NEW OPERA SEASON.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 77, 1 April 1940, Page 3

NEW OPERA SEASON.

TOUR OF. THE DOMINION.

COM PAX Y IX AUSTRALIA. On the way to America to enjrape new artists and obtain new plays fi>r Xew Zealand and Australia. Mr. K. ,T. Tait. chairman" of directors of Australian and Xew Zealand Theatres, Limited, was a throusrh passenper by the Monterey, which arrived at Auckland from Sydney this moniingr. He declared that so far theatrical activities in these Dominions had not been seriouslv affected by the Mrar.

The next Gilbert and Sullivan opera season in Xew Zealand should begin towards the end of this year, he »tated. The company, which was at present in Australia, had opened in Sydney on March 10 and had l>een playinjr to larire audiences. It would spend about four months in Sydney. Anion? the members of the company were Ivan Menzies. leading man: Evelyn Gardiner, contralto: Richard Watson, bas*: (irejrory Strrmd. ibaritone, and a n timber of nenooiiiors. inrludins John Fullard. English tenor: Maxwell Oldaker. Tasmanian tenor; "\"i<»l«i Wilson, soprano; Frank Laslett. Australian liaritone: Sara C;re;rorv. English soubrette. and Phyllis Curnow, Australian soprano. Mr. Tait «iid that Colonel do Basil's Covent Garden Ballet iplayed for eleven •weeks in Sydney and was likely to be in Melbourne for a similar time. It vra* expected that it would come to Xew Zealand in June.