Russell, Anna

▪ 2007

Anna Claudia Russell-Brown 

      British entertainer (b. Dec. 27, 1911, London, Eng.—d. Oct. 18, 2006, Rosedale, N.S.W., Australia), was hailed as “the Queen of Musical Parody” for her hilarious burlesques of operas and other “serious” art music, into which she interjected deadpan “observations.” Russell studied at the Royal College of Music, but her inherent comedic skills (and an imperfectly healed broken nose that affected her voice) induced her to switch from opera to musical comedy. She was hugely successful on the radio, recorded several albums, and toured extensively in a one-woman show, performing at New York City's Carnegie Hall (1947) and on Broadway in Anna Russell's Little Show (1955) and All by Myself (1960). Her best-known routines included a 30-minute synopsis of Richard Wagner's entire four-opera Ring cycle, “Wind Instruments I Have Known” (during which she accompanied herself on the bagpipe), and “How to Write Your Own Gilbert and Sullivan Opera.” Russell described her own voice as “a roar rather than a screech, in a comfy basso non profundo.” Her autobiography, I'm Not Making This Up, You Know (1985), drew its title from her favourite onstage catchphrase.

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