DAME NELLIE MELBA

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 126, 24 November 1923, Page 7

DAME NELLIE MELBA

GRAND OPERA VENTURE

COMPANY MAY VISIT'NEW

ZEALAND.

(BI TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL TO THE POStl)

AUCKLAND, This Day. The passing of the years seems to hay« taken but little toll of Dame Nellie Melba, who arrived from the United States by the Makura yesterday, for she still seems amazingly young and vital, and her charming personality, v.-hich has played an equal part with her flawless voice and her supreme artistry in establishing-her •as th£: great, artist' of her. day,' still', makes its.'.strong appeal. When Dame Nellie steopedout on to the deck of the Makura* as the vessel came to ,an anchorage she expressed delight at the prospect of Auckland under the early morning sun, and although she confessed to a ieeljngof tiredness after •a. strenuous American tour, the surprising youthfulness of her voice appeared to belie this.-

In discussing Australian singers who are keeping open the track blazed , by Melba herself, she had much Jtraise to bestow OYI Austral, who she says has one of the most divine of God-given voices. She is very proud that -this singer is an Australian. " A point that appealed to Melba was that a number of prominent and coming Australian artists are with the British National Opera Company, which she regards as a very fine aggregation of singers, and who through their sacrifice are keeping grand opera going. Melba explained that these artists pool the takings, and if at the end of the season there is anything left to divide they receive their pay, but if. there is no surplus they just go without. This,- she thought, displayed a unique devotion to the art" of music. . '

Dame Melba has just completed . a tour of the United States and Canada, during which sixteen cpncerts. .wera given in five weeks. In that time she and her party lived on their -' special railway car, and did not know\ 'the comfort of an hotel. Owing to her inability to secure a suitable hall Dame Melba will not be singing in Auckland, but she will give a series of concerts in Australia, after which she will devote her attention to preparing for tliß grand opera season which she will inaugurate in March next. ."

"This will be the biggest grand opera venture yet brought' to ■Australia," said Melba. "The principals will be principally French and Italian. "One of the outstanding figures is Sienorina Del Monte, an Italian, and one of the finest coloratura artists in the world to-day/ I know that she is gome to make an enormous career I think that we will open'in Melbourne in March. I have to prepare the choruses and have a tremendous amqunt of work ahead of me, but I just love it If Isew Zealand can give us a sufficient guarantee, and, mind you, it will have to be something substantial, we may pay you a visit." , ■■■•■■ -J Turning aside to impulsively emhraca an angel, aged two, Dame Nellie asked that her love be conveyed to the people of New Zealand.