OVERSEAS SINGERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26776, 20 May 1948, Page 6

OVERSEAS SINGERS

LEADS FOR “CARMEN”

ARRIVAL IN DUNEDIN

ENTHUSIASM FOR ROLES

Fourteen days after they had left England, Janet Howe and Arthur Servent, who are to take the leads in the forthcoming production of “Carmen,” arrived in Dunedin yesterday. Most of their time has been spent in the air, and they were both anxious to unpack and settle in before last evening’s rehearsal. But they discovered that the majority of the afternoon was to be occupied with interviews. They were met on arrival by the producer and musical director of the opera, Mr Bernard Beeby and Mr Andersen Tyrer, Mr H. Ninnis, station director of 4YA, Mr E. W. Griffiths, representing the “ Carmen ” Committee, and Mr Carl V. Smith, representing the Centennial Association. • Friendly and vivacious, Miss Howe was looking forward to the production. It will be her sixty-ninth appearance in the role, and she expects to reach the “ century mark ” in Auckland when the production goes on tour. Al-

though accustomed to singing the role in English, she stated' that she was never entirely happy when lyrics had been translated to another language. The composer had certain sounds in his ear when he was writing, and the transposition to another _ language seldom succeeded in retaining the same tonal colour. New Costumes “ Carmen ” provides a vigorous role, for the lead singer is off the stage on only three occasions, ' and there are four changes of costumes to complete. “I have brought some new costumes for the role, and I think the audiences will like them,” she said. Miss Howe will leave New Zealand on September 8 and has to return immediately to England for an Albert Hall concert, the Swansea Festival and other engagements. Her husband, Mr George Hancock, who was connected with ENSA in the Middle East during the war, is at present on an opera tour in South Africa. . , “I have only seen it once and it is the sort of production which must be seen several times before it can be fully appreciated,” said Mr Servent, when asked to comment on Benjamin Britten’s much publicised opera “ Peter Grimes.” “It is entirely different from the conventional and traditional idea of opera.” Before 1941, singing and amateur theatricals were only a hobby for Mr Servent, but a part in a Bradford performance of the Messiah, in which the baritone part was sung by the leading baritone from the Sadlers Wells Opera Company, opened the door for a stage career. Guest performances were the begining but Mr Servent’s enthusiasm must have been fully taxed to put up with long rail journeys on the thirdclass fares provided in order to make his appearances. On one occasion, the return journey and the performance occupied over 20 hours, and he had to go straight on to his normal work in the wool business.

Opera for the Forces At present under contract to the Covent Garden Opera Syndicate, Mr Servent’s previous major tour was in Germany in 1945, when the entire Sadlers Wells Company and cast were taken across the Channel by ENSA to entertain the occupation forces. Eleven weeks were spent in the devastated cities in the British zone and in Berlin singing to extremely appreciative audiences. Mr Servent is hoping while in New Zealand to locate a very old friend of his family. When he was a small boy in Bradford, his family was friendly with a Miss Bessie Collins, a daughter of people connected with the Otley road post office. Miss Collins came to New Zealand before the Great War and was married. Her husband died some time later and she was remarried. Since that time, Mr Servant’s parents have lost touch with their friend, but it is possible that she may still be in New Zealand and Mr Servent is hopeful of renewing the acquaintance. Both Singers anticipate visiting Queenstown and the southern lakes during their stay in Dunedin.