Monica Margareta Weaving, stage name Monique Brynnel, is a Swedish-Australian operatic soprano and teacher of singing. She was married to the Australian baritone/tenor Jon Weaving.

Brynnel first came to public notice in Australia in 1971, when she and the Melbourne-born Weaving were engaged with Sadlers Wells opera and appeared on ABC-TV in the documentary film Monique and Jon.[1] In 1979 Weaving returned with Brynnel to the city of his birth and appeared together in a number of concerts, including a "Concert for the People" at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and later with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra under conductor John Hopkins, and made an LP record World of Operetta.[2]

She made her debut with Australian Opera (now Opera Australia) in 1981, when she played Adele to Joan Sutherland's Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus.[3] This production on 10 July 1982 was Australia's first simulcast, relayed throughout the country on ABC-FM radio and ABC TV live from the Sydney Opera House.[4] It was also released by Decca Records as a two-LP set "Strauss: Die Fledermaus Live from the Sydney Opera House".[5]

Weaving and Brynnel founded a business in Fyshwick, ACT, preserving trees,[6] a process that takes several years to complete and with no guarantee of a sale, meanwhile continuing to perform. She played a "harsh voiced" Despina in Così fan tutte,[7] and starred in a Vienna-styled New Year's Eve concert[8]

In 1992 they founded the Academy of Singing in Melbourne.[9]

In 1994 they were living at Mount Martha, Victoria, when they separately declared themselves bankrupt.[10]

In 2011 they left Australia for Sweden, where Weaving died.

Publications

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  • Monique Brynnel and Jon Weaving, with Gillian Nikakis (2010), Music and Love, ISBN 9780646950273

References

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  1. ^ "Films for the week". The Canberra Times. Vol. 46, no. 12, 985. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 6 December 1971. p. 13. Retrieved 21 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Fledermaus at Princess". The Australian Jewish News. Vol. XLVII, no. 44. Victoria, Australia. 3 July 1981. p. 16. Retrieved 21 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Shakespeare-based operas for 1982 season". The Canberra Times. Vol. 56, no. 16, 795. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 20 September 1981. p. 8. Retrieved 21 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Tuning Up for an Historic Opera Simulcast". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 50, no. 4. Australia, Australia. 14 July 1982. p. 21. Retrieved 21 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "'Die Fledermaus' a delight on record". The Canberra Times. Vol. 57, no. 17, 267. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 7 January 1983. p. 9. Retrieved 21 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Firm will preserve living trees". The Canberra Times. Vol. 62, no. 18, 979. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 20 September 1987. p. 15. Retrieved 21 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Cosi Revival High Spirited". The Australian Jewish Times. Vol. 90, no. 42. New South Wales, Australia. 18 July 1985. p. 13. Retrieved 21 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Advertising". The Australian Jewish News. Vol. 98, no. 11. New South Wales, Australia. 11 December 1992. p. 5. Retrieved 21 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Academy of Singing". Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Bankruptcies on Debtors' Petitions". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. Business. No. B8. Australia, Australia. 1 March 1994. p. 592. Retrieved 21 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.