When Austral sang : the biography of Florence Austral

by Michael Elphinstone, Wayne Hancock

A project that has taken more than 10 years to realise, When Austral Sang is not only a meticulously researched and annotated account of the life and career of one of Australia's most important singers but, in terms of its scope and content, it sets new precedents for future works of Australian biography. The 'standard' life story of Florence Austral is here scrutinised, corrected and amplified; in bringing to light new material on the soprano's family background, her relationship with flautist John Amadio, her début in professional opera, her recordings, her overseas tours and her medical history, the authors have answered the numerous questions inadvertently raised by Austral's previous biographers. Ample discussion is moreover devoted to the artistic circles in which Austral lived and worked, thus placing her musical activity in a wider socio-historical perspective. As might be expected of a volume its size (655 pages), When Austral Sang is generously illustrated. It also contains two appendices (one of them a complete discography of Austral's recordings for HMV together with details of LP reissues and transfers to CD)

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005