Stage Music Films

Hutt News, Volume 20, Issue 20, 16 October 1946, Page 9

Stage Music Films

"Desert Song" for New Zealand. "Desert Song," the spectacular musical play, will be revived in New Zealand shortly. It will be staged during the Dunedin season of the Williamson Comic Opera Company, after the run of "The Student Prince." An interesting feature will be the appearance as Margot of the New Zealand girl Joy Beattie, who has been playing the role in Australia for the last year or so. Miss Beattie was seen in a Dunedin Operatic Society production and was offered an engagement by J. C. Williamson, Ltd., and immediately won success in "Desert Song" and "Hose Marie." Allan Christie, now playing the title role in "The Student Prince," will be the Red Shadow in "Desert Song." News from London. Keith Priscott, the young Hamilton baritone who was granted a New Zealand Government bursary at the Royal College of Music after years of war service with the Merchant Navy, sends some interesting news from London. He writes: "After wandering round the English countryside—which I think the most wonderful in the world —during the vacation, I am back in London for more study at the Royal College. Devonshire and Sussex were looking their loveliest, and at Bournemouth I had the interesting experience of hearing an English cousin sing "Carmen." She was very good. "The College opened with a nourish of trumpets—and I was well to the fore!. The place was like a beehive —just a mass of excited, chattering students. My professor, Dr. Smith, is very pleased with me. As you know, I am concentrating on the thought of teaching later, and he.remarked, 'Fancy teaching—with a voice like that!' Other people who have heard me have also said that I 'have a future.' The voice is so much more robust, with an improved range. I want to be individual —not just another baritone — and intend to work very hard during the coming year.

"I was at the premiere of the Covent Garden opera season a couple of weeks ago. 'Traviata' was the opera selected. What a night it was! Apart from the glorious music there were the beautifully-gowned women, the jewels, and the general air of something big on. My fancy took flight: Melba. Tetrazzini, Caruso, and all the other great ones passed in pageant before my mind's eye. The prima donna of the night was Carioso —a wonderful artist. The complete company lias been brought over from Naples and is doing a complete series of operas.

"Noel Coward's new show starts soon. No one knows the title. Harold Williams is back here from Australia and is doing 'Hiawatha' at

(Bj; KG.AO

the Albert Hall. Then will follow fi/.igeti, Moiseiwltsch, Schnabel, Grace Moore, and all the other stellar ones. You can imagine the thrill of hearing artists like these. "I was down at Brighton last week-end. What a monstrosity the George IV. pavilion is! It looks just like some Eastern Sultan's palace, with all its cupolas, minarets, etc. 1 went through it and imagined how colourful it must have been when Mrs. Fitzherbert held sway. "Life in London and my studies at the College are full of interest." Comedy Company for N.Z. A comedy'company from the Minerva Theatre, Sydney, opened a tour of New Zealand at Auckland on Monday with Terence Rattigan's "Love in Idleness." The company is headed by Kathleen Robinson and Richard Parry, and includes Minnie Love, who used to be very popular in musical comedy. The company's second production will be J. B. Priestley's "Dangerous Corner." It is the intention of the management to send other Minerva Theatre successes to New Zealand. One of the earliest will be the American comedy, "Life With Father," which holds the world's record (over six years) for length of run in New York. Two Broadway players, Virginia Barton and Walter Gilbert, have just arrived in Sydney to appear in "Life With Father." World Musicians Coming. Natan Scheinwald, the well-known impressario, has joined the concert section of Kerridge Theatres' activities, with headquarters in Wellington. Mr. Scheinwald states that Leo Cherniavsky, violinist, who was in New Zealand years ago as one of the Cherniavsky trio, will tour New Zealand' in March. Other world artists to be seen in New Zealand within the next two years are Lotte Lehmann, considered the greatest singer of lieder today: Herta Glaz, contralto from the. Metropolitan Grand Opera; MalCZyn* ski, Polish pianist; Mario Beriri and Paurel Prokopieri, tenors; Isaac Stern, violinist; Rosalyn Tureck, pianist; Grisha Goluboff, violinist. Paul Robeson and John Charles Thomas.- America's popular singers, are also likely to come. It is said that Richard Tauber. the famous tenor, may tour New Zealand next year. Greer Gar&on's New Film. New York stage actor Richard Hart has the unusual distinction of making his screen debut as Greer Garsou's leading man in "A Woman of My Own." The film, based on Leonhard Frank's beautiful love story "Karl and Anna," is set in rural France.