Gregory’s appearances on television included some significant performances and serious works, both in Australia and overseas. Here are some examples of his work. On the 26 August 1958 came an ABC television production screened on Sydney station ABN2 of the The Barber of Seville (Gioachino Rossini). Soprano Glenda Raymond, tenor, Donald Smith and the baritones Neil Warren-Smith and Robert Simmons. Ella Banner, Joseph Drewbiak and Alan Light were also in a star cast. The actual kinescope recording made of the broadcast was shown on Melbourne station ABV2 on 8 October 1958. This rare kinescope is believed to have been lost.
In 1969 Gregory sings his famed role in Peter Grimes (Benjamin Britten) for a tele-movie at the BBC. Peter Pears is the star, along with Gregory Dempsey as Bob Boles, and Owen Brannigan, Ann Robson, Heather Harper, Elizabeth Bainbridge, Bryan Drake, and with strong supporting cast. The director is Brian Large.
Greg Dempsey and Elizabeth Fretwell in the London Sadler’s Wells opera production of Peter Grimes (Benjamin Britten) had establised Gregory in the choice position of being offered great roles with the opportunity of most recent to the classic opera scores of the previous century. This kept his career on a steady roll.
Falstaff was staged in 1972 with story based on the William Shakespeare play, and directed by Basil Coleman. The producer is Cedric Messina. The libretto is by Arrigo Boito. Starring Geraint Evans, Regina Resnik, Norman Bailey, April Cantello, David Gwynne, Edward Byles, plus Gregory Dempsey as Dr. Caius. The musical conductor is James Lockhart who also directs the Ambrosian Singers.
Falstaff as television’s 1972 version with Gregory as star. The still frame from a surviving video is the best that can be expected.
A colour snap shot from the stage for another huge opera staged in 1974: Marilyn Horne and Thomas Edmonds share the limelight with Greg Dempsey in Leos Janacek production of The Adventures Of Mr. Broucek, a very modern story about a man who travels into space
These opera productions with more newly written content grew as Gregory got excellent reviews for his vocal work and convincing acting. For example, his many appearances in Cologne, West Germany in those days, included work with star mezzo-soprano Barbara Scherler, in the production of Ballad in Moor written by the ubiquitous composer, Richard Rodney Bennett. In English the opera was known as The Mines of Sulphur. The German newspapers at the time featured a good write up of the opera. This dates from 19 March 1968. Greg recalled the regular nightly performances with the tender love scenes. It was difficult because Fraulein Scherler had problems with simple nervousness on stage. So, it was a role to be tenderly played by the hot blooded Gregory, who did enjoy this kind of romantic role on the theatre stage. And, always classy performances by the young tenor.
A close up of the German mezzo-soprano who was most glamorous on stage is, like Gregory still enjoying life in their nineties. Barbara has many accolades for her operatic career and was born in 1933.
Richard Rodney Bennett’s quite diverse musical career embraced the full cross section of the arts. The photograph caption says ‘Zugebissen’ which translates as ‘bitten’ which may mean ‘smitten’?
But, returning to the ABC television station in Melbourne (ABV2). Management in the early transmission days of black and white TV in the late 1950s and early 1960s, had wanted to bring some more of the opera’s strong repertoire to their loyal and discerning viewers. So, Gregory was invited to appear in one of Giacomo Puccini’s operas Il tabarro (The Cloak) with soprano, Loris Synon. The Elizabethan Trust Opera Company also included star baritone Robert Allman and Joyce Simmonds in the gala production. The show was a huge success. Interestingly, some of the opera telecast survived in the ABC Archives in Sydney, and had been shown on YouTube, however, it’s been withdrawn in recent times. So, Gregory Dempsey who was a mere twenty-nine-year-old tenor and opera singer gave Il tabarro a performance which exuded the sexual tension and the natural strength of the voice for this demanding role. Some of his best and early work singing and acting on a free-to-air service provided by a government body for the telecast. Gregory’s absolutely powerful interpretation had the critics raving with excitement and huge praise. At this stage in Australia, Gregory John Dempsey had arrived. He was ready for the world.
The ABC television production of 1960 from the Elizabeth Trust Opera Company proved a to be winner with Loris Synon sharing the honours with Gregory and a star cast
This still frame from the video footage surviving gives us a glimpse
Still wanting to work in overseas theatres, an offer came from the Sadler’s Wells Opera Company in London in 1960. Gregory accepted their offer for when a role became available. In the interim, he worked at GTV9 Melbourne’s regular variety program In Melbourne Tonight television show in the Ron Rosenberg Choir. Ronnie had wanted a Norman Luboff style choir for the show which included popular song vocalists and trained classical voices which gave the chorus a very natural choral and unique style. The show produced many stars of the newer era of jazz, popular and classical who would get experience for their own careers later on. It was here that Ann Marie Smith, later Gregory’s wife, would be introduced, and other big names in opera, jazz and popular, such as Clifford Grant, Brian Curran, Murray Mardardy, Annette Klooger, Judy and sister Brenda Horan, Ray Collier, Betty Lys, Kevin Kidney, Audrey Duggan, Janice Taylor, Aldene Splatt and John Roberts started their careers.
