Lawrence Folley
FOLLEY, Lawrence (1928-2007). Baritone operatic singer and musical performer.
Contents
Biography
Born and went to school in Benoni. He had lessons from various teachers in Benoni and Johannesburg and went to work for the Benoni municipality. Then he met Marie, his future wife. She had just returned from England where she had been studying violin. After they were married, in the early 1950’s, they went to England for fifteen years. In the years to come, Lawrence and Marie were to have three daughters - all born in England - before the family returned to South Africa in the mid-60’s.
He retired in 1993 and moved abroad to be close to his daughters and grandchildren. After Marie died, he returned to South Africa and married Jacky Vermaas, former head of drama at Technikon Natal (now Durban University of Technology). They were living in the UK when Folley died on 14 January 2007 after a long battle with cancer.
Training
He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Morely College in London, where he won a scholarship to the Opera School.
Career abroad
He made a name for himself as principal baritone with Sadler’s Wells for nine years before returning to South Africa in 1968.
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
He appeared in numerous operas, operettas and musicals for all the Performing Arts Councils.
He joined PACT Opera in 1969 and became one of their leading singers. Over the years he also appeared in a number of musicals, including Percy Baneshik’s Eureka, with score by Bertha Egnos, and direction by Anthony Farmer. It opened at the Civic Theatre in March 1967 and also starred Pat Lancaster.
He starred in Kismet, the first PACT musical to be staged together with Gé Korsten, Barbara Veenemans, Kerry Jordan and Iris Chapple at the Civic Theatre in late 1973. It was directed by Anthony Farmer who also designed the sets and Neels Hansen did costumes.
He starred in David Matheson’s production of The Great Waltz with choreography by Geoffrey Sutherland which opened at the State Theatre in 1987.
Marking his retirement in 1993 at the age of 64 before moving to the UK, he made his farewell appearances on a South African opera stage in NAPAC’s presentation of Tosca.
Awards
Five times a Nederburg Opera prize-winner, with an Artes Award for his celebrated portrayal of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Folley was voted South Africa’s most popular male opera singer in a 1988 opinion poll conducted by the arts magazine Scenaria.
Sources
Tucker, 1997.
https://www.artsmart.co.za/music/archive/3997.html
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