AUSTRALIAN EPHEMERA COLLECTION FINDING AID

FLORENCE AUSTRAL ( 1892 – 1968)

PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMS AND EPHEMERA (PROMPT)

PRINTED AUSTRALIANA

AUGUST 2015

Florence Mary Austral (26 April 1892[1] – 15 May 1968) was an Australian operatic soprano renowned for her interpretation of the most demanding Wagnerian female roles. She was born Florence Mary Wilson, but adopted the professional surname Austral in 1921 in honour of her homeland of Australia.

Printed materials in the PROMPT collection include programs and printed ephemera such as brochures, leaflets, tickets, etc. Theatre programs are taken as the prime documentary evidence of a performance. The list is based on imperfect holdings, and is updated as gaps in the Library’s holdings are filled. Unless otherwise stated, all entries are based on published programs in the PROMPT collection.

The Forence Austral PROMPT file may be accessed through the Library’s Special Collections Reading Room by eCallslip request: http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn3526200

Programs in the National Library’ PROMPT collection are arranged chronologically by  Australian performances  Overseas performances Where the information is available on the program performances are listed as follows: Date (day and month); Venue, City Name of production Performer’s role.

An index to staged productions is provided at the end of the document. This document is also keyword searchable].

The National Library’s collection also includes:  Biographical cuttings and news items  Pictures  Published works  Newspaper articles can be located through Trove  Music and sound recordings can be located through Trove  Journal articles can be located through Trove

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1930 28 May; Sydney Town Hall (Sydney, New South Wales) Cities and country tour, 1930 With

1930 31 May; Sydney Town Hall (Sydney, New South Wales) Cities and country tour, 1930 With John Amadio

1930 9 June; Sydney Town Hall (Sydney, New South Wales) Cities and country tour, 1930 Sixth recital With John Amadio

1930 21 June; Town Hall (Melbourne, Victoria) Cities and country tour, 1930 First Melbourne concert With John Amadio

1930 5 July; Melbourne Town Hall (Melbourne, Victoria) Cities and country tour, 1930 Seventh concert [of tour] With John Amadio

1930 8-10 July; Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo (Victoria) Cities and country tour, 1930 With John Amadio

1930 1 August; Melbourne Town Hall (Melbourne, Victoria) Cities and country tour, 1930

1930 14 August; His Majesty’s Theatre (Perth, Western Australia) Cities and country tour, 1930 With John Amadio

1934 22 May; Adelaide Town Hall (Adelaide, South Australia) Adelaide concert With Amadio & Lambert

1934 June; Melbourne Town Hall (Melbourne, Victoria) Melbourne concert series With Amadio & Lambert

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1934 12 June; Melbourne Town Hall (Melbourne, Victoria) Melbourne concert series Second Melbourne concert With Amadio & Lambert 2 programs.

1934 14 June; Melbourne Town Hall (Melbourne, Victoria) Melbourne concert series Third Melbourne concert With Amadio & Lambert.

1934 23 June; Melbourne Town Hall (Melbourne, Victoria) Melbourne concert series Final Melbourne concert With Amadio & Lambert 2 programs.

1934 25 November; Regent Theatre (Melbourne, Victoria) Concert arranged by the Well-wishers League of St Vincent’s Hospital; Other performers included Gladys Moncrieff, Cyril Ritchard and Madge Elliott. (Photocopy of concert program). 1934 October-November; Apollo Theatre Sydney, New South Wales) Sir Benjamin Fuller Grand Opera Season The Valkyrie / FA as Brunehilde 1935 March; New Tivoli Theatre (Sydney, New South Wales) Sir Benjamin Fuller Grand Opera Season The Valkyrie / Richard Wagner FA as Brunehilde

OVERSEAS STAGE CAREER

1922 16 May; Covent Garden (London, England) The Valkyrie / Richard Wagner Florence Austral as Brunnhilde. 1922 26 December; Covent Garden (London, England) / Florence Austral as Aida. (Photocopy)

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1923 1 April; Queen’s Hall (London, England) Florence Austral as Brunnhilde

1924 20 May; Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (London, England) Siegfried (Wagner’s Opera) Florence Austral as Brunnhilde

1924 11 November, (London, England) International Celebrity Subscription Concerts with Backhause & Hislop 2 programs, and 2 flyers

1924 30 November; Queen’s Hall (London, England) Siegfried Florence Austral as Brunnhilde

1926 23 October; Royal Albert Hall (London, England) Elijah (Mendelssohn) FA and Royal Choral Society

1927 23 October; Royal Albert Hall (London, England) Advertisement for concert on 23 October in Gerhardt and Cortot October 23rd, 1927

1927 27 October; Norfolk & Norwich Triennial Musical Festival. Illustrated souvenir. Containing photographs of artists and composers, with notes and biographies by MR. J.E.H Barwell. 132 p.

1928 11 November; Royal Albert Hall (London, England) Special Sunday Concerts, 1928 – 29 season. Armistice Day Concert

1928 9 October – 23 December; (London, England) International Celebrity Subscription Concerts Tour (Jubilee Series, 1928 – 1929)

1930 10 February; Royal Albert Hall (London, England) Special Sunday Concerts

1932 26 May; Royal Albert Hall (London, England) World Celebrity Concert

1932 19 September; Queen’s Hall (London, England) Promenade Concert

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1933 25 January; Madison Square Garden (New York) Five Festival Concerts Arranged by Walter Damrosch. Fourth Festival Concert Florence Austral soloist

1933 15 September; Streatham Hill Theatre (London, England) Wagner Festival FA as Brunnhilde

1933 18 September; Queen’s Hall (London, England) Promenade Concert

1933 28 September; Golders Green Hippodrome (London, England) Wagner Festival FA as Brunnhilde

1933 2 October; Queen’s Hall (London, England) Promenade Concert Wagner Concert The Twighlight of the Gods (Götterdämmerung) FA as Brunhilde

1938 2 April; The Dome (Brighton, England) Wagner Concert

1938 29 April; Queen’s Hall (London, England) British Women’s Symphony Orchestra FA sings Wagner

1939 14 August; Queens’ Hall (London, England) Promenade Concert FA sings Wagner

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Index to performances

Adelaide concert ...... 3 International Celebrity Subscription Concerts Aida ...... 5 Tour ...... 5 Armistice Day Concert ...... 5 Melbourne concert series ...... 3, 4 British Women’s Symphony Orchestra ...... 6 Promenade Concert ...... 6 Cities and country tour, 1930 ...... 3 Siegfried ...... 5 Concert arranged by the Well-wishers League of Sir Benjamin Fuller Grand Opera Season ...... 4 St Vincent’s Hospital ...... 4 Special Sunday Concerts ...... 5 Elijah ...... 5 The Twighlight of the Gods (Götterdämmerung) 6 Fourth Festival Concert...... 6 The Valkyrie...... 4 Illustrated souvenir ...... 5 Wagner Concert...... 6 International Celebrity Subscription Concerts...... 5 Wagner Festival ...... 6 World Celebrity Concert ...... 6

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