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Tait, Viola (1911-2002)

Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-643402

Biographies

Australian Women's Register

Born in Pressburg, Austria-Hungary where her father was the manager of a branch of J P Coats thread mills. The family returned to Paisley, in Scotland, with the outbreak of World War I. She enrolled in the in the Scottish National Academy of Music in Glasgow, then studied singing under Francis Harford before joining the Carl Rosa Opera Company in 1935 and played at the London Lyceum Theatre and touring South Africa. In 1937 she joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company as a principal soprano, touring the English provinces and later America. In 1939 she was invited to join the Australian Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company as a principal for a year long tour of Australia and New Zealand. She met and married Frank (later Sir Frank) Tait, the youngest of the five Tait brothers. Her first book A Family of Brothers provides a history of the J C Williamson's theatre enterprise and the contribution of the Tait brothers to Australian theatre. This was followed by Dames, Principal Boys…and all That: A history of Pantomine in Australia in 2001. (Source: Farewell to a grand dame of light opera by Elisabeth Kumm and Grand lady of the stage by Philip Jones)

View the full record at Australian Women's Register

Resources

Selected resources (7)

Australian Women's Register

  1. A family of brothers : the Taits and J.C. Williamson : a theatre history
    Tait, Viola
    [1971]
    Published: Heinemann, Melbourne
  2. Dames, principal boys -- and all that : a history of pantomime in Australia
    Tait, Viola and Humphries, Barry (progue by)
    [2001]
    Published: Macmillan, South Melbourne
  3. Viola Wilson (1938-39)
    The D'Oyly Catre Opera Company
    [2001]
  4. Grand lady of the stage
    Jones, Philip
    [2002]
  5. Farewell to a grand dame of light opera
    Kumm, Elisabeth
    [2002]
  6. Interview with Viola Tait, singer (sound recording), interviewer: Michelle Potter.
    [7 November 1994]
    2 digital audio tapes, 90 and 60 minutes
    National Library of Australia
    ORAL TRC 3166
  7. Tait family Papers
    [1908 - 1966]
    1. Business and general correspondence relating to theatrical ventures, 1905-58 (28 cm.). 2. Personal correspondence of J. Nevin Tait, London, 1945-50 (21 cm.). 3. Letters to Rangatria Pty Ltd (Wellington, NZ), 1949-54 (21 cm.). 4. Weekly summary of attractions, 1918 (1 cm.). 5. J.C. Williamson performance contracts, 1910-54 (13 cm.). 6. Personal financial records of Sir Frank Tait, 1954-67 (14 cm.). 7. Correspondence of Sir Frank and Lady Tait, 1960-90 (13 cm.). 8. Typescript draft of "A family of brothers" by Lady Tait, ca. 1970 (1 cm.). 9. Miscellaneous clippings and objects relating to theatre productions. An addition of 3 boxes has been received and is unavailable until processed.
    1.12 m, 8 boxes
    National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection
    MS 309

Resources About Viola Tait (6)

  1. Viola Tait interviewed by Michelle Potter
    Tait, Viola, 1911-2002
    [Sound : 1994]
    Available online
  2. [Biographical cuttings on Viola Tait, author]
    [Published : 1900-1990]
  3. Papers
    Tait family
    [Unpublished : 1908-1966]
  4. Sir Frank and Lady Viola Tait, c. 1958
    [Photograph : 1958]
    Available online
  5. Performance of Ivor Novello's musical-operetta The dancing years, final scene, Sydney, 1947 [picture]
    Shmith, Athol, 1914-1990
    [Photograph : 1947]
    Available online
  6. [Opera and operatic life in Australia, 1924-1932]
    [Unpublished : 1924-1932]

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