Unfortunately Patricia was not able to have a meal with us but she appeared soon after and gave us a humorous account of the life of an opera singer and all the 'spaces' between.
At 75.5 years old she looks back at the start of her career where she was told she 'had no hope' of being a singer. She sang in church choirs and went to Sydney to try her had at the Sydney Contest. She sang all sorts of 'less desirable roles and finally her share of luck came her way.
Her siblings Alison Holst the cook and her younger sister a food stylist started life wanting to have different careers (Allison wanted to be an architect) but ended up in very satisfying careers.
She told us about the 'slinky chocolate dress' she wore to one audition (with long drop earings) and being taught to walk 'correctly'.
She won $10,000 in 1996 and flew back to the UK 1st class including the champagne, and loved it.
In one of her London classes there were 150 students . Most of whom had the ability to know if they were being 'used or abused'. If you did not 'play ball'. Look out, you would never sing again she was told. Threats were the way of life. Three years after she walked out she was singing everywhere.
As Alison was making a name for herself she thought she should to. What better place to do that than in the Royal Opera House in London. where she sang with all the great singers, José Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti etc.
The Big P (as Pavarotti was called) obviously thought she could sing he would be her publicity man. they travelled everywhere.
At one concert the front seats were filled with the our Royals and the President of France and his wife (with her diamonds). Princess Margaret's head 'flopped' to the side as she dozed off.
The Big P not to miss a chance asked of a couple of autographs onlt to be told' "we don't do that".
Once she was kissed by a guy at an after performance function and asked 'who was that only to be told it was Sir Laurence Olivier.
With both she and her husband moving around so much, and to different places it was highly unlikely that they could have children.
When singing at La Scala for the firsts time a 'litt;e man' came to her dressing room door and seemed to be asking for a tip, to which she indicated we "don't do that in NZ". Others informed her that he was the Clark Master; he ensured that there was a large number of the audience who would clap and cheer at the appropriate times.
Back in NZ and sang with the NZ Symphony Orchestra - David was in Chile collecting lichens, they were wanting a home and she had to bid on it. It was close to the Clutha where she was able to satisfy her passion of fishing. (Sea run Salmon on a double z spinner)
And one last story - Patricia was on the banks of the Clutha, doing a bit of fishing and an old plumber strolled up and they started talking. Patricia was telling the tail of her big catch and he reiterated with his own story about the 32 pounder he caught on the Rakaia. She said that that must have been very exiting. To which he replied, "it was as good as sex". After a pause he said; "no it was better than sex, it lasted longer".
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