Description

FLORENCE AUSTRAL (RICHMOND, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA 26 APRIL, 1892 – MAYFIELD, NEWCASTLE, NEW SOUTH WALES 15 MAY, 1968)

She first studied at the Melbourne Conservatory with Elise Wiedermann, then continued her studies in New York with Gabriele Sibella starting in 1918, and finally at the Royal School of Opera in London. Although her voice impressed influential listeners, and she was offered a contract with the Metropolitan Opera, she declined the offer to gain stage experience in England and never again had the chance to sing with the New York company. In 1921, she was hired for the upcoming season at Covent Garden Opera, but this season did not materialize. Conductor Percy Pitt hired her in 1922 for the British National Opera Company, where she made her debut as Brünnhilde in Die Walküre under the name Florence Wilson in May 1922. She achieved great success with the same company in the roles of Isolde and Aida.

Under the stage name Florence Austral, she became a celebrated Wagnerian soprano at Covent Garden. In 1923 and 1926, she was admired as a concert singer at the Handel Festival in London, and in 1924, she performed Beethoven’s 9th Symphony at the Wembley Exposition. In 1925, she undertook a major concert tour in the United States and married Australian flutist John Amadio. She continued to tour the US annually until 1935, and in 1930, she toured Australia. From 1934 to 1935, she appeared on a guest tour in her Wagner roles, as well as in the role of the Marshal in Der Rosenkavalier and surprisingly, in the coloratura role of Leila in Les Pêcheurs de Perles.

In 1927, she sang Brünnhilde in a concert performance of Götterdämmerung and performed the soprano solo in Bach’s B minor Mass. In 1928, she appeared at the Philadelphia Opera as Brünnhilde in the Ring Cycle, with George Baklanoff as her partner. She made guest appearances in Berlin, Hamburg, and San Francisco in 1930, and undertook concert tours in England, North America, Holland, South Africa, and Australia. The focus of her work remained Covent Garden Opera, where she sang until 1940. From 1937 to 1939, she performed at the Sadler’s Wells Opera in London. In 1937, she sang in the United States for the last time in a concert with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy. During World War II, she lived in England and gave charity concerts. In 1946, she returned to her Australian homeland and began teaching at the Newcastle Conservatory near Sydney. She had to give up teaching in 1959 due to a progressive rheumatic disease and died of cerebrovascular disease in a church home for the aged in Mayfield, Newcastle.

TRACKLIST

1. Aida (Verdi) O terra addio (w. Fleta, Thornton & chorus) 2-054132, DB580 HMV, London 1923-04-18
2. Aida (Verdi) Presago il core (w. Fleta & chorus) 2-054131, DB580 HMV, London 1923-04-18
3. Faust (Gounod) Quand de Seigneur (w. Chaliapin & chorus) DB899 (2-034040) HMV, London 1925-10-26
4. Faust (Gounod) Seigneur daignez permettre (w. Chaliapin & chorus) DB899 (2-034039) HMV, London 1925-10-26
5. Fliegende Holländer (Wagner) Senta’s Ballad D1517 (03939) HMV, London 1928-08-24
6. Götterdämmerung (Wagner) Brunnhilde and Siegfried come from the cave (w. Widdop) D1574 (6-0528), HMV, London 1928-10-18
7. Götterdämmerung (Wagner) Brunnhilde refuses to give up the ring (w. Offers) D1578 (2-044050) HMV, London 1927-10-25
8. Götterdämmerung (Wagner) Brunnhilde reveals Siegfried’s vulnerability (w. Fear & Collier) D1580 (6-0531) HMV, London 1928-10-18
9. Götterdämmerung (Wagner) Hagen suggests revenge to Brunnhilde (w. Fear & Collier) D1580 (6-0530) HMV, London 1928-10-18
10. Götterdämmerung (Wagner) The conspirators agree on the death of Siegfried (w. Fear & Collier) D1581 (6-0532) HMV, London 1928-10-18
11. Götterdämmerung (Wagner) The parting of Siegfried and Brunnhilde (w. Widdop) D1574 (6-0529) HMV, London 1928-10-18
12. Schöpfung (Haydn) With verdure clad D775 (03813) HMV, London 1923-03-09
13. Stabat Mater (Rossini) Inflammatus D1506 (2-053331) HMV, London 1928-08-27
14. Tosca (Puccini) Amaro sol per te (w. Fleta) DB956 (2-054133) HMV, London 1923-04-19
15. Trovatore (Verdi) Ai nostri monti (w. Mummery) D1302 (2-054182) HMV, London 1927-08-29
16. Trovatore (Verdi) Miserere (w. Mummery & chorus) D1302 (2-054181) HMV, London 1927-08-29
17. Walküre (Wagner) Brunnhilde appears before Siegmund (w. Widdop) (2-044010) D1326 HMV, London 1927-08-23
18. Walküre (Wagner) Brunnhilde promises to aid Siegmund (w. Widdop) (2-044013) D1327 HMV, London 1927-08-26
19. Walküre (Wagner) Siegmund is slain (w. Ljungberg, Fry & Widdop) (2-044015) D1328 HMV, London 1927-08-23
20. Walküre (Wagner) Siegmund refuses to follow Brunnhilde (w. Widdop) (2-044012) D1326 HMV, London 1927-08-26