‘Mastersingers’ in ’76?

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33527, 7 May 1974, Page 18

‘Mastersingers’ in ’76?

A meeting in Christchurch on Sunday night will consider the possibility of an annual opera festival in the city.

The first festival would be held in the 1976-77 summer and the suggested work is Wagner’s comic masterpiece. "The Mastersingers of Nuremburg.” The meeting, to be held at tl>e University Club at Ham. has been called by Mr H. J. Rawstrom. a Christchurch man who has studied opera in 'Britain; Mr A. T. Campbell,

■ I who for many years was publis relations officer at New Zealand House in London; and Mr R, S. Scott, who is i (best known as the chairman iof the Commonwealth Games (Organising Committee. : Mr Scott, who will be (chairman at the meeting, ;!said yesterday that the idea .(was to put New Zealand on (the international opera circuit and to enlist the services : of several intemationally- , acclaimed New Zealand ar- . tists who had already shown i enthusiasm for such a proi posal. , Mr Scott said he did not

(intend to become perma(nently involved. Ten Christchurch people interested in the arts and who support community projects have been invited to the meeting to discuss the proposal in detail. A steering committee might be formed to help establish a properly-constituted organisation. In a letter to those invited to the meeting, the organisers say that for several years the idea of an annual summer festival of “exceptional” opera in New Zealand has interested John Matheson,

a leading conductor at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and other New Zealanders working in London.

It is John Matheson’s suggestion that the festival begin in 1976-77 and that “The Mastersingers” be the first production. Besides Matheson, some of the names mentioned in the letter are Donald Mclntyre, one of the world’s leading Wagnerian bass baritones, Kiri Te Kanawa, now an international star, and other singers such as Noel Mangin. Heather Begg and Richard Greager.