LOCAL SINGER AS “ANNA”

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30126, 9 May 1963, Page 2

LOCAL SINGER AS “ANNA”

Part In Melbourne Musical Show

A former Christchurch singer, Miss Rosamunde Connal, has been playing the leading role of Anna in “The King And I” in Melbourne recently. As understudy for the part for several months, Miss Connal took over the role when Miss Sheila Bradley became ill and has played Anna 18 times during the last few weeks. “Everyone helped me so much I felt surrounded with goodwill,” Miss Connal said in a recent letter to her parents, Mr and Mrs G. A. G. Connal, of Makora street. Her performances in the role extended from three to five a week, during a period of five weeks, she said.

Miss Connal spent more than five years in England studying pianoforte, singing and accompaniment before returning to Christchurch in 1960. After six months she ■went to Sydney, and has been working in the Australian theatre for more than two years • My Fair Lady” Beginning her career in “The Music Man," she later joined the “My Fair Lady" company in Sydney When she left nine months later.

she was understudy for the leading role of Eliza, but did not have the opportunity to play the red* on stage From “My Fair Lady” Miss Connal went to the Elizabethan Trust Opera Company for last year's season of four operas. In “Ariadne Auf Naxos" she understudied the

role of the Naiad and played it in Brisbane at the end of the season last July. She played in “Orpheus In The Underworld" in Sydney and Melbourne and then transferred to "The King and I" in Melbourne, where the musical is still playing Miss Connal has been an accompanist to many of the principals in the Elizabethan Trust Opera Company and other companies at rehearsals and also in radio and television work.