Lawrence, Marjorie Florence (1909 - 1979)

Opera singer Marjorie Lawrence contracted poliomyelitis in 1941 and was almost crippled in both legs, but continued to perform using a wheel chair placed on stage. During World War II she entertained the troops and was awarded the cross of the Legion d’ Honneur (1946) by the French government. On 31 December 1976 Marjorie Lawrence was appointed Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for her services to the performing arts.

Chronology

1928	Winner of the Sun Aria Competition
1932	Performed with the Paris Grand Opera Company as Ortrud in Lohengrin
1932	Debut with Monte Carlo Opera Company as Elisabeth in Tannhauser
1935	Performed with the Metropolitan Opera Company New York as Brunnhilde
1939	Completed a concert tour of Australia, performing at Winchelsea, Victoria first
1941	Contracted poliomyelitis while in Mexico
29 March 1941	Married Dr Thomas King, New York
1942	First public appearance as Venus in Tannhauser at the Metropolitan
1944	Entertained troops in Australia and South West Pacific (50,000 miles wheel concert tour)
1945	Entertained troops in Europe
1960 -	Professor of Voice and Opera Workshop, Southern Illinois University
1971	Opera Theatre Southern Illinois University named for Marjorie Lawrence

Related Corporate Bodies

• The Austral Salon of Music, Literature and the Arts (1890 - )

Related People

• Kenny, Elizabeth (1880 - 1952)

  Marjorie Lawrence used the treatment developed by Sister Elizabeth Kenny when the former contracted poliomyelitis in 1941

See also

• Arnold, John and Morris, Deirdre (eds), Monash Biographical Dictionary of 20th Century Australia, Reed Reference Publishing, Port Melbourne (Vic.), 1994, 568 pp. [ Details... ]
• Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian Dictionary of Biography CD-ROM Volumes 1-12, Melbourne University Press, Carlton, 1996. [ Details... ]
• Dugan, Michael and Gunter, Anne, Women Make Australian History : Women in Wartime 1914-1918, 1939-1945, Macmillan, South Melbourne, 1996, 32 pp. [ Details... ]
• Legge, J S (ed.), Who's who in Australia, 1971, 20 edn, The Herald and Weekly Times, Melbourne, 1971, 1024 pp. [ Details... ]