Music – and especially opera – was the dominant theme throughout Maureen’s long life. Her parents were particularly prominent in the musical/operatic life of Dublin in the 1930’s & 1940’s. Her mother, Lucy Leenane, was the foremost concert pianist of her time (and, on occasion, accompanist – she played for Lauritz Melchior’s recital at the old Theatre Royal) while her father, William J. Lemass was a noted baritone who sang principal roles with the Dublin Operatic Society (see below for links). Both her parents were active members and patrons of the Dublin Grand Opera Society from its foundation in 1941.
For many many years, alongside her day job at Irish Lights in Dún Laoghaire, Maureen threw herself into the administration and day-to-day running of the DGOS Patrons Scheme out of which she developed lifelong friendships with many noted operatic artists. Her holidays, particularly in Italy, cemented these relationships. One in particular: Magda Olivero, the legendary Italian diva, who first came to Dublin in May 1967. Maureen and Magda immediately hit it off and a lifelong friendship ensued. They regularly corresponded and in latter years monthly phone calls were the order of the day. Magda died in Sept 2014 aged 104.
At Maureen’s funeral in 2020 two pieces of music were played to commemorate her long life: firstly Magda Olivero at the ripe old age of 96 in her local church in Solda, Italy singing Cesar Franck’s “Panis Angelicus”. Maureen would have been chuffed to have her old friend singing just for her, on her last journey. Secondly – there had to be Verdi: DGOS first performed Verdi’s opera “Nabucco” in 1962. It remained one of her favourite works and she always expressed a great regard for the work ethic and commitment of the local chorus, all amateur in the truest sense of that word. They paid her a final tribute and farewell with the 3rd Act chorus – ‘Va pensiero sull ali d’orate – Go thoughts on golden wings’. The chosen recording was from the 1977 production in the Gaiety Theatre with the RTESO and is conducted by her great friend, Napoleone Annovazzi, who with his wife, Nanni, were her constant companions during their twice-yearly visits to Dublin from March 1961 to December 1983.
We were particularly pleased to receive a notable collection of artefacts from her estate including the scrapbook kept by her father, William J. Lemass, during his singing career; these have assisted greatly with our understanding of the BriSan Opera Company and the Walter J. McNally Opera Company with whom he appeared.
THE MAGDA OLIVERO CORRESPOENDENCE
coming soon
LETTER FROM NAPOLEONE ANNOVAZZI’S WIDOW REGARDING LP RELEASE OF FALSTAFF
In 1989, five years after the death of Napoleone Annovazzi, “Nanny” Annovazzi (his wife) wrote at length from her home in Rome to Maureen Lemass regarding the LP release of the 1973 Dublin Flastaff:
Opera in Ireland 