Opera Scotland

Rosina Buckman Suggest updates

Born Blenheim, c1880.

Died London, 30 December 1948.

New Zealand soprano.

Rosina Buckman was an important performer of leading roles by Verdi, Puccini and Wagner, and her recordings include an early version of Madam Butterfly. She was also a noted teacher at the Royal Academy of Music.

Buckman studied in Britain at the Birmingham School of Music and made her debut in 1906, back in Wellington as Zara in A Moorish Maid (Alfred Hill). She worked in Australia from 1909, joining Melba's company in 1911.

Returning to the UK, Buckman made her debut at Covent Garden in 1914 as a Flower Maiden, followed by Musetta. She joined Beecham's operation the following year, with a repertoire that developed to include Butterfly, Aïda and Isolde. In 1923 she worked with BNOC.

Her husband, the tenor Maurice D'Oisly, also had a successful operatic career, and they appeared together frequently in concerts.

This image shows Buckman as Aïda in the Beecham production c1918. She sang this role in Scotland, though Powell Edwards does not seem to have sung Amonasro with her on the tour.

Data mainly from New Grove Opera.