Adele Johnston
Adele Johnston was a versatile artist excelling in a variety of genres including cabaret, musical comedy, opera, operetta, concert and lieder recitals. In 1997 she won the prestigious City of Melbourne Song Recital Award and the opportunity to record a CD with Move Records. She died unexpectedly in 2025, age 66.
Adele had notable success with her one woman show Scaling the High Cs at the Tilbury Hotel, Sydney and her operatic debut as the Secretary in Giano Carlo Menotti's The Consul for the Inaugural Brisbane Festival. In addition to winning the 1997 City of Melbourne Song Recital Award, Adele has been the recipient of many awards and a finalist in major competitions. Most notably, she was a runner-up in the 1991 Melbourne Sun Aria and a finalist in the McDonald's Aria, Sydney. She has studied and performed with Martin Isepp at the Abbaye du Royaumont, France and performed with Abbey Opera in London. After discovering Korngold's music in the Hamburg City Library, Germany, Adele recorded ‘Marietta's Lied zur Laute’ from Die tote Stadt for director Rodney Fisher and composer Max Lyandvert, with Andrew Greene accompanying.
For Opera Australia, Johnston’s roles included Marianne Leitmetzerin (Der Rosenkavalier), Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro), Public Opinion (Orpheus in the Underworld), Mrs Pearce/Higgins (My Fair Lady), Cousin Hebe (HMS Pinafore) and Katisha in the OA/Opera Queensland production of The Mikado.
In tribute, Limelight writer Phil Scott wrote: “R.I.P. Deli, a lovely person with a big voice. She sang Public Opinion in an OA production of Orpheus in the Underworld, for which Jonathan Biggins and I wrote a new, satirical libretto. Not long ago, she sang Mrs Noye in Britten’s Noye’s Fludde; I remember how excited she was about doing it. I last saw her at the Cremorne Orpheum Cinema, at an afternoon session of a Noël Coward documentary – as imperious and wicked as ever.”
Adele Johnston is featured on the following titles
Adele Johnston sings Wagner and Korngold Lieder
This CD features the 1997 winner of the City of Melbourne Song Recital Award, Adele Johnston singing Korngold and Wagner lieder accompanied by Andrew Greene.
