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Early in 1973 Dame Eva Turner telephoned the D'Oyly Carte office to say she had a most promising pupil who she felt sure would be just right for the Company. An audition was arranged and Dame Eva's prophecy came true, for within a few weeks Judi Merri was busy learning the principal mezzo "soubrette" roles.
Judi comes from The Wirral, in Cheshire, and was educated at the West Kirby County High School for Girls in Liverpool. She trained at the Royal Manchester College of Music, where she won scholarships and prizes, and then went on to study at the London Opera Centre, during this time her prizes included the Dame Eva Turner Bursary, RVW Trust, Friends of Covent Garden Award, Peter Stuyvesant Scholarship, and silver and bronze LAMDA medals for acting.
She had to miss a whole term's study owing to a serious car accident when she had serious facial injuries, but fought bravely, undergoing many operations, to enable her to resume her career.
When she was offered the D'Oyly Carte contract she also had the opportunity to join Glyndebourne. Fortunately, however, she preferred D'Oyly Carte, mainly because she felt Gilbert and Sullivan would give her more freedom of expression in acting and comedy roles. Her bright personality and many talents soon endeared her to audiences all over the country.
She left the company in 1975.| Artist Index | Main Index |