ITALIAN GRAND OPERA

Hutt News, Volume XXII, Issue 2, 23 June 1948, Page 3

ITALIAN GRAND OPERA

MELBOURNE IN AUGUST

Coming to New Zealand

Melbourne’s Italian grand opera season, which is expected to open on August 14, will be financially backed by a group of music and art lovers, organised on a non-profit-making basis. Staging and theatre management will be by J. C. Williamson Theatres, Ltd., but the non-professional organisation —registered in Melbourne recently under the name of Education in Music and Dramatic Arts Society —will pay the . artists, chorus, ensembles and other theatre people. The secretary-elect of the society (Mr. E. B. Edwards), who is a city accountant, said that the first inaugural meeting of the society since registration would be held shortly. Prospective membership was already approaching 200, and consisted of people in many ivalks of life, with a common interest in fostering music and the arts.

“We are all subscribing £lO/10/-,” he said. “If we should lose our money, tliaUs our bad luck. We should finish on the right side of the ledger, and we could then think about presenting something else, possibly a season of fine ballet. Company in World Class

“We would have liked to obtain some stars from the Metropolitan in New York. But the dollar shortage makes that practically impossible. Italy was about the only choice we had. But the company should be in world class.” Mr. Edwards added that his society was expecting at least 500 people to join. That would mean £SOOO or so to get the season going. For regular theatre entrepreneurs, the risks on an elaborate grand opera season were rather too great, he said.

Mr. Claude Kingston, of J. C. Williamson Theatres, Ltd., said his company intended to give all the support it could to the society. “Twenty-three international opera stars, including Italians, have been engaged in Europe by Mr. J. Nevin Tait,” said Mr. Kingston. “The chorus is the best I have ever heard. Names of the Australian and international principals will be announced later.”

The company, which it is estimated will involve an outlay of £IOO,OOO, will come to New Zealand after the Australian season, and will and 25 Italians. * The orchestra, ensembles, and chorus will be all Australian. A number of Australians will also be engaged for leading roles.