FAREWELL TO TOSCANINI

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 June 1936, Page 12

FAREWELL TO TOSCANINI

HALL DOORS BESIEGED

NEW YORK, April 30.

Five thousand people struggled desperately with foot and mounted police last night to secure one of the 140 standing places at Arturo Toscanini’s last concert here.

It was his final appearance as conductor of the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, which he has made famous throughout the world. Every reserved seat, at £2, was sold weeks ago and last-minute offers of £4O for two tickets found no response. One ingenious speculator was arrested for his efforts. He let in 150 people through a doorway provided as an exit in case of fire, charging £1 each. Toscanini’s reception was so overwhelming that five minutes elapsed before he could begin conducting. The packed audience rose from their seats and cheered wildly.

At the end of the performance, when the conductor turned to face another frenzied ovation, a Press photographer sprang to the edge of the stage and fired a flashlight bulb. Toscanini, whose dislike of publicity is notorious, started back and then ran from the stage.

Minutes passed with the audience still applauding until the manager announced that Toscanini was unable to reappear. The flashlight, it was explained. had blinded him temporarily, and he had not recovered from the shock.

The indisposition, however, was not serious, because a little later Toscanini had recovered sufficiently to be able to accept an old Irish silver service and a rare autographed letter of Beethoven, presented by members of the Philharmonic Society. Receipts for the concert totalled nearly £5,000. This sum, by the special request of Toscanini, was divided among his associates in the orchestra. Toscanini sails on Saturday to conduct concerts in Paris. He will direct three operas at the Salzburg music festival, and, in October, will go to Palestine. Here he is to lead a newly organised orchestra of German refugees which he may take on tour to Egypt- -