Joan Sutherland

Nobody on this list can match Joan Sutherland's vocal range. Maria Callas was the greatest operatic performer of all time, but there's more to opera than simply acting. When she was singing in her upper register, she had a lot of harsh tones and a dreadful wobbling that was really distracting. Renee Fleming has a lovely voice, but her forte is slow prolonged singing. Her runs are frequently sloppy, and her trill is inconsistent.

Dame Joan Alston Sutherland, (November 7, 1926 - October 10, 2010) was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano best remembered for her contributions to the resurgence of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s to the 1980s. Although music reviewers criticized her weak diction, she possessed a voice with outstanding agility, correct intonation, "supremely" pinpoint staccatos, a trill, and a superb upper register.

Sutherland became a founding patron and active supporter of the Tait Memorial Trust in London in 1992. A charitable organization founded by Isla Baring OAM, the daughter of Sir Frank Tait of J. C. Williamson's will assist young Australian performing artists in the United Kingdom. Sir Frank Tait was the Australian businessman who organized and handled the Sutherland-Williamson tour of Australia in 1965. Sutherland House and the Dame Joan Sutherland Centre at St Catherine's School in Waverley, as well as the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre (JSPAC) in Penrith, are all named after her.

Awards:

• Grammy AwardsWins: 2 (Nominations: 3)
• Kennedy Center Honors (Wins: 1)
• Primetime Emmy Award (Nominations: 4)