Although
she had no formal training, her voice caught the attention
of Bruno Walter and Gerald Moore and her singing career
finally began to take off. A few years later in 1942 she
moved to London from Cumberland on the advice of Sir Malcolm
Sargeant.
Her
career soared under the guidance of Walter, Roy Henderson
and Benjamin Britten and she developed a close artistic
relationship with Sir John Barbirolli, her performances
as the Angel in The Dream of Gerontius under his guidance
being described as "peculiarly radiant".
Away
from the concert stage, Kathleen loved to paint and would
always sign her pictures KK which stood for Klever Kath.
This and the fact that she would often end a recital with
a folksong were clear signs that she had retained her normality
in spite of her fame.
Kathleen
Ferrier died from breast cancer at the age of forty-one
and by this time had become a huge international star. Her
remarkable contralto voice had been praised for its "overwhelming
beauty" and she had been embraced by the public for
her warm personality as well as her brilliance as a performer.
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