"EASILY SATISFIED"

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 97, 21 October 1932, Page 8

"EASILY SATISFIED"

OUR TASTE IN MUSIC

VISITING SINGER'S VIEWS

Talking this morning to a "Post" representative about music in general and about musical taste in the Dominion in particular, Signora Marotta, the visiting operatic singer, expressed the opinion that New Zealanders as a whole were, too easily ..pleased with'the musical fare of ten provided for them. "Your radio programmes show that," she said. "If you are content with them, and some of them are pretty bad, you are certainly easily pleased." However, Signora Marotta added that she did not wish to be too critical, and it was obvious that New Zealand's musical taste had made some progress during the last few years. The broadcasting of really good recorded music was bound to help in raising the standard of appreciation. ... Signora Marotta, who was born in Wanganui, studied for some six years at_ the Sydney Conservatorium before going to Italy three or four years ago. It was on Melba 's advice that she went to Italy, Melba prophesying that she would go far with expert training. That Melba, was right ia evinced by the success that Signora Marotta has achicvpd in Milan and Turin, having appeared in both those cities in opera, a great distinction for a New Zealander. Her' debut was made in "La Boheine." "It is not until you get to Italy that you realise what study means," remarked the Signora. "In Sydney we studied three days a week: in Italy you study every day of the week, Sundays included. The Italian training may be more expensive, but it is worth it.. You get through twice as much work in the same time as you do at the Sydney Conservatorium." Signora Marotta and her husband are giving, a concert in the Town Hair tomorrow night, after which they start on a six months' tour round New Zealand.