User:Robbotech/sandbox

Monica Monique Brynnel was born in Gothenburg, Sweden, on the 28th of April, 1940. She started her singing career as a jazz singer and later changed to musical, operetta and opera with the help of her sponsors, Alice Sterner and Styrbjörn Lindedal. Monique won a scholarship 1962, which took her to London and further studies with Mme Triguez at the Wigmore Hall Studios.

Her debut in Musicals was 1963 in one of the leading roles,  Alerta, in Bernhard Miles' “Lock up your daughters” at Oscarsteatern, Stockholm. Ivo Cramer was director, Gert-Ove Andersson conductor and Kjerstin Dellert, Hans Källerud, Bert-Åke Varg and Hans Wahlgren performers in this production.

Riksteatern in Stockholm engaged Monique between l963 and 1968 for leading roles in Frederick Knott's “Dial M for Murder”, Offenbach's “Orfeus in the Underworld”, Johann Strauss' “Die Fledermaus” etc.,.

In 1968 Monique left Sweden and her first engagement was in the Operettenhaus in Baden bei Wien, Austria, as the lead, Sylva Varescu, in “Gypsy Princess” directed by Walter Sofka and Laszlo Imre conducting. Gärtnerplatztheater in Munich engaged her in 1970 for the lead, Hanna Glawari, in “The Merry Widow”, a production Monique stayed with almost eight years; 1st performance 16 January 1970 -  last performance 16 July 1977. Kurt Pscherer director and Wolfgang Rennert conducter. During these years she also performed and starred in concerts and productions with colleagues like Rudolf Schock etc., in Operahouses in Hamburg, Augsburg, Frankfurt, Essen, Augsburg, Kiel, Bielefeld, Basel etc.,.

Monique married the Australian tenor, Jon Weaving, in London, August 1969. They have one son, Jack.

The Weaving family moved to Australia in 1978.

Richard Bonynge engaged Monique in 1982 for the part as Adele in “Die Fledermaus” together with Dame Joan Sutherland singing the role as Rosalinda. This was the first live production to be televised by  ABC from the Sydney Opera House.

Between 1982 – 2002 Monique performed leading parts  in opera productions directed by Bernd Benthaak, John Copley, Hugh Halliday, Ira Siff, Lofti Mansuori conducted by Richard Bonynge,  Andrew Green and Brian Castles-Onion with the Victorian Opera, Queensland Light Opera Company, Australian Opera, Sydney Opera House and  Canterbury Opera. Starred in six New Year's Eve Concerts from 1987 - 1992  conducted by David Kram  and directed by Stuart Maunder at the Sydney Opera House.

Monique and Jon founded Academy of Singing 1992 in Melbourne.

Monique was co-ordinater in Singing,  tutoring and giving Master classes at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne University, 1993 – 2008.

Apart from Concerts and leading roles in Music Productions Monique has also produced, directed and performed many cabaret shows both in Australia and Sweden.

PERFORMANCES/CONCERTS
Scandinavia, Europe,  Russia, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand etc.,

DISTINCTIONS
Margit Rosengrens Scholarship,   1962

Svenska Riksteaterns Award for Best New Artist, 1964

TSO, Moderlogen, Syster, 1969

International Robert Stolz Society Award, 1992

MiG, Marknadsföreningen i Göteborg, ambassadör, 1998

DVD
Die Fledermaus...................ABC, Sydney opera house

Opera Favourites.................Opera Australia, ABC

More Favourites..................Opera Australia, Sydney opera house

The essential Sutherland..... -   “   -

Encore................................. -   “   -

Act II................................... -   “   -

AUTOBIOGRAPHY
“Music and Love”, published 2016 by BookPod, Amazon, in Australia.

Also as E-book