GRAND OPERA COMPANY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21296, 24 September 1932, Page 14

GRAND OPERA COMPANY

THE AUCKLAND SEASON It is said that the outlay during 'the Sydney and Melbourne seasons of the Williamson Imperial Grand Opera Company, which is to begin a tour of Now Zealand in a gala porformanco of "Madame Butterfly" at His Majesty's Theatre on Wednesday, October 5, amounted to over £60,000, averaged at the rate of £2500 per week. Five thousand [ costumes will be used in the 14 operas to be staged in Auckland and over 150 ions of scenery will be brought from Australia. I The whole of the principals who appeared in the operas in Sydney and Melbourne 1 will come to New Zealand and the full { grand opera orchestra and chorus will be I a special feature of the productions, j "Madamo Butterfly" will serve to introduce Cesarina Valobra, a lyric soprano : from La Scala (Milan), who electrified I audiences in Sydney and Melbourne with 1 I her glorious voice and her brilliant acting. The cast of "Madame Butterfly" will also include Carlo Alfieri, one of the finest lyric tenors of Ihe day; 3 lio Del Chiaro, a notod baritone from the leading European theatres; Michele Fiore, who is considered to be the greatest living singer in comic j i roles, and other artists. Only the one evenj ing representation can be staged of "Madamo Butterfly," and it will be fob 0 lowed in the order named by "Lucia," "Trovatore," "Carmen," "Oavalleria Rus--1 ticana" and "Pagliacci," "Kigoletto," "La Boherne," "Barber of Seville," "La s Tosca," "Faust." "Don Pasquale." "Tras viata" and "Tales of Hoffmann." The plans for preferential booking are now - open and plans for the ordinary booking will be opened on Friday, n