A TENOR'S STRANGE DEBUT.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 12 July 1935, Page 3

A TENOR'S STRANGE DEBUT.

/ A tenor recently made his London operatic debut by singing in the wings. says the "Daily Express." I The most staggering collection of I tiaras since the Avar gathered at j Covcnt Garden for "Lohengrin," the i opening ot" the opera season. And ! there was very nearly no opera. I 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 mon:'y would be refunded if they would leave the house quietly. .Max ILirzel was billed t" 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'clo'ck his wife telephoned to say he had a cold in the chest. At six lie arrived at the theatre, made up, and dressed. ' At (5.40 Sir Milsom Roes, the house doctor, who had been hurriedly sum- : moned, announced it was physically ; impossible for Herr Hirzcl to sing. ; The performance was due tcN start just twenty minutes later.

Lauritz Melchior was the only other tenor in London who could replace him. An hour before curtain time an emergency call was put through to his hotel. Ilerr Melchmior had gone out

to ii dinner party. Just then Fran Melcliior returned for her wrap. She got in touch with her husband, who rushed round to the theatre. There were just twenty minutes to find clothes to' lit him—he is considerably wider in girth than Uerr ilirzel.

A "Daily Express'. representative found Uerr Ilirzel in the wings—a poor, saddened tenor with a pink face dripping perspiration—clutching a

copy of the score. "We are geting through .by a miraclea," he panted. "Uerr Melcliior last sang the part in New York, where the opera was done with many cuts. Here we are doing it without cuts.

"When ever 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 nic —singing from the wings the bits of 'Lohengrin' "that are cut in New York!"