BROADCASTING OPERA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18342, 7 March 1923, Page 11

BROADCASTING OPERA.

100,000 HEAR MELBA. COPENHAGEN TO MADRID. REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT [FROM OCa OWN CORRESPONDENT.] LONDON. Jan. 26To be one. of an audience which extends from Copenhagen to Madrid has in it an element of novelty. It was announced from Covent Garden Opera House last Saturday night that the audience, seen and unseen, numbered 40,000, but a wireless expert, around whose perfectly-tuned receiving machine I formed one of a privileged party, maintained that there would be nearer 100,000 people listening to Melba in grand opera that night. In Great Britain 50,000 receivers have been sold, and at this time of enthusiasm nearly every one would have been in use for the benefit of several people. Thus 100,000 was probably a more accurate estimate. . During the last two weeks of the British National Opera Company season the whole of the music at each performance has been transmitted into the ether by the British Broadcasting Company's installation. Microphones, which did not interfere with the vision of the spectators, and which were entirely disregarded by the singers, were set up behind the footlights, and for the first time in this country grand opera, as actually given in public, was enjoyed by a vast invisible audience sitting in comfort m all parts of this country as well as in countries in Europe. The programme was made up of the two middle acts of " Aida " and the last two of "La Boheme." " Aida" was a triumph for Mr. Goossene'a brilliant conducting; for the grand rich voice of Miss Florence Austral ("Aida"), for such singers of absolutely first rank as Norman Allin and William Anderson. Melba chose to sing in the drear pathetic scenes of "La Boheme." For those unseen listeners who knew the operas it was not difficult to picture the scenes presented in the Opera House itself. For those who had not previously seen them it was more difficult. But a strange thing has happened. It might be supposed that the broadcasting apparatus would cause people to neglect to attend the theatre itself. The reverse, however, has been the case. Hundreds of people who have never heard grand opera before have realised at last what they have been missing, and the actual bookings and the numbers refused have gone up in a startling manner naturally to the satisfaction of the management. Applause Heard Plainly. As for the other concert heard by the thousands outside, for those who were fortunate to be " listening in " to a first-class machine it was as clear and distinct as if it was heard from the first rows in the stalls. Someone in the prompt-box was kind enough to interpolate some helpful instructions. " Mimi is about to enter," or " the prisoners are brought in," sounded strangely out of place amidst the flood of superb music, but it helped the imagination considerably. The applause at the close of each curtain was like the rushing of a mighty wind through the forest. It rose and fell as the calls were responded to, and at the final curtain lasted for 10 or IS minutes. Above this, however, could be heard the shouts of "encore," and the wild shriek of " coo-ees" from Australians in the audience. Speech to "Listeners-In." It was when the manager addressed his remarks to the unseen that each listener realised he was only ones of many thousands enjoying this privilege of "modern science. "With your kind permission," he said, " I will sav a few words to those 30,000 to 40,000 people tucked away in that little microphone down there. (Laughter.) You have enjoyed this eveninar the privilege of hearing Dame Nellie Melba sing in your drawing rooms, and I know what pleasure it has given you. I 1 am glad to hear you have enjoved our other performances, and I hope that when the British National Opera Company is within travelling distance of your homes you will not be content to stay there, hut will come and see and hear what Grand Opera is like." A telegram from Edinburgh was then read out expressing appreciation of the-performance and statine that the music had been most clearly heard. A Natural Impulse. Dame Melba made her little speech too, and the roar of applause again came through the miles of ether. Then a stranee thing hanpened. As the first notes of the National Anthem were plaved bv the orchestra, there was the sudden and natural impulse which is felt by every Britisher, and drmbtless from Shetland Tsles to Brighton little groups of listeners all over the country rose to their feet and stood with head-pfeces and wires attached until the last note? had passed out into space. Then came the clwir voice of the Broadcasting Company official with a few announcements retrardinsr the morrow's programme and " Good-night, goodnight."