NEW ZEALAND LIGHT OPERA

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26856, 8 October 1952, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND LIGHT OPERA

WORK COMPOSED BY MISS M. WIGLEY IN 1935 A report published in “The Press” on Monday that Mr Hamilton Dickson. Of Wellington, and formerly of Christchurch, believed his light opera “The Gypsies” to be the first of its kind to be written in New Zealand was read by Miss Mary Wigley, of Christchurch, who later related the story of her own light opera written before the last war. At the beginning of December, 1935, Miss Wigley was commissioned by the New Zealand agents of a well-known musician to write the libretto of a light opera which would last three hours. The work was named “Grand Tour.” Five years later in Auckland. Miss Wigley collaborated with Mr J. H. Rudall, son of a former musical critic of “The Times.” Mr E. J. Tait, then managing-director of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., took the score back with him to Sydney, and instructed Mr Leo Packer, musical director of the company, to make a report on the score. A S review of the opera was given in le Lewis Eady Hall in Auckland, when leading Auckland singers sang many solos from the opera to eminent musicians, including Mr Georg Tintner.

The trend of the war prevented the professional production of the opera, and before the time was opportune again Mr Rudall, Mr Tait and some of the other persons primarily interested had died. Miss Wigley has not met musicians with whom she could collaborate since coming to Christchurch, so the score of her opera remains in her desk.

One song from the opera, “The Spinning Song,” was published in 1940 at the expense of Lady Davis, then Mayoress of Auckland, and sold for patriotic purposes. Sales were assisted by Mr Noel Coward, who autographed a number of copies. The J. C. Williamson company’s principal light opera singer, Mrs Harold Owers, made recordings of the song which were frequently broadcast. Lady Galway invited Miss Wigley to Government House and personally congratulated her on her work. “The Answer,” another of the songs in the opera, was included in “Some Southern Songs and Other Poems,” a book of verse published by Miss Wigley several years before the war. The preface to this volume was written by the late Mr R. J. Richards, then headmaster of Christ’s College. At the time she wrote the opera, Miss Wigley was a member of the staff of New Zealand Newspapers, Ltd., and also a teacher at the Seddon Memorial Technical College, in Auckland.