Bronhill, June (1929-2005), an Australian coloratura soprano, won international acclaim after winning the Sun aria contest in 1950. Bronhill successfully sang opera, operettas, and musical comedy. One of her greatest successes was in the title role of the Hungarian composer Franz Lehar’s famous operetta The Merry Widow in London in 1958 and 1960. She also starred in productions of the musicals The Sound of Music and Robert and Elizabeth.
Bronhill was born on June 26, 1929, in Broken Hill, New South Wales. Her real name was June Gough. She adopted the stage name Bronhill, which is a contraction of Broken Hill, after winning the Sun singing contest. In 1952, the residents of Broken Hill raised money to send her to London to study singing. She made her debut in London at Sadler’s Wells Opera in 1954, singing the role of Adele in the operetta Die Fledermaus. She remained with the company until 1961. She also won praise for her performances in the operas Rigoletto, Don Pasquale, and Lucia di Lammermoor. Bronhill retired in 1993. She died on Jan. 25, 2005.
