N.Z. SINGER'S SUCCESS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 228, 21 June 1920, Page 4

N.Z. SINGER'S SUCCESS

ME, ERNEST DKAKE IN LONDON,

Less than a year ago Mr. Ernest Drake, tho New Zealand tenor, was singing in the picture theatres round the Dominion j to-day he is reported to be <ne of the farourito tenors of tho great metropolis and likely to soar very Mgh in the _ vocal world. Writing from London on May 2, Mr. E. A. Tanucr (late acting-secretary tc the Wellington Choral Union) said:— "I know you will be pleased to hear of the success of a fellow-New Zealander, to wit, Ernest Drake. It was my,privilege to be preseut at Ms first London appearance at the Anzac concert in Albert Hall on April 21. He was associated there with such talent as Rosina Buckman, Peter .Dawson, Mouricei d Oise■ley, etc., and got a most enthnsiastic reception. He opened with Your Tiny Hand 'is Frozen.' from 'Boheme, sunglll Italian. For this they cheered him to the echo, and he responded with » encores, ballads. Evan then the big audience wasn't satisfied, and lie had to sing 'Macushia' over asKUti. Miss Bosina Buckmau told me after the show that hia success was positively wonderful, and they all think that he is going to do big things. In chatting with several artists tho other evening they all '^ K . d . a Drake would become one d the jMunig tenors here. He is being trained bj Mr. Uttlev, ono of the best r men m England, <inH 'his voice is u° w 'becoming much, more powerful and is'" nder _ better c 0"" ttol,,without in any way having lost any of its natural sweetness. Society has taken him up, and he is being rushed with invitations to visit the houses of the great." ■ •