of Sir Thomas Beecham's, recording the voice of Olympia for the Powell and Pressburger film of Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann in 1950. She also recorded Delius's A Village Romeo and Juliet under Beecham, and Ernest Bloch's Sacred Service under the composer. She was killed in a road accident at the age of 31.

Training

Dorothy Bond studied piano and cello at the Royal Academy of Music in London.^[1] She expressed an interest in becoming a singer, but Professor Evelyn Langston advised her to wait till she turned 20. This proved to be sound advice, as the fine coloratura voice she developed by the mid-1940s earned her a solid reputation in the concert hall.^[2]

Career

In 1948 she participated in Thomas Beecham's recording of Frederick Delius's A Village Romeo and Juliet.^[3] She sang the roles of Vreli as a child, and the Gingerbread Woman.^[4][5]

In 1949 she participated in a recording of Ernest Bloch's Avodath Hakodesh (Sacred Service), conducted by the composer.^[2][3] The same year she sang final floated high D in a recording of the Sleepwalking Scene from Giuseppe Verdi's Macbeth, conducted by Beecham, which was otherwise sung by Margherita Grandi.^[3][6] This was followed in 1950 by a film soundtrack recording of Offenbach's Tales of Hoffmann, made under Beecham at Shepperton Film Studios by London Films. Bond sang the role of Olympia; the role was played on-screen by dancer Moira Shearer. The recording was then licensed by Decca and released on LP in 1951 - Beecham having tried and failed in the courts to prevent its release.^[7][8]

In 1949 and again in 1952, she was the soprano soloist in performances of Ralph Vaughan Williams's A Pastoral Symphony at the BBC Proms. The latter performance was conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent.^[9][10] In 1951, she recorded Johann Sebastian Bach's cantata Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn, BWV 152, conducted by Karl Haas.^[2][3]

With her second husband, the violinist Tom William Jenkins, she recorded a selection of songs and arias, including "O luce di quest'anima" from Gaetano Donizetti's Linda di Chamounix (reaching a top F with ease),^[1] Eric Coates's "Bird Songs at Eventide", the "Waltz Song" from Edward German's Tom Jones, and Olympia's Song from The Tales of Hoffmann.^[1][11]

Death

On 20 November 1952, at the age of 31, Dorothy Bond was killed in a road accident.^[12]

Personal life

Her first husband was Michael Dobson (1923–1992), principal oboist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. They had a daughter, Ann.^[13]

In 1951 she married (as the second of his three wives) the violinist Tom William Jenkins (1910–1957), with whom she had a son.^[2][14]

References