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Rosina Raisbeck, 1961
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Rosina Raisbeck enjoyed a successful career in London and performed on the club circuit across Australia in the 1960s, before joining the Australian Opera in 1971. She was still singing with the company at the age of 72.
Raisbeck was born in Ballarat to English and Italian parents, and grew up in Maitland. After success on the club circuit in New South Wales, she entered the New South Wales Conservatorium in 1942. Raisbeck won the Sun Aria and ABC Concerto and Vocal competitions in 1946. She auditioned at Covent Garden, London, and performed her debut role as Maddalena in Rigoletto the following year.
Raisbeck was a soloist in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony as part of the Queen's coronation celebrations in 1953. She sang with Sadler's Wells Opera in London, and with the Elizabethan Trust Opera Company at home in Sydney. In 1961, after her divorce from James Laurie, she returned to Sydney with her son, Jim. She joined the Australian Opera company ten years later. Raisbeck's last public appearance was at the 80th birthday concert of Dame Joan Sutherland, her friend and colleague, in October 2006.
Sources used to compile this entry: Tony Stephens, 'Mistress of stage, master of voice', Sydney Morning Herald, 8 January 2007. (Note: the National Library of Australia holds biographical cuttings on Rosina Raisbeck, Record ID: 2010171).
Barbara Lemon
Created: 18 January 2007, Last modified: 1 June 2010
http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE2264b.htm
Ms Rosina Raiseback, was related to my Foster parents William and Grace manning of Barkly St Mount Pleasant Ballarat Victoria Australia. I am now a professional opera reviewer and had forgoten the family association.
Lionel Curtis - 26 May 2010, 10:34 AM EST
I grew up with Rosina being part of my mothers life. They sang together when they were very young. Beryl Derricott
(Burge)She was such a joy to know.
Robin Fairhall (Burge) - 19 January 2011, 11:42 AM EST
Many thanks for sharing the information. Do you have any particular stories to tell?
AWAP Administrator - 31 January 2011, 3:03 PM EST
Rosina was my Aunt. I found a great story from the archives while doing my family history.
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Friday 23 April 1926, page 12
I
COUNTRY
LITTLE GIRL'S NARROW
NEWS. ESCAPE.
'
WEST Phyllis Raisbeck,
MAITLAND. years,
narrowlv escaped being burned In her bed. She was in bed, and a candle was left by her side. Her bother aged 10 years, noticed a flare In the girl's room, and discovered the bedclothes alight.
The girl was sound asleep. The flames were close to the girl's hair when the lad pulled the burning
clothes from her. He then grasped her, and it was not until she was being moved that
she awoke. The boy was burnt about the right hand, but the girl suffered no injury.
National Library of Australia
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16287782
Janice Macpherson - 21 July 2011, 2:28 PM EST