GRAND OPERA SEASON

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 29, 28 October 1932, Page 16

GRAND OPERA SEASON

("jARPBNTERS have been busily engaged at the Grand Opera House, Wellington, for some days in making various alterations necessary for the staging of J. C. Williamson grand operas. Owing to the size of the orchestra, the orchestra well has had to be extended, even the boxes at stage level having to be utilised. The principals of the company have been specially chosen for special roles. Thus on the women’s side Cesarina Valobra, lyric soprano, takes the lead in the Puccini operas; Lina Paliughi, coloratura soprano, the principal woman’s part in “Lucia di Lammermoor,” “Rigoletto,” “Tales of Hoffman,” etc.; while Bruno Castagna, mezzo-contral-to, heads the third company and is considered to be one of the greatest Carmens since Madame Calve. Another outstanding personage is Molly de Gunst, “the girl from Bundaberg,” who has scored some remarkable successes. Others in the company include Apollo Granforte, the noted baritone; Pedro Mirassou, tenor; Carlo Altieri, Ilio Del Chiaro, and Franco Izal. Maestro Wando Aldrovandi, Maestro Emilio Rossi and Mr. Joseph Post are the orchestra conductors.