Caroline Meta Buring (1875 – 7 November 1955) was a South Australian contralto and singing teacher.
History
Meta was born in Friedrichswalde, South Australia (later renamed Tarnma) near Kapunda in 1875 to H. F. A. Lina Buring née Dohrenwend ( – 1934) and T(heodor) G(ustave) Hermann Buring (1846 – 8 September 1919) of the winemaking firm of Buring & Sobels. She grew up with two brothers, Rudolph (1872–1950) and Leo Buring (1876–1961), and two sisters.
She was educated at Sturt Street Public School, and won an
exhibition
An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within a cultural or educational setting such as a museum, art gallery, park, library, exhibition ...
in 1887 which enabled her to study at the
Advanced School for Girls
The Advanced School for Girls was a South Australian State school whose purpose was to prepare girls to qualify for entry to the University of Adelaide. Founded in 1879, the school merged with Adelaide High School in 1907.
History
From its ince ...
; she matriculated in 1890 but did not go on to University. Instead she pursued her interest in music and singing and studied
elocution
Elocution is the study of formal speaking in pronunciation, grammar, style, and tone as well as the idea and practice of effective speech and its forms. It stems from the idea that while communication is symbolic, sounds are final and compelli ...
under Wybert Reeves. She studied for several years at the
Melbourne Conservatorium of Music
The Melbourne Conservatorium of Music is the music school at the University of Melbourne and part of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music. It is located near the Melbourne City Centre on the Southbank campus of the University of Melbourne.
Degree ...
under Madam Wiedemann and Marshall Hall, returning to Adelaide in 1897, appearing first at the
Adelaide Town Hall
Adelaide Town Hall is a landmark building on King William Street in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. The City of Adelaide Town Hall complex includes the Town Hall and the office building at 25 Pirie Street.
Description and history
Adelai ...
with the
Adelaide Liedertafel
The Adelaide Liedertafel (Die Adelaider Liedertafel) is a traditional German male choir, one of several ''Liedertafeln'', or song societies, in the history of Adelaide and South Australia. It is Australia's oldest male choir.
History
The first "Ad ...
and (Hermann)
Heinicke's Grand Orchestra
August Moritz Hermann Heinicke (21 July 1863 – 11 July 1949), only ever known as Hermann or Herr Heinicke, was a German-born violinist and music teacher in South Australia. He founded Heinicke's Grand Orchestra and was the first conductor of the ...
Elsie Hall
Elsie Maude Stanley Hall (22 June 1877 – 27 June 1976), commonly referred to as Elsie Stanley Hall, was a prominent Australian-born South African classical pianist.
Life
Hall was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, the oldest daughter of ...
and complimentary concerts to P. A. Howells and Lucy Stevenson, all at the Town Hall. She also appeared with Amy Castles at the Exhibition Building.
Following complimentary references by
Amy Sherwin
Frances Amy Lillian Sherwin (23 March 1855 – 20 September 1935), the 'Tasmanian Nightingale', was an Australian soprano singer.
Biography
She was born at Forest Home, Huonville, Tasmania on 23 March 1855. She was taught singing by her moth ...
, a group of Adelaide music-lovers subscribed to a fund to send her to Europe for further musical education. She left in 1900, first for Frankfurt, where she spent a year under Julius Stockhausen at his music school, studying German, French, Italian, and English diction, sight-reading and choral work, and also receiving private tuition. Next she spent a year in London, studying under
Minna Fischer
Minna Pauline Fischer (20 January 1858 – 7 August 1941) was an Australian lyric soprano and singing teacher in London.
History
Fischer was born in Tanunda, South Australia, the second daughter of George Friedrich Fischer and his second wife Em ...
.
Arthur Chappell
Chappell & Co. was an English company that published music and manufactured pianos. Founded by pianist Samuel Chappell, the company was one of the leading music publishers and piano manufacturers in Britain until 1980 when Chappell sold its re ...
gave her the opportunity to sing at one of his famous "
Monday Pops
St. James's Hall was a concert hall in London that opened on 25 March 1858, designed by architect and artist Owen Jones, who had decorated the interior of the Crystal Palace. It was situated between the Quadrant in Regent Street and Piccadilly, ...
Bechstein Hall
Wigmore Hall is a concert hall located at 36 Wigmore Street, London. Originally called Bechstein Hall, it specialises in performances of chamber music, early music, vocal music and song recitals. It is widely regarded as one of the world's leadi ...
, and others. She gained valuable experience in teaching by taking pupils in Liverpool and Manchester, where she also appeared in several of Hans Richter's Hallé concerts, and at the Free Trade Hall with Melbourne soprano Mary Conley.
She might have stayed longer, but following her parents' wishes she returned to Adelaide in 1908, on the steamer ''Commonwealth''.
On her return to Adelaide her performances in large halls were rare. This may have been linked to a throat injury which she suffered while in England, and required medical attention; she was active however as a teacher of singing, with a studio in
Currie Street
Currie Street is a main street in the Adelaide city centre, South Australia.Map of the
Adelaide Women's Club
Adelaide Women's Club was a social club for women which operated from 1922 to 1938 in Adelaide, South Australia.
History
The Adelaide Women's Club was founded in June 1922 by a handful of professional women led by Adelaide Miethke, and incorpora ...
, and frequently entertained with songs at Club socials, private soirées and Advanced School reunions.