BRILLIANT SCREEN DEBUT

Evening Star, Issue 22327, 1 May 1936, Page 6

BRILLIANT SCREEN DEBUT

NINO MARTINI AT STATE While many tenors have been introduced on the screen as the greatest since Caruso, there are few who have better claims to the title than Nino Martini, who makes a brilliant film debut in ‘ Here’s to Romance.’ the outstanding musical production which commenced at the State to-day. The tenor is heard in the best arias from ‘La Tosca,’ ‘ Pagliacci,’ and ‘ Cavalleria Rusticana,’ and also included in his repertory are two attractive numbers by Con Conrad and Herbert Magidson. Perhaps the outstanding number by the tenor is his rendition of the aria from ‘ Pagliacci,’ which presentation lias been ranked by critics as the most brilliant heard since Caruso held the musical world enthralled. The story is not a strong one, but substantial enough to retain the interest of the audience throughout. The hectic life of Martini, who, as a young singer is sent to Paris by a girl who is interested in his career, is the basis of the picture’s theme. Ho falls in love with another girl and is divided between his loyalty to his young benefactress and his new Jove. Later he makes a debut that proves a complete fiasco, and in his disappointment lie returns to New York, where the girl again comes to his rescue and gains for him a chance at the Metropolitan Opera House. There are many amusing yet near-tragic adventures before the young singer achieves success and the romance for which he yearns. The cast is a notable one, including Genevieve Tobin, Anita Louise. Mine Schumann-Hoink. and Reginald Denny. A feature of the film is the beautiful dancing by Maria Gambarelli, who learned' her art from Pavlova, and other artistic treats are the gipsy dances by Vicente Escudero. It is a notable piece of entertainment and should prove a popular attraction among Dunedin theatregoers.