NEW ZEALAND BASSO ABROAD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 10 December 1938, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND BASSO ABROAD

CD VENT GARDEN DEBUT IN NEW OPERA f CONTRACT SIGNED FUR A.B.G. BROADCASTS I In that he was the first student, on record to go straight from Trinity Col- , lege of Music to take a leading role at Covent Garden, and also the youngest bass ever to have done so, Oscar Natzke, 16 year-oid New Zealand basso, made, operatic history on 10th October, when I ho appeared with the ( ovent Garden i Opera Company in Gounod’s “Faust” and ; 19 days later in the premiere of the new - opera, "The Serf.” r This statement is contained in a letteyj

just received by Mrs F. E. Natzke from her sou’s singing teacher, Mr Albert Garcia, who expresses his delight with his pupil’s performance (gays an exchange). "Oscar,” he writes, “shows great promLe, and when he has had mote experience and is able to feet where he can throw his voice out, lie will be a great man." Originally Mr Natzke was to have made hb debut at Covent Garden as "Mephi - topheles” in “Faust.” As he was suffering from su indisposition at the time, it was decided, however, that he should sing the less exacting part of “Wagner" instead. Fortunately, he was well enough bv 20th October to create the role of “De Fulke,” the blind old feudal lord of the manor, in “The Serf,” a new full-length opera by George Lloyd, a 25-year-old Cornish composer. The critics, without exception, ate most complimentary about Mr N itzke’s voice and singing. Stephen Williams, writing iu the “Evening Standard’’ says: “’lhe finest singing of the evening came from Mr Oscar Natzks as De Fulke, rlie old feudal lord of the manor. Here at last is a genuine bass voice, rich u colouring, noble in enunciation.” Richard Capell, in the "Daily Telegraph and morning Post,” refers to “a new singer, Oscar Natzke, a bass from New Zealand, with a voice of beautiful quality iu tlie ps?rt of a ‘pere noble.’ 1 he dean of English critics, Mr Ernest Newman, writes in tlie “Sunday Times'* that the part of old Fulke “was sung in admirable style by Oscar Natzke." Other notices are also complimentary. Mr Garcia writes. “His words were most distinct, and lie sang finely. His voice came out beautifully, and his acting was most natural, while the audience was most enthusiastic.” At present the young singer is in the North of England, where the opera company is making a tour which is expected t finish early iu December. in his latest letter he informs his mother that lie had just given an audition to the representative of the Australian Broadcasting Commission, wha was obviously impressed, for he said he considered him to be "the finest basso since tin- early days of Chaliapine.” As a result of this audition he was, he writes, about to sign a contract for a broadcasting tour of Australia under the auspices of the A.B.C. This tour was to tuke place eaily in the new year, and, lie expected, would lead to a similar tour of New Zealand. Afterwards he intended to study i i Italy The period intervening between the close of the opera season and his visit to Australia would be spent at Trinity College, preparing his programmes for his bioadcasting tours.