Obituary of Laurie Pratt

Kernersville-Laurie Carolyn Pratt passed away April 1, 2012 at Piney Grove Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Laurie was born October 7, 1923 in Oldtown, NC. She was the daughter of the late Eugene C. Pratt and Sallie Pfaff Pratt of Winston-Salem. She is survived by her brother William Spach Pratt and Alice of Kitty Hawk, NC; nieces Col. Nancy Pratt Wilson USAF(Ret) of Kitty Hawk, Sallie Pratt Bartholomew of Richmond, VA, Anna Laurie Pratt of Chugiak, Alaska, Ann Pratt Hartle of Winston-Salem, Ellen Pratt Young of Winfield, W.VA, Mildred Poole of Spartanburg, SC, Louisa Gray of Las Vegas, NV, Virginia Nanzetta of Rockville, MD, Rosalyn Pratt Colombo of San Francisco, CA, and Susan Pratt of San Francisco, CA; nephews James William Pratt of Leesburg, VA, Franklin Griffith of New Orleans, LA, Norwood Pratt of San Francisco, CA, and Gettys Pratt of Winston-Salem. Laurie graduated from Richard J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem and studied music at Atlantic Christian College in Wilson, NC. While a freshman, she sang Concert Arias and operatic Arias on her weekly radio program over WGTM. She also sang the soprano part of “Messiah” at Elon College in Burlington, NC. She began her singing career as a teenage soloist at Fourth Street Christian Church in Winston-Salem under the tutelage of the Music Director E.M. Spivey. She continued her studies under Dicie Howell in Howell’s Winston-Salem and New York Studios. In New York Laurie studied voice and operatic roles under Sandra Antonini wife of conductor Alfred Antonini, Jascha Rushkin, and A. Pescia who taught Grace Moore and Dorothy Kirsten. While in New York Laurie performed operatic roles, in the Puma Opera Company, at the famed Carl Fisher Concert Hall. Her performances included “Carmen” and “La Boheme”. She won first place on Whom’s Stars of Tomorrow. Laurie was in Italy for a number of years, making her debut as Mimi in Pucini’s Opera “Madame Butterfly”. She also performed in The Teatro Gentile, Fabriano, Italy. She continued her operatic training under Maestro Giuseppe Morelli, one of Europe’s finest Conductors. She studied in Teatro Liricio Sperimentale of Spoleto, a training ground for opera singers performing in the Rome Opera House, San Carlos Opera House at Naples, and La Scala in Milan, Italy. While in Italy, Laurie performed lead roles in “Madame Butterfly”, “La Boheme”, “La Traviata”, “Turandot”, “L’Elisir D’Amore”, and “Tosca”. She was the soprano soloist for “Messiah” performed at St. Paul’s American Church in Rome, Italy. One Italian critic, commenting on Laurie’s versatility said: “We Italians have become so accustomed to exporting sopranos to the United States that it seems almost incredible that they should turn the tables on us and ship over a woman who can sing with the skill and beauty of the Italian school. BRAVA! BRAVISSIMA, SIGNORINA Laurie!” A severe illness cut short Laurie’s operatic career. Laurie also held positions in the business world. She was employed by the Flying Safety Department of the US Army Air Corps, and performed administrative duties at Macy’s and American Air Lines. She later worked in the program department of CBS along with a fellow Tar Heel, Edward R. Murrow. Friends and family may sign, and view, the guestbook at www.Pierce-JeffersonFuneralService.com Interment will be in Pfafftown Christian Church Cemetery in Pfafftown and a Memorial Service will be held at a later date. Service Information