MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 130, 2 May 1927, Page 8

MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

OPENS FRIDAY NIGHT. Aluch has been said from time to time j upon the merits and demerits of competition festivals, but this much must j be conceded to the Alanawatu Society j —that it has always endeavoured to! avoid the abuses that are sometimes j attendant •upon such festivals and to 1 set a very nigh ideal of achievement j for its work, and no doubt this has i been one of the factors that has made i for its continued and rapid rise to sue- j cess. j Tliis year’s festival which commences j at the Opera House on Friday next j promises to be a greater success than i any that have preceded it. Not only i are the entries a record for the society, | hut a much livelier interest in the do- i ings of the society is being evinced by i the public in general. Those who re- j member that at last year’s demonstra- • tion concerts hundreds were turned: away each night are predicting that! this year every night of the festival ' as well as the demonstration concerts the Opera House will he filled to over-! flowing. Owing to an unfortunate error! in connection with the booking of the Opera House the society has lost tho first Saturday night in its season, Saturday, May 7, being taken by E. J. Carroll’s company. This has meant curtailing the evening performance by one and deciding many of the classes straight out in the daytime, which will have the futher result of making the evening performance even more varied and attractive. At times there has been a reluctance among better known performers to take part in these competitions, but of late years the standard of those competing has materially improved and this was particularly so last year—with the result that this year the public can look forward to a high general standard with some performances of outstanding merit. In the vocal section alone Palmerston North music-lovers can look forward to hearing some of the best singing that has ever been, heard here, some vocalists of exceptional ability from outside towns having signified their intention ot competing.