BACK TO DUNEDIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18763, 17 January 1923, Page 6

BACK TO DUNEDIN

MISS BUOKMAN’S RETURN. AN INTERESTING CHAT. ‘‘Yes, we are back to Dunedin, tie place where wo had the wonderful reception and where my husband caught the influenza last July.” So spoke Miss Rosina Buckman, the New Zealand singer who has made such a name for herself in parts distent from these southern islands. She spoke to u Daily Times reporter who ask eel for an interview at the close of the entertainment which she witnessed in His Majesty’s Theatre last night. Miss Buckman, as gracious off the stage as she is graceful upon it, seated herself upon a divan with her husband, and the trio talked about as many subjects as

occupy prominent places in the daily papers. At last the reporter, with visions of subeditors who would want an explanation of his late arrival, directed the conversation nearer his objective. Ho asked where Miss Buckman had been since July, and was told that they hod toured the whole of New Zealand and the main centres in Australia. She said that they had a novel introduction to the commonwealth, appearing at a “community sing’’ in Melbourne—a function at which Mr D’Oisly led the singing part of the time. This was in the Auditorium, where, on the appearance of the artists, an immense crowd rose, waved their handkerchiefs, and coo-eed in true Australian stylo. Their programme included 11 concerts in Melbourne and 11 in Sydney, and over 60 were given in all. Melbourne gave them a great send-off. the crowd waiting outside the theatre and showering confetti and flowers.

Mention of the commonwealth set the reporter questioning as to the comparison of tho appreciation shown by the Australian and New Zealand audiences. Miss Buckmaii was as diplomatic as a French woman in her reply. “We have found the audiences wonderful everywhere,” was the most coinmital reply ho could get to the direct question. But she had a warm spot in her heart for Dunedin. On tho previous visit they had' been told that tho Dunedin audiences wore as cold as icebergs and they had approached the place with a chill born of apprehensiveness. But they found that Dame Rumour oft maligns. The Dunedin people had received them with warmth and she looked forward to her professional an revoir ’ to this city with great pleasure no P • , course, because it was an “an levoir, but because it would give her an opportunity to again try to please a discriminating public. The reporter persisted in his efforts to get a comparison, and he asked Alias Buokman if she did not think that tho musical “atmosphere of Australia was more pronounced than that of New oealand. She agreed to a certain extent, but she did not think that there was a great difference, comparatively speaking. Of course, neither d compare, from that aspect, with the Did Country, but she maintained nevertheless, that a young singer should make a name for herself before seeking fame and fortune in London. Australia had its conservatoire, and doubtless the State Orchestra had hail an effect, but still—! In short, Miss Buckman could not see that either New Zealand or Australia had mado appreciable strides in music culture since sne first left this country over 10 years ago.

THE IRREPRESSIBLE GERMAN. It was interesting to hear that tho German concert artists are again assertin'* themselves in England. Before the war, she remarked, a singer who attempted to sing a foreign song in England would bo taken to pieces by the English press and the English people, but a foreigner in Germany had to sing, by laws just as unalterable in the tongue of the Fatherland. Lins attitude of tho British people (who made "beautiful audiences" all the same) was further shown in this liking for tho foreigner as against a more capable artist of their own land, “At present,” she declared, “the Germans are supplanting the English in the latters’ own home. It is a queer old world.” THE AUSTRALIAN TOUR.

In Brisbane the singers were greeted with wonderful enthusiasm. 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 06 hours’ notice had been given the audience was just as large. As Mr D’Oisly remarked, it seemed a shame to go awav 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 104 degrees in the shade on their arrival, and the next day had dropped to nearly 40. Then they wont to Tasmania, where they also experienced cold weather—and had only summer clothing with them, Miss Buekman remarked. In Melbourne no fewer than 12 concerts were given, and the audiences were splendid, and this in spite of the fact that other concerts were being given simultaneously, while Madame D’Alvarez’s season was just over. Althouse and Middleton were giving concerts sandwiched between the BuckmanU’Oisly concerts, and sometimes even giving matinees on the days of their evening concerts, and added to this Madame Melba was also giving concerts. She had given twenty concerts recently in Australia, and her audiences numbered 92,00 b, Of Madame Melba. Miss Buekman spoke with enthusiasm. She is quite the uncrowned queen of Australia, and everyone does 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 Buekman and Mr D'Oisly assisted Madame Melba in a large charily matinee she organised just before leaving for England. The New Zealand singer and her husband gave a final matinee performance in Melbourne, which was wondetfully attended, and the enthusiasm during and after the concert was tremendous, crowds waiting outside to farewell the singers as they left. CHARMED WITH NEW ZEALAND Miss Buekman and Mr D’Oisly are enjoying their return visit to Now Zealand, taking things qtiietly and seeing quite a good deal of the former’s native land. Mi D’Oisly was especially fascinated with Rote rua and the thermal district, and although they had a brief visit there last August, they wont again recently, and had a most interesting time. Mr D’Oisly added to hi* experience that of several earthquakes while in the thermal region. Miss Buekman re marker! that over since leaving the bush as a child she had had a keen desire to get back to it again, and this was expnri enced in their journey from Rotorua to Gisborne, which they made by car, taking two days, and stopping to picnic in the bush. It was an unforgettable trip, with wonderful views all the way, and Miss Buck man declared it was alone well worth the voyage from England. Indeed. Miss Buckman finds still that her own country is unsurpassed in the wav of scenic beauties. Everywhere Miss Buekman goes in New Zealand she comes across old friends and acquaintances, but even Mr D’Oisly has 'icon having unexpected meetings. While in Auckland he mot Mr Maughan Barnett, and discovered that both came from the same town (Tunbridge Wells) in England, Mrs Maughan Barnett being the daughter of the vicar of the church there, where Mr D’Oisly was christened. Although they are enjoying their time here to the full, Mr and Mrs D’Oisly are naturally looking forward to their return to their homo in England, and to their next season there. A concert tour awaits them, and a number of engagements for Miss Buekman to sing at the ballad concerts at, the Queen's Hall; while in 1924 there will be a concert tour in America, and nrobahly operatic appear ances also. It will probably be some years before they return again, though both do dare they look forward to coming again in a few years’ time. THE MAORI ROOM.

In their London house Mr and Mrs D’Oisly have a "Maori room.” This Mrs D’Oisly, or Miss Buckman (whichever the reader chooses), is intent: upon furnishing entirely with Maori carved articles. On the trip through New Zealand the Natives have presented them with numerous gifts, and, by special commission, no less a personage than Paul Thomas Rang! Kntukua, among the last of the carving has made Miss Buckman a mantelpiece of rare design. It is the wish of Sir Thomas Mackenzie that she should exhibit this at the British Empire Exhibition, and it is her present intention to do so. Accompanying Mr D’Oisly and Miss Buckman is Miss Adelina Leon, the gifted ’cellist of the parly, who i« making her second visit to New Zealand.