GRAND OPERA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 800, 25 April 1910, Page 7

GRAND OPERA.

. TO VISIT AUSTRALIA. MISS AMY CASTLES TO COME l'ti ' NEW ZEALAND. By Teleeraph—Press Assocfotion-CoDrrleht,

_ - • . . s > ,dne V. April 23. Mr. J. C. Williamson leaves for England to complete,, in conjunction - with Madame Melba, a .schemo to" produoe grand opera in Australia, similar to the productions at Covent Garden or the Metropolitan Theatre, New York. Mr. Williamson has arranged . that Miss Amy Castlos shall. visit New Zealand as one of the prima donnas ,of the Italian company at present playing in Sydney.: . . . . ...

j A CREAT MUSICAL ATTRACTION

_ The definite announcement that Mr. 0. U Williamson is going to England to complete an arrangement: .with Madame Melba for a . season of grand ra, in. Australia on similar- lines to productions of Covont Garden and tne Metropolitan Opera House in Now Xork practically means. that ■ Melba, in the terms of her promise before she left Australia, has cabled from Colombo nor agreminent to the joint schemo, Sllld • i «« .SVarantce that the operas selected will be well produced. It is of course, unlikely that Australia wili 866 suoh artists as Melba, Caruso, and one with IJestmn and Schumann-Hernk, Slezak Sammario, Amati, Bonci, and Zenatollo moluded in alternative casts.lnat would be too much to expeot, yet' such tie galaxy of. grand opera talent that New York now commands. Yet what Melba and Mr. : J. 0. Williamson undertake will of a surety be well done,- and the,: attraction of Melba alone in such operas as "La Traviata,''- "Faust," "Rigoletto,"' 'iLa Boheme." "Madame Butterfly," and OteUo will in itself be a musical .attraction worth travelling many miles to i see. Now Zealand will not be included. Faithful as the Dominion is to tho theatre,. it must always be the Cinderella of the Australasian States, not by reason of any doubt on tho part of the management as to the patronage likely to be accorded, but owing to the-heavy expense's of transit, over long distanoes, the necessarily short seasons in each of the centres, and the time that would be required to-include this country in the itinerary of a company such as is likely to support Melba. The news that Amy Castles will accompany the Williamson Grand Opera Company (now in Sydney) to New Zealand will be welcomed. Miss Oastles has achieved a notahle success on the concert platform, arid her appearance, in "Madame Butterfly" i in Sydney has beeD most favourably criticised.