New Zealander Behind Donnizetti Opera Revival

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30998, 2 March 1966, Page 23

New Zealander Behind Donnizetti Opera Revival

(N.I. Pr«» Association) LONDON, March 1 A young New Zealander ean take much of the credit for the first performance in Britain of Donizetti’s opera. "Maria Stuarda,” which opens at the St Pancras Festival

in London tonight. He is Jeremy Commons, cultural attache at New Zealand House, who is widely acknowledged as an expert on Donizetti’s works.

Although he is listed in the programme notes as responsible for “musiocological research,” Mr Commons’s connexion with the St. Pancras production runs a lot deeper. He suggested the opera in the first place, persuaded the authorities. wrote three articles, delivered four lectures, typed the libretto for the Lord Chamberlain, and helped the singers with their Italian.

In 1958, Mr Commons spent a year in Italy studying the nineteenth-century composer's manuscripts after being granted an Italian Government scholarship. In Title Role

Two New Zealanders are also in the cast of “Maria Stuarda.” Marie Landis, of Christchurch. where she sang as Marie Sutherland, will sing the lead role, and Bryan Drake, of Dunedin, will sing Talbot. Miss Landis came to Britain on a British Council scholarship from Australia and is in her final stages of study at the London Opera Centre. During the coming season at Glyndebourne she will understudy Pamina in Mozart's "The Magic Flute.”

Mr Drake came to London in 1949. He has sung at Covent Garden and is now free-lancing. Two other New Zealanders are among other performers at the St. Pancras Festival. Robin Bell will sing in one of three one-act operas by

Henze, and Gillian Weir will give a solo organ recital. Mr Drake will also appear in Verdi’s “11 Consaro."

The two-night season of “Maria Stuarda" has been booked out for more than two weeks—a record for any performance at St. Pancras. It

will be an entirely professional production except for the chorus. Donnizetti, who was born in 1797, wrote between 65 and 70 operas. “Maria Stuarda" was written in 1834, a year before “Lucia.” For almost a hundred years—between 1865 and 1959 —it was unperformed.

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