VISITING VOCALISTS

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12003, 4 December 1924, Page 9

VISITING VOCALISTS

DAME MELSA’S FAREWELL OPERAS IN EUROPE AND THE DOMINION, Sp AN INTERESTING • INTERVIEW. Among the artists of the Melba Grand Opera Company, which has j ust concluded a phenomenal season ii»' Australia, was at least one Englishwoman, who ranks eqaully high in the musical world with her companions from the home of opera, Italy. Seen yesterday hv a "Times representative, Miss Archibald and her confreres Signora Augusta Concata and Signor Nino Piccaluga, all had returned from a long drive, seeing the beauties of Wellington from the hill-tops, and were enthusiastic about them. INTERPRETER WANTED. Unfortunately neither of the Italian artists speak English, and as the interviewer spoke no Italian, little progress could be made, but Signor Piccaluga expressed their feelings by shying Australia was a magnificent country, but New Zealand was more beautiful. Miss Archibald, though not a very fluent speaker of Italian, yet knows the language well, as most singers do, and if she elects to sing in Italy after her return will, as she says very quickly pick it up. Miss Archibald has not yet sung in Italy nor in America. Most of her work latterly has been done in France, Paris, Monte Carlo, and other operatic centres. As a pupil of Madame Blanche Marches!, Paris was her chief home in France, but she is a Londoner born and spent her early youth in Herefordshore, and like all such, though she loves Paris she is always more or less homesick for Landau, and rejoices in its grime and smoke when 6he returns. GETTING HOMESICK. Now, after many months of absence she is ready and eager to return. She intends doing so, howeer.v by way pf America, which will be the first time she has visited that country. Miss Archibald has sung with the Beauchamp Opera Company and the National Opera Company in England, and makes an appearance with them every year when she foes over, though most of her work laferly has been in France. FRENCH AND BRITISH AUDIENCES.* Comparing the audiences of England and the Continent she thinks the English audience has been somewhat i maligned. They are intensely enthusiastic over anything ®tbey like, and with regard to opera it should be remembered that almost all the big Continental opera houses have subsidies, either municipal 1 or Governmental, while in London opera is entirely supported by the public. The same applies to Australia, the sole support of the opera comes from the public, and yet Australia, which over the whole continent only boasts a quarter of the population of Londonis supported the Opera Company ter weeks m the capitals of the States, and this, too, when the prices were no less than a guinea a seat. AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS OPERA, The support gientvo the opera in Australia was wonderful, said Miss Archibald, and Signor Piccaluga added it was magnificent. 1 , Asked as to how she thought the Australian public showed ns to musical appreciation, Miss Archibald said their season left no doubt that when given a good thing the Australian public could appreciate it as well as any audience in the world, and were as responsive andenthusiastic. The artists, too, found them most intelligent musically and well versed in the operas, though they had so much less opportunity of hearing or studying them than people in, the Old World. , This was a fine tribute for the company played no less than seventeen operas. NEW ZEALAND'S LOSS. Speaking of New Zealand, it seemed a pity that here we should always be deprived of the full treat, but then the company boasted about thirty principals, al}°ht sixty members of the orchestra, and as many chorus, so that the expenses. to bring such a combination hsre for our short seasons would be altogether out of the question. The enterprise of bringing them to Australia was wonderful. and was worthy of that great Australian, Dame Melba. Just before leaving Sydney, said Miss Archibald, they appeared »t her farewell concert, which was a wondertelly thrilling experience, the hell packed fronj, fioor to ceiling and everyone crowding round afterwards for autographs and souvenirs. DAME MELBA'S FAREWELL. Dame Melba has now made her final adieu t othe Australian stage. She was to leae for Euygland in Noevmhef, reaching there on Boxing Day, and she will doubtless appear in opera in London once more, at any rate, before making her final adeu to the art she has graced so long.