THE EXHIBITION CHOIR

Evening Star, Issue 19175, 16 February 1926, Page 4

THE EXHIBITION CHOIR

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Fully a year before the opening of the Exhibition a choir of about 400 voices was formed, practising assiduously during that time under the able conductorship of Mr Paget Gale. The said choir appeared at the Festival Hall soon after the opening, with the assistance of or headed by some splendid soloists, including Mr Arthur Jordan, one of the world’s best tenors, and conducted hy that great leader, Mr Slapoffski. Alter appearing several nights, ' producing ‘ Gerontius,’ and other grand music (operatic, etc.), drawing large and appreciative audiences, it suddenly vanishes, and nothing is heard of it for weeks, when it again emerges from obscurity and repeats its good work for a night or two, only to disappear again. During its retirement the hall was occupied hy other shows, failing to draw even fair houses, the receipts, I understand, being nardly sufficient to pay the light bill. It is on the cards that the choir ; is to give a few more concerts before the close of the Exhibition (just to fill up a gap caused by the non-return of the “Diggers”). Let us hope so. as it would be nice to hear it again before it sinks finally into oblivion. One would have thought that the choir would have practically “ held the floor ” instead of appearing in this meteoric fashion. Presumably one of the numerous managers of the Exhibition Company is responsible for the erratic behaviour of the choir, and 1. would suggest that he take a liaml in the vanishing act and, incidentally, forget to return.—l am, etc., February 16. .Vigidant.