Austral, Florence (1894–1968)
Austral, Florence (1894–1968)
Australian opera singer. Name variations: Florence Amadio, Florence Fawaz, Florence Wilson. Born Mary Wilson on April 16, 1892, in Richmond, Victoria, Australia; died May 16, 1968, in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia; attended Newcastle Conservatorium, Melbourne, Australia (1917); m. John Amadio (virtuoso flautist), 1925.
One of world's greatest Wagnerian sopranos, won an entrance exhibition to Newcastle Conservatorium in Melbourne (1917); traveled to New York to study Italian opera (1919); adopted Austral as stage name (1921), prior to debut with British National Opera Company at Convent Garden, London (1922); toured US and Canada (1920s) and appeared in complete cycles of The Ring at Convent Garden and at Berlin State Opera; married flautist John Amadio in London (1925) and toured widely with him in US and Australia; joined Berlin State Opera as principal (1930); appeared frequently with Sir Henry Wood and BBC Symphony Orchestra; made many recordings with other contemporary leading singers; toured Australia (1930, 1934–35), North America (1931–33) and Holland (1931, 1933–34); appeared in benefit concerts during WWII; returned to Australia after WWII, almost completely paralyzed by multiple sclerosis; taught with Newcastle branch of New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music despite affliction until retirement (1959).