Winifred Lawson

.

Life and career

Lawson was born in Wolverhampton, England. She started out as a concert singerAyre, p.201] and made her first appearance on the London opera stage in 1920 as the Countess Almaviva in "The Marriage of Figaro" at the Old Vic. She went on to appear in "The Magic Flute", as Marguerite in "Faust", and as the Princess in "Prince Ferelon". She also sang in the Cambridge performances of Purcell's "Fairy Queen". [http://pinafore.www3.50megs.com/w-lawson.html Lawson at the Memories of the D'Oyly Carte website] ]

D'Oyly Carte Opera Company

Lawson made her D'Oyly Carte Opera Company debut as a guest singer in 1922 at the Prince's Theatre in London, playing Princess Ida in Princess Ida. She then joined the company as principal soprano. Lawson regularly appeared as Phyllis in "Iolanthe", Elsie Maynard in "The Yeomen of the Guard", Casilda in "The Gondoliers", Patience in "Patience", Josephine in "H.M.S. Pinafore" and Yum-Yum in "The Mikado". [http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/whowaswho/L/LawsonWinifred.htm Lawson at the WhoWasWho website] ]

She toured in the role of Lili in "Lilac Time" before rejoining the D'Oyly Carte organisation the 1929-30 season, adding the role of Aline in "The Sorcerer" to her repertoire, and during the 1930-31 she appeared for the first time as Rose Maybud in "Ruddigore". Lawson left D'Oyly Carte in June 1931 in order to look after her mother, who was unwell. However, on her return to the company in February 1932, she appeared as Patience, Phyllis, Ida, Yum-Yum, and Casilda, until June of that year when she left the company for the last time.

With the D'Oyly Carte, she recorded five of her roles, Princess Ida (1924), Gianetta (1927), Elsie Maynard (1928), Phyllis (1929), and Patience (1930). She also recorded the Plaintiff in "Trial by Jury" (1927), though she never played the part on stage.

Later years

On the death of her mother in 1933, Lawson returned to the stage, appearing for two seasons with the Sadler's Wells Opera in "Pagliacci", "Faust", "The Marriage of Figaro", "Cosi fan tutte", "Don Giovanni", "The Magic Flute", and "La Boheme". In 1935 she toured Australia and New Zealand, appearing in many of the Gilbert and Sullivan soprano roles with the J. C. Williamson Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company.

On her return to England, she reprised the role of the Countess in "The Marriage of Figaro" at the Open Air Theatre in London's Regent's Park in 1938. This was to be her last appearance on the London stage. During World War II, she sang in many concerts and toured the Middle East for ENSA, and after the war she took part in the 'Life of Gilbert and Sullivan' radio broadcasts for the BBC, when she sang popular songs from the operas.

Lawson was elected Vice-President of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society in 1944 and regularly joined Society meetings and events. Her autobiography, "A Song to Sing-O!", with foreword by Sir Malcolm Sargent, was published by Michael Joseph in 1955. [ [http://www.wellerbooks.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=39&products_id=570&osCsid=oci6qq2l8hp9bnod07k46n88a7 Description of "A Song to Sing-O!"] ]

She died in London at the age of 69.

Notes

References

*Lawson, Winifred, "A Song to Sing-O!" (1955) Michael Joseph
*cite book|last=Ayre|first=Leslie|year=1972|title=The Gilbert & Sullivan Companion|location=London|publisher=W.H. Allen & Co Ltd Introduction by Martyn Green.

External links

* [http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/whowaswho/L/LawsonWinifred.htm Lawson on the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company website]
* [http://www.cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/yeo1928.htm Lawson in the 1928 'The Yeomen of the Guard']
* [http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/postcards/pksle091.htm Photos of Lawson at the G&S Archive]
* [http://pinafore.www3.50megs.com/w-lawson-p.html Photos of Lawson at the Memories of the D'Oyly Carte website]
* [http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/patience/webop/pat02.html Drawing of Lawson as Patience]
* [http://www.cris.com/~oakapple/gasdisc/ida1924.htm Information about Lawson's "Princess Ida" recording with a photo of a recording session]