In the USA, he appeared in San Francisco from 1966, as Albert Gregor and Tom Rakewell. He returned to Sydney to become a member of Opera Australia singing David in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Herman in Queen of Spades, Dimitri in Boris Godunov, Jimmy in The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, Mime in both Das Rheingold and Siegfried, Trin in La fanciulla del West, Valzacchi in Der Rosenkavalier and Bob Boles in Peter Grimes.
The Mastersingers of Nuremberg in English, was a particular Wagnerian favourite for Greg Dempsey as he performed the role in many countries and his dancing came to the forefront again. The staged version here is from black and white photographs colourised by Emil Wallner’s company ‘Palette FM’ in France. It gives a glimpse of the comic opera of the nineteenth century what it might have looked like on the operatic stage back then.
In various productions, Greg plays the part of David. The Scottish National Opera featured this production with Walter Albert Remedios (right side of stage) and in another production that role was played by Norman Bailey.
Above, is a newspaper item by Maria Prerauer reviewing the recent news of opera performances in Australia. It mentions the Janacek opera Katya Kabanova which stars Marilyn Richardson and Gregory’s performance. It pays complimentary remarks to Greg and mentions his appeal in the previous opera he starred in of The Mastersingers of Nuremberg in the role as David. At right, is photograph from the opera Rake’s Progress which was staged in America as well as for the San Francisco Opera in 1970.
Another sensational photograph of the master actor and tenor of his time. Greg is dancing with the prisoner irons that were put on convicts to allay their escape. Not only did the photographer capture the action hero and tenor in full flight, but Greg sang and danced his way through this difficult performance with those steel shackles as part of his costume for a role that was most demanding and one which challenged his abilities to the fullest. The opera was The House Of The Dead (Leos Janacek) and the darkened themes certainly matched the expectations of the opera followers of the time. Confronting and certainly a performance that shone by the great Gregory John Dempsey OAM.
When Gregory and Anne returned to Australia in the late 1970s, the local opera production companies invited Greg to appear in some of their gala and much loved operas, alongside some of the very contemporary operas of the middle twentieth century. It also drew upon more crowd pleaser roles in the musical productions in a lighter vein. But a rather disturbing situation arose for Gregory in the health stakes. In 1980, he had started to lose his hair and then, it was obvious he was suffering from a condition known as alopecia areata, which has no cure. All his body hair fell out. As devastating as that was for a man in his fifties, for the opera stage the use of wigs was de rigeur and Gregory embraced the situation with all the positives.
During this time Gregory decided to change management and chose to use Jenifer Eddy Arts Management which improved the quality of offers made for his services. Gregory still remains friends with Jenifer and meets on occasions for socialising.
Greg’s wife Anne had decided to diversify her role in their musical family during the 1980s and commenced studies for a psychology degree which she graduated from in 1989 as a clinical psychologist. Greg’s music career continued unabated.
From the years of the late 1980s into the 1990s come two interesting colour photographs. At left is, Anne Dempsey with her degree certificate after graduating in psychology on 5 March 1989. It was in the early part of the 1980s Gregory lost his hair but then, he sports the look to his advantage as actor Yul Brynner did in the film capitol of USA in Hollywood. At right, the photograph with Gregory Dempsey and the Governor of Victoria, Sir James Gobbo AC, CVO, QC. (1997-2000) congratulating the operatic tenor when being honoured for his Order of Australia medal (OAM) to the arts and services in this country in 1998.
With the Victoria State Opera Gregory sang Nero in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, The Magician in The Consul, Monostatos in The Magic Flute, Benoît and Alcindoro in La bohème, Incredible in Andrea Chenier, Prince Populescu in Countess Maritza, Ajax l in La belle Hélène, Jamie in My Fair Lady and Borsa in Rigoletto. With the Adelaide Festival, he was seen as Nero in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Mark in The Midsummer Marriage, Gregor in The Makropulos Case, Zinoviy Borisovich Izmailov in Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk and The Adventures of Mr. Brouček. His clear, perfectly tuned tenor voice was suited to a plethora of different repertoire and styles. From Monteverdi to the most difficult contemporary musical compositions, Gregory Dempsey made them relevant to every audience he sang to.
Of note, Gregory made few recordings, but they are worthwhile souvenirs. Firstly, in 1967, he sang Red Whiskers in Britten’s studio recording of Billy Budd. The following year he sang one of his best roles, David in The Mastersingers, at Sadler’s Wells under Sir Reginald Goodall, and a live recording of that has now been released on CD, as have discs of their Ring cycle. Another recording of the same opera was privately made from the BBC FM broadcast in Scotland later that year. Gregory had a copy given to him by the original BBC engineer some years ago. There is also a DVD of Britten’s famous studio version of Peter Grimes from 1969, in which he plays Bob Boles. Interestingly, many of Gregory’s early radio appearances from Teenage Talent and Mobil Quest have been saved from the substantial Clark Sinclair Library which Jamie Kelly is now custodian.
Brian Castles-Onion AM with Greg Dempsey at his Brighton town house home in 2022.
Jacques Offenbach’s opera La Belle Helene posing in the costuming as Achilles Heel in the late 1980s. Interestingly, in the cast was the young Geraldine Turner, in the title role as Helene. She later married the conductor for Opera Australia. That being, the one and only Brian Castles-Onion AM.
