A TENOR'S STRANGE DEBUT

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 6, 6 July 1935, Page 25

A TENOR'S STRANGE DEBUT

A tenor recently made his London operatic debut by singing in the wings, says the "Daily Express." The most staggering collection of tiaras since the war gathered at Cpvent Garden for "Lohengrin," the opening of the opera season. And there was very nearly no opera. If a German tenor's wife had not felt cold and returned to her hotel for a wrap, managing director Geoffrey Toye would have had to announce to a gasping audience that their money would be refunded if they would'leave the house quietly. Max Hirzel was billed to sing the title role of "Lohengrin." It was his first appearance in London. The most distinguished audience in many years had gathered to hear him. At five o'clock his wife telephoned to say he had a cold in the chest. At six he arrived at the theatre, made up, and dressed. At 6.40 Sir Milsom Rees, the house doctor, who had been hurriedly summoned, announced it was physically impossible for Herr Hirzel to sing. The performance''was due to start just twenty minutes later! ' I Lauritz Melchior was the only other

i tenor in 'London who could replace , him. An hour before curtain time an emergency call was put through to his E hotel. Herr Melchior had gone out to t a dinner party. J Just then Frau Melchior returned ' for her wrap. She got in touch with her husband, who rushed round to the ■■ theatre. There were just twenty mm"- --" utes to find clothes to fit him —he is ' considerably wider in girth than Herr J Hirzel. [ A "Daily Express" representative ' found Herr Hirzel in the wings—a , poor, saddened tenor with a pink face i dripping perspiration—clutching a copy ! of the score. \ "We are getting through by a miracle," he panted. "Herr Melchior [ last sang the part in New York, where ; the opera was done with many cuts. \ Here we are doing it without cuts. "Whenever he breaks down I sing : from the wings. With my cold I can ■ manage just that much. The audience does not know. But how desolated I . am! What a London debut this is for ; me—singing from the wings the bits of 'Lohengrin' that are cut in New ■ York!". ( , -.■■■■.