Obit: Anna Russell (1911-2006)

Subject: Obit: Anna Russell 10/06
From: Hollowfox
Date: 21 Oct 06 - 11:42 AM

Anna Russell New York Times obituary
(sorry I haven't mastered the blue clickything) No problem. Link fixed by your friendly neighborhood Mudelf.

Subject: RE: Obit: Anna Russell 10/06
From: Big Mick
Date: 21 Oct 06 - 11:52 AM

Fascinating character. The obituary gives a very nice look at her life.

Subject: RE: Obit: Anna Russell 10/06
From: Amos
Date: 21 Oct 06 - 12:12 PM

A wonderful Real Audio of her performing can be found here (requires Real Audio player). A real chuckle.

A

Subject: RE: Obit: Anna Russell 10/06
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 21 Oct 06 - 12:16 PM

Oddly enough I bought a CD of hers from a charity shop about 2 weeks ago, with a lovely piss take of English Folk Song on it.
Lovely lady, she was interviewed by her daughter in Australia where she lived, for a radio 4 programme fairly recently.
Another unique character gone to he reward.
Giok

Subject: RE: Obit: Anna Russell 10/06
From: CET
Date: 21 Oct 06 - 02:45 PM

I've been running an imaginary concert through my head lately, featuring all the great singers I will never be able to see. I think the opening act would be Muddy Waters, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash. Edith Piaf would be on the bill. I am glad to say that Anna Russell would not be a featured performer. I had the privilege of seeing her at the Stratford Festival. She was a brilliant performer. Rest in peace.

Edmund

Subject: RE: Obit: Anna Russell 10/06
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 21 Oct 06 - 06:24 PM

Her takes on Gilbert & Sullivan, Opera---and folk music were brilliant. Happily I still have some of her LPs from all those many years ago. On one she does her version of an entire G&S opera in about 4 minutes---from birth, love, mixed up babies, and a happy ending.

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: Obit: Anna Russell 10/06
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Oct 06 - 06:25 PM

The trouble with her live performance recordings is that the audience is laughing so loudly at times that it is hard to hear everything. :)

She was wonderful.

SRS

Subject: RE: Obit: Anna Russell 10/06
From: Don Firth
Date: 21 Oct 06 - 07:43 PM

I believe it was in 1951 that the young lady who first put a guitar in my hands and showed me G, C, and D7 and I went to Meany Hall on the University of Washington campus to see Anna Russell. I don't think I have ever laughed so hard in my life before or since. She is one of the funniest, most entertaining people to have ever inhabited this planet.

She did most of the shticks that she did on the RealAudio clip that Amos linked to (thanks for that, Amos! I just sat here cracking up for the past half-hour!), including the bit with the bagpipes. And in addition, she did her bit on what it takes to become an operatic soprano. I've seen that several times recently on the Classic Arts Showcase channel (it's sort of MTV for adults) and it still has me howling.

When Claire and I saw her fifty-five years ago (!!!), she also did her twenty minute synopsis of Wagner's Ring of the Nibelungs. That, in itself, was hilarious. Then, in the mid-Eighties, my wife Barbara and I attended the full Wagnerian "Ring Cycle" given by Seattle Opera. All four very long operas in one week. A total of sixteen-plus hours of lush music, singing, and drama. Gods, giants, heroes, dragons, warrior maidens. . . .   Marvelous! Monumental!

But sixteen hours of sitting in a theater seat can wreak havoc on one's buttocks. One feels like standing a lot the following week

Anna Russell's rendition was a whole lot easier on the backside!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Obit: Anna Russell 10/06
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Oct 06 - 08:01 PM

My brother got to see her in Denver. He came home with an LP of hers and we loved listening to it. At one point she stop trying to hit a high note and says, "Oh, to heck with it." She sounded just like my favourite aunt!

Thanks for the belly laughs, Ms. Russell!

kat

Subject: RE: Obit: Anna Russell 10/06
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 21 Oct 06 - 08:07 PM

I'll miss her. Hope her stuff always makes it to the latest recording formats.

Like Victor Borge, she was funny at what she did because she too was GOOD herself at the original she was sending up.

Subject: RE: Obit: Anna Russell 10/06
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Oct 06 - 08:13 PM

Forgot to say "Thanks, Amos, for the link."

Subject: RE: Obit: Anna Russell 10/06
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 21 Oct 06 - 08:16 PM

Oh, and where do you think I got "I'm not making this up, you know!" as a child? :-)

Subject: RE: Obit: Anna Russell 10/06
From: JennieG
Date: 21 Oct 06 - 08:37 PM

That is sad news - her Nibelung was marvellous, that wonderful fruity voice! I read somewhere that her version is used in conservatoria to teach Wagner's plots as it is so succinct.

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: Obit: Anna Russell 10/06
From: IvanB
Date: 22 Oct 06 - 05:12 PM

I was lucky enough to have seen Anna in concert twice and even luckier that in one program she did her Wagner Ring cycle and in the other a Gilbert & Sullivan parody along with some English madrigals. A wonderful performer!

I must admit I didn't know she was still living. Sad to hear of her death, but I'm sure there's just a bit more laughter in heaven today.