MISS ROSINA BUCKMAN

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11409, 4 January 1923, Page 9

MISS ROSINA BUCKMAN

NEW ZEALAND SINGER’S RETURN. MR MAUKI.Ce'D’OISLY. THE DOMINION. TOUR. , Miss. Rosina Buckro.an aud Mr Maurice DfOisly are again amongst ns, and this time Miss Luckmaji is in the best of health, having quite recovered from the throat trouble which caused her so much discomfort during her last visit, and consequently she is enjoying life to the full —and looking it, too. Since leaving New .Zealand the singers have had a most interesting time in Australia, where they have been enthusiastically welcomed everywhere. ENTHUSIASTIC AUDIENCES. Speaking of audiences, during the course of a chat yesterday, Mr D’Oisly said they found the, most wonderful enthusiasm in Brisbane- The hall was crowded every night, and people were perched everywhere,, wherever there was standing room. So great was the response that they gave an extra concert just before going to. Toowoomba, and though hardly ' thirty-six hours’ ndtiee had been given the audience was j qst as large. As Mr D’Oisly remarked, it seemed a 'shame to go away then and leave such audiences. From Toowoomba they went round to Adelaide, where, an experience of another kind awaited them, one of those sensational changes of temperature that Australia knows so well how to put on for the benefit of the uninitiated. The temperature was 10* degrees in the shade on their arrival, and the next day had dropped to nearly 40. Then they went to Tasmania, where they also experienced cold weather—and had only summer clothing with them, Moss Bookman remarked. In Meiboorne no fewer than twelve concerts were given and the audiences were splendid, and this in spite of the fact that other concerts were being given simultaneausly, while Madame U’Alvarez' , season was just over. Althouse and Middleton were giving concerts sandwiched between the Buckman-D’Oisly concerts, and sometimes even giving matirees on the days of their evening concerts, and added to this Madame Melba was also giving concerts. MARVELLOUS MELBA. She gave twenty concerts recently in Australia and her audiences numbered 82,000. Of Madame Melba Miss Buckman spoke with enthusiasm. She is quite the uncrowned Queen of Australia, and everyone doe® her bidding, and her drawing power is marvellous. She hardly spends anything on publicity; she only has to announce that she is giving a concert and the audience is there. Miss Bachman and' Mr D’Oisly assisted Madame Melba in a large charity matinee she organised just before leaving for England. The New Zealand singer and her husband gave a final matinee performance in Melbourne, which was wonderfully attended, and the enthusiasm dunqg and after the concert was tremendous, crowds waiting outside to farewell the singers aj they left. IN DOVE MITE NE\V ZEALAND. Miss Buckman and Mr D’Oisly are enjoying their return visit tp New Zealand, taking things quietly and seeing quite a good dead of the former's native land.. Mr D’Oisly is especially fascinated. v.ith Rotorua and the thermal district, and although they had a brief visit there last August they went again recentty and had a moat interesting time.' Mr JrOisly added to bia experience that of several earthquakes while, in the therzrial region, Miss Buckman remarked that ever siree leaving? the hush as' a chi Idi had had a keen desire to get hack to it agalft* and this was experienced m their journey from Rotorua to Gisborne* which they made by oar* taking two day.?, and stopping to picnic ip the bush. It was an unforgettable trip with wonderful views all the way, and Miss Buckman declared it was alone well worth the voyage from Bfagland. Indeed Miss Buckman finds still that her own country is unsurpassed in the way of scenic beauties. Another spot visited during the present tour wae Whangarei, where they went to give a concert (the Auckland* season 'having been somewhat disorganised owing to being held up in Sydney by the strike). Here, once more, the populace turned out to' welcome the renowned singer from their own land, and the Mayor of the town met the boat at 6 o'olook in the

morning. Everywhere Miss Buckman goes in New Zealand she comes across old friends and acquaintances, naturally; but even Mr D’Oiely has been having unexpected meetings. While in Auckland Re met Mr Mauglian Barnett, and discovered that both came from the same town (Tunbridge Wells) in England, Mrs Maugban Barnett being the daughter of the vicar Qf the church there, where Mr D’Oisly was christened. Another unexpected meeting ocourred in Melone of the Scottish peers, and among organist to the church on the estate of one of the Scottish peers, and among his choir singers was one of the under, gardeners. While in Melbourne recently this ex-choir singer called on Mr D’Oisly, he being one f>T the curators of the public parks. . Although enjoying their time here to the full, Mr and Mre D’Oisly are naturally looking forward to their return to their home in England, and to their next season there. A conoert tour awaits them, aiitl a number of engagements for Miss Buckman to sing at the ballad concerts at the Queen’s Hall; while in 1924 there will be a conoert tour in America, and probably operatic appearances also. It will probably be Rome years before we can expect to see these singers here again, though both declare they look forward to coming again in a few years’ time.