Other singers at that time included members of the Four Debs and the Dominoes, Judy Pummeroy, Kevin Kidney, Pauline and Betty Lys, Des and Kevin Jolly, Kathy Danaher, Neil Upfield, Pam Fletcher, Patti McGrath (later Mrs. Bert Newton), Frank Wilson, Dorothy Baker, Jimmy Hannan, Reg Gray, Robyn Alvarez and so many others who would have had their beginnings at GTV9 in Melbourne.
Gregory Dempsey had emerged as a star player, and sat in the GTV9 entourage high in its list of world class acts. Just think of it, GTV9 had them all, and HSV7 had their all-stars mainly of the Tivoli theatre circuit, and the ABC in their Ripponlea address, sometimes shared some of them, but certainly not all of these variety acts. Imagine, the Nine network of the time, had the best appraisal and hired the talents of Bill McCormack, Alan Dean, Clifford Grant, Greg Dempsey, Noel Ferrier, Peter Smith, Bert Newton and, the best compere of all the television night shows, Graham Kennedy. There were so many others too, for their highly successful tonight shows. This was quite a feat, and such entertainment five nights a week, comedy, music, theatre and all the guests visiting from overseas. But then, it was back over sixty years ago, well before the decay of popular music and the dumbing down of popular culture art forms.
The GTV9 Singers arranged by Ron Rosenberg in 1965 is back row, left to right: Ray Collier, Brenda and Judy Horan, Murray Mardardy. Front, left to right: Brian Curran, Anne Marie Smith (later Mrs. Dempsey), Audrey Duggan and Allen Russen. The grouping were part of a larger choral ensemble produced of mixed voices at the Melbourne television studios during the 1960’s. The vocal group could be as many as 16 people.
The telegram sent to Greg Dempsey in 1962 from the Sadler’s Wells Opera Company inviting him to join the ensemble for the season commencing in 1962 and 1963. Starting with the popular The Bartered Bride (Bedrich Smetana)
In 1962, Gregory moved to London to take up his contract with the Sadler’s Wells Opera Company, and really got excellent reviews. This was his main UK base for the next fifteen years. His roles there and at the Coliseum included Tom Rakewell, Peter Grimes, Jimmy Mahoney, Albert Gregor, Skuratov, Don José, Erik, David, Mime (Das Rhinegold and Siegfried) and the Shepherd in King Roger. He created the role of Boconnion in Richard Rodney Bennett’s The Mines of Sulphur after which one critic wrote ‘an heroic-villainous part of formidable challenge’. Greg Dempsey appeared as Dionysus in the British premiere of Henze’s The Bassarids and the title role in the first British staging of The Adventures of Mr Brouček.
An admission ticket to the BBC radio show which Gregory attended as a guest upon his arrival in London in 1962. Kenneth Horne was the host.
Gregory’s extensive career in many operas in the United Kingdom did present some excellent offerings. Such was, The Mines Of Sulphur (Richard Rodney Bennett) with star soprano Joyce Blackham as Rosaline and Greg as Boconnion. This proved to be a huge success during season of April, 1965 for the Sadler’s Wells Opera. And of course, in German language in Cologne during 1968 as Ballad im Moor with Barbara Scherler.
For the Sadler’s Wells Opera Company in August 1964 Gregory starred with soprano Elizabeth Robson for this superb production in The Bartered Bride (Bedrich Smetana)
From his first year in 1962 in the United Kingdom Gregory also worked for the Scottish Opera, in roles including Britten’s Albert Herring, Quint and Lysander, as well as Florestan, Aeneas in The Trojans, David and Števa, returning as the Drum Major.
As his frequency of work increased throughout the 1960s, the time for romance had an opportunity to appear. Young Anne Marie Smith had arrived to survey the scene in London and take in the opportunities for singing. Also, at this time, soprano Janice Taylor arrived to find work. Greg knew both from the GTV9 television days and he was delighted they had asked his opinions to see what the arts scene had to offer. Over a period of time, Gregory and Anne really enjoyed each other’s private lives and the love match blossomed into a serious affair. They lived together in their own apartment in London, and married on 26 April 1972. This love affair lasted for fifty years till Anne’s death in 2020.
Later, with the Scottish Opera, Greg created the role of Bothwell in Musgrave’s Mary, Queen of Scots in 1977. He made his Covent Garden debut in 1972 as Števa, returning as the Drum Major in Wozzeck.
The London apartment which Gregory and Anne Marie Smith shared together was their home base in inner city. The comforts of their lives back in Australia which also included the much needed hydronic heating to keep their throats nice and free from the chills in British winters. Their guest enjoying the festive and salubrious mood is Australian soprano Janice Taylor.
All three had known each other at the television studios of GTV9 and the year is 1973. Gregory had been busy from his arrival in 1962 throughout the entire decade. Non stop!
To be continued