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Anthony Camden – an appreciation Anthony Camden was one of the most charismatic men I have ever met during my long career both as a singer and in tertiary education. Indeed it was because of his invitation, during his tenure as director of The Queensland Conservatorium, that I relinquished my successful and much loved position as Head of Vocal and Opera Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England to take up the post of Director of Opera at “The Conservatorium” - such were his powers of persuasion! Later when he took up the position of Director of Music at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts I accepted his invitation to direct Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel”, with Margreta Elkins his Head of Singing, giving a brilliant performance of “The Witch”. During my partnership with Anthony at the Queensland Conservatorium he invited me to direct the Australian premier of Benjamin Britten’s opera “Billy Budd”. This production preceeded Opera Australia’s production of this work by several years. This was the forerunner of several other large scale operas that I directed during his period at The Conservatorium. For me, and I think for him this was a “Golden Moment” of tertiary operatic training, not just in Queensland, but in the whole of Australia. There followed a period of excitement and development as never before experienced in student operatic performance. This was entirely due to Anthony Camden’s vision and imaginative and tireless management. He was an incredibly talented entrepreneur, probably the last of his breed to grace the world of tertiary music education – he was a “risk taker” and his gambles invariably “came off”! Certainly “our” “Billy Budd” with it’s amazing design by Michael Holt and an all male cast of some eighty odd singers, tirelessly assembled and martialled by Jan Delpratt, was an example of what he achieved through “full on” theatrical performance. I was privileged to get to know Anthony well, as a friend and mentor. I think there is a large concensus of opinion that consider his time at The Conservatorium as constituting “The Halcyon Years”. During the long debilitating illness that eventually took him from us, Anthony’s wife Lilly amazed us all by her ability to seemingly match his bravery blow for blow! She battled on courageously with him, in order to continue their lives together as near normal as possible. I feel a profound sense of sadness and loss that he will not be joining us any longer for the many lunches and dinners that he and Lilly and Sasha have shared with us both at our home and theirs. Indeed it is only one year ago that we had a memorable Boxing Day lunch when we were joined by Andrew and Lorna. That was especially enjoyable and Anthony’s chair at the head of our table will be a permanent reminder of those very happy times! He was an International oboist of outstanding ability, and the most recorded artist of that instrument in the world. I remember an occasion when I asked him to explain circular breathing to myself and a few singing students with whom I was discussing this phenomenon whilst drinking coffee in the “CON” cafe. It was early morning, and he had just arrived to start his working day. Without hesitation, he invited us to go with him to his office, where he unpacked his oboe and commenced to play my requested “O del mio dolce Ardor”, a beautiful old Italian Aria with long phrases, much used in the teaching of singing. It was a joy to hear him perform this difficult piece of music without seeming to take a breath from start to finish. We his “audience” sat enrapt at his flawless performance . I shall never teach that piece of music again without thinking of Anthony’s phrasing, wonderful artistry and generosity of spirit, in giving us this demonstration. Anthony was no one’s fool but he was a dear man – a great artist, an innovator and an entrepreneur of outstanding talent. He will be greatly missed by all his friends, among whom I feel honoured to have been counted. “Play on Anthony – I am sure a great celestial orchestra will now benefit from you as soloist, manager and entrepreneur – though sadly we will be the worse off with your departure from us” the heritage you gave to us must live on! Joseph Ward OBE |
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