June Bronhill

June Bronhill, OBE (26 June 1929 – 24 January 2005) was an internationally acclaimed soprano opera singer.

Biography

She was born June Mary Gough in the inland Australian city of Broken Hill in New South Wales. Her stage name Bronhill, which she used from 1952, was an abbreviation of Broken Hill, which was her way of thanking her home town for its support in raising money to send her overseas for professional training as a singer — in the same way that Helen Porter Mitchell chose the stage name of Nellie Melba (after Melbourne), and that Florence Mary Wilson chose the stage name of Florence Austral and Elsie Mary Fischer chose the stage name Elsa Stralia (after Australia). [ [http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120133b.htm Biographies — Australian National University] ]

She trained in London and gained early exposure with the Sadler's Wells company in Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro". Her roles in Offenbach's operas, with the Sadler's Wells company, included "Eurydice" in "Orpheus in the Underworld" and "Gabrielle" in "La Vie Parisienne".

She was perhaps best known for title role of "Hanna Glawari" in Franz Lehár's "The Merry Widow", which she sang with the Sadler's Wells Opera (now known as English National Opera), with Thomas Round (as "Danilo"). She also created Maria von Trapp in Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The Sound of Music" on the Australian stage. Bronhill was well known in the London West End theatres as well as on the opera stage.

Over the years she made frequent visits back to her homeland, singing in operas such as "The Merry Widow", "Orpheus In the Underworld", "Die Fledermaus" and "Rigoletto" at the Sydney Opera House in 1975. In 1976 she decided to move back to Australia permanently.

In Australia she appeared in operas such as "Il Seraglio" and "Maria Stuarda". She played operetta roles such as Josephine ("HMS Pinafore"), Phyllis ("Iolanthe") and Ruth ("The Pirates Of Penzance"). She also essayed roles in "The Maid Of the Mountains", "Call Me Madam", "A Little Night Music", "Nunsense", "My Fair Lady" and "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying", and starred in the straight plays "Arsenic And Old Lace" and "Straight and Narrow".

Marriages

June married twice, first to Brian Martin, and second to Richard Finny. Both marriages ended in divorce. She had a daughter, Carolyn, by her second marriage.

Death

She died on January 24 2005, aged 75, in her sleep at a Sydney nursing home. Her hometown, Broken Hill, honoured her by declaring a minute's silence during the 2005 Australia Day celebrations two days after her death.

Autobiography

In 1987 she published her autobiography, "The Merry Bronhill", and EMI Australia produced a compilation disc with the same title to publicise the book.

Honour

Bronhill was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and later given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Australian Variety Club.

References

External links

*imdb name|id=0111437|name=June Bronhill
* [http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1288347.htm News report of her death, and photograph]
* [http://www.ausstage.edu.au/indexdrilldown.jsp?xcid=59&f_contrib_id=4441 June Bronhill in AusStage]