Marjorie Lawrence dies

Press, 16 January 1979, Page 14

Marjorie Lawrence dies

Australian-born Marjorie Lawrence, aged 71, of Hot Springs, Arkansas, a renowned operatic soprano, died of heart failure after a long illness. Miss Lawrence won the Sydney Sun Aria Competition in 1928 and later studied in Paris and New York. She made her operatic debut with the Monte Carlo Opera Company as Elizabeth in “Tannhauser" in 1932 followed by leading roles at the Paris Opera and Metropolitan Opera in New York. In 1939 she made a concert tour of Australia, then in Mexico in 1941 she was stricken with poliomyelitis. She reappeared successfully on stage with the Metropolitan Opera, as Venus in “Tannhauser” in 1942. During the last war she travelled 80,000 km entertaining troops in the South Pacific. She also gave concerts for troops in Europe and sang at Buckingham Paiace. In later years she was a professor of voice and opera at various United States universities. A successful Hollywood film of her life, “Interrupted Melody” was released in 1955.