Frances Amy Lillian Sherwin (23 March 1855 – 20 September 1935), known as the 'Tasmanian Nightingale,' was an Australiansoprano celebrated for her groundbreaking international opera and concert career. First gaining attention inDon Pasquale in Hobart, she went on to perform in prominent venues such as London’sRoyal Opera House and toured with theCarl Rosa Opera Company. Renowned for roles like Lucia inLucia di Lammermoor, she became a pioneering figure in Australian operatic history.
She was born at "Forest Home",Huonville,Van Diemen's Land on 23 March 1855, a daughter of George Green Sherwin[1] and Elizabeth Sherwin, née Dean.[2] She was taught singing by her mother and later by Hobart organistFrederick Augustus Packer, who instilled in her a love of opera andoratorio. Her talent was recognised byWilliam Russell, a former Covent Garden conductor,[3] who gave her a part in hisoperettaZillah.[4] andpantomimePuss in Boots.[5]
On 1 May 1878, she appeared with an Italian opera company inHobart as Norina inDon Pasquale and was an immediate success. Proceeding to Melbourne with the company, she sang Lucia inLucia di Lammermoor on 3 June 1878 and was received with great enthusiasm. During the next few weeks she appeared as the title role in Wallace's operaMaritana, Leonora inIl Trovatore, and in other leading parts inFanny Simonsen's troupe.[6]
She moved to the United States in 1879, and in 1880 created the part of Marguerite inBerlioz' workThe Damnation of Faust. She studied under several masters both in the U.S. and in Europe, and appeared at thepromenade concerts in London in 1883. In 1885, she sang atCovent Garden and afterwards with theCarl Rosa Opera Company.
From 1887 to 1889, she toured Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the U.S. and Germany with much success. In 1896, she had a tour in South Africa and was in Australia from 1897 to 1898 and in 1902 and 1903.In Melbourne she met flautistJohn Lemmone and contracted him as her accompanist for the remainder of the tour, and when she founded her own Grand Opera company, he was a member.[3] Sherwin had an excellent light soprano voice, and for a time, she had a successful career but success in Grand Opera eluded her, largely due to her lack of acting ability and the company dismantled, with considerable financial loss. She re-formed her concert party and made another tour of the East to restore her fortunes. Another tour of Australia and Africa followed, Lemmone again in the party. In 1902 and 1906 she made further tours of Australia, then retired. It was around this time that Sherwin and Gorlitz separated.[7]
She lacked business sense, and her last years were clouded by a struggle with sickness and poverty. In her later years, she taught singing at London.In May 1934, about £200 was raised for her benefit at Hobart. She died on 20 September 1935 inBromley in poverty at age 81.
Amy Sherwin, noted operatic soprano, died here today. She was eighty-one. The singer, who once filled the concert halls of the U.S. with her golden voice and earned as much as 3,000 pounds sterling yearly, died almost forgotten, lonely and penniless. Living in a fine style had depleted her resources and charges of the nursing home where she died had to be paid by charity.[8]
Sherwin married musical agent Hugo Heinrich Ludwig Gorlitz in 1878[9] They had two children:
Sherwin's sisters Lucy Emma Sherwin, later Propsting,[15] and Sarah Elizabeth Sherwin, later Barclay,[16] were both musicians and singers, appearing together in amateur concerts.[17]
James Gleadow Sherwin (c. 1848 – 9 July 1906), son of Isaac Sherwin MLC,[18] was for 20 years secretary of theA.M.P. Society in Launceston, and organist at Christ Church, Frederick Street. He married Amy Richardson on 6 June 1890.[19] A cousin of Amy Sherwin,[20] he has been mis-reported as her father.
In 2005 Sherwin was inducted to theTasmanian Honour Roll of Women for service to the arts.
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