BELGIAN SINGERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 98, 20 January 1920, Page 2

BELGIAN SINGERS

Madame Goossens-Viceroy, who is travelling with thfl N.S.W. State Orchestra, conies from Belgium, and, like her husband (M. Albert Goossens, also a, captivating vocalist), was under an operatic cor. tract in Brussels for five years, with all engagement by Polaeco to follow for Covent Garden. .Then war broke out and M. Gaossens went to the front, was wounded and sent to King Albert's Hospital for Belgian soldiers in London. Meanwhile Ma'dame stayed on in Belgium selling all day long to make clothes for the little children who were destitute, iiiul-siibsMiuentiy, hearing that her husband had got his discharge, she escaped the vigilance of the German authorities and managed to get over to Antwerp, where she took ship to London, arriving there at !) p.m. .With no knowledge of English it was very hard _to make, it known that'she was looking tor the office that, cares for Belgian soldiers. "I make, myself understood' by mimic," she said in broken English 'and then they lake me nnd 1 sec my 8 husband."

On hi; recovery -if. and Madame \v."e engaged to come, over to Australia in 1015 with the Belgian Band, formed in London. On the termination of the tour they joined the teaching staff., of the Sydney Conservatoriiim, where they have a, very pleasant association. The birth of a'little daughter .in Melbourne nearlv four years ago is a happy event of their Australian residence. Belgium, Madame says, from letters she receives from tier sisters, is gradually working back to its former condition, and industries seem to lie reviving again, and everything going well. Neither Madame nor her husband could speak u word of English when they arrived in Australia. Now they nave ii very creditable vocabulary.