Opera Notes prepared by Brian Castles-Onion AM (2021)
So much assistance and patience from the erudite master musician of his craft. Thank you Brian.
The story teller of Australian musical history and their deserving, selfless performers.
Another great performance given by Gregory in Albert Herring (Benjamin Britten) in 1967 at Toronto, Canada. Audiences and the cast members alike enjoyed the man in the white suit who played the part of a greengrocer in the comic opera. Greg sang in six seasons of the same opera for the Scottish National Opera.
Gregory Dempsey in one of his later roles as reviewed by the news press in 1987 when he played the role of the Emperor in the Giacomo Puccini opera Turandot. A small part, but added to the Victoria State Opera prestige of the season being a sure fire success, both artistically and financially.
This photograph is in Greg’s ‘Kia Ora Teenage Talent’ days with Uncle Doug Elliot at 3KZ. Greg is in the back row, on the left, next to Ray Melling. Front row: far left is Beryl Power (nee Pearce) and Loris Ramskill, Wilma Martin and Ron Cadee, far right. The backbone of a radio program that did excel at the forefront of adult entertainment in those heady days of listening to the radio.
Poster for Albert Herring (Benjamin Britten) in modern times
Newspaper review
Victoria State Opera Turandot 1987 season:
Gregory Dempsey singing Altoum had a long career at the English National Opera singing opposite Alberto Remedios in Siegfried, under Reginald Goodall, as Mime.
His roles at Sadler’s Wells and the Coliseum included Tom Rakewell, Peter Grimes,
Jimmy Mahoney, Albert Gregor, Skuratov, Don José, Erik, David, Mime (Rhinegold and Siegfried) and the Shepherd (King Roger). He created the role of Boconnion in The Mines of Sulphur (Bennett 1965) and appeared as Dionysus in the British premiere of The Bassarids (Henze), and the title role in the first British staging of The Adventures of Mr Brouček. Pardon the long list of roles but suffice to say the V.S.O. were incredibly lucky to have an artist of this stature singing the relatively small role of the Emperor.
Roles in Scotland 1962-1978
Monostatos a servant in the Temple Zauberflöte 1962
Jeník Micha's son by his first wife Bartered Bride 1962
Bob Boles fisherman and Methodist Peter Grimes 1964
Boconnion a deserter Mines of Sulphur 1965
Albert Herring from the greengrocer's Albert Herring 1966
Albert Herring 1967; Albert Herring 1968; Albert Herring 1969
Albert Herring 1970; Albert Herring 1971
Tom Rakewell a young gentleman engaged to Anne Rake's Progress 1969
Florestan a Spanish nobleman Fidelio 1970
Peter Quint a former manservant Turn of the Screw 1970
Turn of the Screw 1971
Aeneas a Trojan commander, son of Venus and Anchises (Énée) Trojans 1972
Lysander in love with Hermia Midsummer Night's Dream 1972
Midsummer Night's Dream 1973
David apprentice to Sachs Mastersingers of Nuremberg 1976
Mastersingers of Nuremberg 1977
Mime a Nibelung, Siegfried's fosterer Siegfried 1976
Mime a Nibelung, Alberich's brother Rheingold 1976
James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell Mary, Queen of Scots 1977
Števa Buryja Jenůfa 1977
Jenůfa 1978
Witch Hansel and Gretel 1978
A final look at the star in action with one of his favourite Australian opera singers, Marie Collier, whom Gregory enjoyed working in many roles during their careers. She was also a favourite of Australian pianist Geoffrey Tozer, with whom he knew of in the UK. Her tragic death left her fans heartbroken, and the opera world short of a popular performer. The opera is Macropulos Case (Leos Janacek) with Marie Collier as Emilia Marty and Gregory as Albert Gregor and staged during 1965. Above right, is a photograph from the 1988 Victoria State Opera Production of My Fair Lady (Alan J. Lerner & Frederick Loewe) with Noel Ferrier as one of his supporting actors in a celebrated star cast.
Thanks You All
CREDITS and my sincere thanks to those who assisted me in this project.
Firstly, Gregory John Dempsey OAM. Plus, Mrs. Gwen Dempsey, of course!!
Brian Castles-Onion AM, Frank Van Straten AM, Pete Smith OAM, Beryl Power (nee Pearce), Jamie Kelly, Peter Burgis OAM, Judy Kidney (nee Pummeroy), Clark Sinclair MBE, Ken Boness, Errol Rowe, Ian Dodds, Alan Roper, Clark Sinclair MBE, Vicki Charleston (nee Battle), Roger Beilby, Ted McConville, plus Emil Wallner, ‘Palette FM’. There will be others, alas, whom I have forgotten. And, several of the above are no longer with us.
A few other curio items. Top left, has Gregory shaking hands with dignitaries and receiving a gift at a special award winning night for 1955 Sun Aria winner, Leonard Delaney. Gregory is impeccibly dressing in tails. Above, is an Artist Management reference letter in draft form by Jenifer Eddy after she took over Gregory’s opera career management in 1980.
Below, is a colour snapshot with Jean Marks who performed a duet with Greg in the opera Cavalleria rusticana. Wife, Anne Marie is in the middle, eyes closed due to photographer’s camera flashlight glare. At right, Jan Ross from the days at the Hawthorn Opera Society in the Gilbert and Sullivan production of Iolanthe. Days with great pals and great fun. Lifetime’s treasured memories recalled just like yesterday.
