N.Z. SINGERS

Grey River Argus, 16 May 1935, Page 2

N.Z. SINGERS

In Grand Opera SOLOISTS WHO MIGHT BE USED. A movement is on foot, with solid backing like Chas. Begg and Co., to give New Zealand grand opera which may easily put the Dominion in a class by itself as regards this artistic form of entertainment. The scheme is to be started in Wellington, and is to be extended throughout both Islands, incorporating all orchestral, choral and operatic societies, etc. Two operas will probably be taken each year. The best instrumentalists and singers in not only the four chief centres, but also in the leading provincial towns and in smaller but very musical places, would be selected for the orchestras and choruses. The principals, and a skeleton master orchestra, would be drawn from all over New Zealand, and would be rehearsed in one centre. The orchestras and choruses of the various towns would at the outset be trained by local conductors, but for the last week would have the attention of one of the best conductors of the country, several of whom would move ahead of the touring principals. The latter would probably take a couple of months to make a grand circuit of both islands. They would take the entire wardrobe with them, the production being thus most economically put on throughout the count rv.

Difficulties? Of course, there are hundreds of difficulties to such a novel, yet cultural scheme, hut they can all be overcome. The local interest alone insures success.

The idea is that if insufficient New Zealand vocalists are available for the principal roles, artists be imported from abroad. New Zealand has many fine singers, some with operatic, experience. Take men like Uesaroni and Harison Cook, for instance. Where could you find anybody more suitable? Another good basso is Charlie Clarkson. Denis Dowling, of Dunedin, won the grand opera, section of the Melbourne Centenary Competition, and news is to hand of a really good bass in South Taranaki. In tenors we have Hubert Carter, Ernest McKinlay, the singer of Maori songs, Harold Prescott, now in Greymouth, and W. J. Trewern, who has already quite a substantial opeTatic repertoire. Stella Murray, formerly of Christchurch, might be pleased to come out from Great Britain to sing contralto parts. Then there is Mary Pratt, of Dunedin, for whom John Brownlee predicted a great operatic future. Madame Zelanda, who has sung on the Broadcasting Board’s circuit on a number of occasions, has alsu trained in operatic work. Another likely voice well-known on the YA stations is Madame Annette Chapman’s. Signora Bulmas, of Wellington, is a coloratura soprano with operatic experience. Madame Winnie Fraser has been heard on both the YA and ABC circuits.

Other North Island sopranos who would be successes in grand opera arc Miss Naomi Whalley, of Palmerston North, and Madame Marot!a (nee Webb-Jones), of Wanganui, who might sometimes be induced to come back to her native land with her husband, a fine basso, for a two months’ grand opera tour. Then there are vocalists like Molly Atkinson and Mary Bald, of Wellington, the latter formerly of Greymouth and Hokitika, and a dozen others who slip the memory at the moment.

As for conductors, the Dominion has numbers of men capable of operatic production, to mention only: Leon de Manny (Wellington), Do Rose (Dunedin), Colin Muston (Auckland) and Alf. Bunz (Christchurch). It is probable that Sir Thomas Beecham, the noted operatic leader of Great Britain, will be invited to be patron of the proposed New Zealand organisation.