EXPERIENCES ABROAD

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 183, 1 May 1933, Page 5

EXPERIENCES ABROAD

Miss Andri Bevan’s Talk

E.S. UNION ENTERTAINS

The English Speaking Union entertained Miss Andri Bevan yesterday afternoon at the Dominion Farmers’ Institute. Bowls of chrysanthemums in lemon and gold decorated the room. Miss Bevan was wearing a moleskin coat over a black and pink chiftou frock and a black cloth turban. _ She was accompanied by Mrs. Bevan, in a black velour coat and hat. Mrs. Nannestad and Miss A. Black received the guests. Miss Bevan, who has spent some years studying singing in England and the Continent, gave a most interesting talk of her impressions abroad. She lived for fifteen months in Italy, and it had become for her a land of enchantment. Italy, she said, was the traditional land of song, and especially of the opera. More love, time, and money was lavished on the opera than in any other country. The people had a passion for it, and even the children bad a thorough knowledge of it. Miss Bevan was in Rome ar. the time of the Crown Prince’s wedding, and the city was en fete. Hundreds of peasants assembled, and their procession through Rome on the wedding day was a riot of colour and beauty, of three hours’ duration. Miss Bevan went on to tell of how, when in Naples, she had gone up Mt. Vesuvius to view it in its first eruption for more - than twenty years. Berlin, Miss Bevan said, was a very wonderful city. She had been there during the first Nazi rising. She was in Ghent on May Day, which on the Continent is devoted to international demonstrations, and was impressed by the huge but orderly crowd that had assembled in the streets, blocking every exit. Paris on May Day was in contrast. to this, .being a silent city with not a soul about except soldiers on sentry duty. Miss Bevan loved the East End of London, and was amazed at the remarkable knowledge of good music the people had. Concerts were given to them in huge bath houses, and they were the most interested audiences she had ever met. The East End people formed opera chorus societies which were able to supply the chorus of any opera that a producer might bring to their concert halls. Miss Bevan was thanked by the hostesses for her very interesting talk, and Miss La Roche played some delightful musical numbers.