MELBA AND CLARA BUTT

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 56, 15 September 1928, Page 20

MELBA AND CLARA BUTT

1.. THE "GIVE 'EM MUCK" '. ' ; CONTEOVEESY. : "I never saw a proof of the passage to which Dame Nellie Melba .has taken exception. Had I done so I should not have allowed it to appear.in the book. Dame Clara Butt authorised her secretary to make that statement to the "Daily Mail" o.n::7th' July with reference to Dame.- Nellie. Melba's protest, cabled to London from Sydney against a passage in a.newly published biography of Dame Clara. The passage relates to a conversation of twenty years ago, which is said to have taken place 'when Mr. Kennerloy' .Euniford, . Dame Clara's husband, was about td"make his first Australian tour. The book says: "Melba, being an j Australian, was particularly interested. 'So you're going to Australia,' she said. 'Well, I made £20,000 on my tour there, but, of course, that will never be done again. Still, it is a wonderful country, j and you'll have a good time. What are you going to sing? All I can say is— sing 'em muck.. It is all they can understand.'. ■ It is interesting- i» note that I. . „ . Australian audiences proved quite as appreciative of the classical items which both she (Dame Clara) and Kennerley Eumford invariably included in their programme, as of the more popular type, of songs and ballads." The passage follows a description of a visit to Windsor Castle. I understand that the last Eoyal garden party the

King referred laughingly to this visit, and said, "I have been reading the book with very,great interest. I finished it last night." ... The book was published about six weeks ago. Dame Clara and Mr. Kennerley Rumf ord, I was told, were greatly surprised to see the offending passage. The book was written by Miss Winifred Ponder, an Australian journalist, who is believed to be in Borneo. She went with Dame Clara . to India after having finished tho book, and the proofs were expected there, but they never arrived. Before the tour was over the book had been puublishcd without Dame Clara seeing the proofs. two singers have, always been great friends.' - ■ Dame Nellie Melba- indignantly denies having tised the words attributed ;to her. She cabled to Damo Clara asking whether she,still stands to the biographer's statement. Thesituation was 'delicate, as Australians are hotly re-sentful,-and ..Dame Nellie was about -to start a grand opera season in Sydney and Melbourne on which great expense had been incurred. ...