REMARKABLE PERSONAGE

Taranaki Daily News, 25 February 1931, Page 7

REMARKABLE PERSONAGE

TRIBUTES TO DAME MELBA

“CHARACTER FINE AS VOICE”

ROYALTY SENDS SYMPATHY

FUNERAL AT MELBOURNE

By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.

Sydney, Feb. 23.

Dame Melba's body is to be taken by train to Melbourne to-morrow for interment in the Lilydale cemetery. The Diva’s early life was spent at Coombe Cottage, Lilydale, a picturesque resort 20 miles from the city. There will be a service in Scots’ Church, Collins Street, Melbourne, and the burial will take place on Thursday. Among numerous messages of condolence received to-night by relatives were cables from the King ind QueCn, and Viscount Novar, former GovernorGeneral of Australia. The Governor, Sir Philip Game, has expressed his deepest sympathy with the Australians in the loss of such a gifted daughter. He said the Empire and the world would mourn the death of such a distinguished personage. Tributes have also been received from the Prime Minister.

BODY TO LIE IN STATE.

Rec. 8 p.m. Sydney, Feb. 24. Melba’s body upon arrival at Melbourne to-morrow will be conveyed to Scots’ Church, where it will lie in state for one night. This is the church in which she sang as a girl iii the choir. Her father, who built it, was a member, of the choir for 50 years. The interment will be at Lilydale. Dame Melba some time ago expressed a wish that her body might be conveyed to the village cemetery on a farmer’s cart. It is possible that wish will be carried out.

Mr. John Lcmmone, who is sulforing from, bronchitis at Sydney, will not attend the funeral. He remains here for medical attention.

The Premier of Victoria, Mr. E. J. Hogan, announced that there will be ho State funeral. The Governor of New South Wales has received a cabled message from the King and Queen saying they are deeply grieved to learn that Dame Melba has passed away. “We have known her for many years,” says tile message, “and appreciated her beautiful voice, which has given pleasure in all parts of the world.”

A memorial service is being in St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, on Thursday to synchronise with the funeral service, which is being held in Melbourne at 1 p.m. Dame Melba’s body has been embalmed and lies at St. Vincent’s Hospital. It resembles an exquisite statue fashioned in delicate marble. Her peaceful features are seen through the misty tracery of a delicate veil of white tulle, with pink rosebuds nestling on her shoulder.

GREAT BRITISH APPEAL.

London, Feb. 23.

Musicians unite in paying tribute to Dame Melba, expressing the profoundest sorrow.

Mr. Peter Dawson says: “Melba always uplifted one marvellously. She was most helpful to young singers, always ready to encourage and sympathise.” •

Sir Landon Ronald describes her as “One of my oldest friends, who helped my career greatly.' As an artist none could approach her. She was simply supreme.” The News-Chronicle in a leader says: Melba belonged in a very real sense to the British Empire. She was Britishborn, and when it was an insular vention that only foreign-born singers could achieve greatness she triumphed over the convention and over the world. It was in English songs her God-given voice was heard at its loveliest; it was to British audiences she made the most intimate appeal. The Standard recalls that it is strange the queen of song and the. queen of dance, Pavlova, should have passed within days of each other.' Alelba, it says, fought death with the pluck with which she fought life. Describing her wonderful nerve, the Standard tells that during a performance of Lucia in an American theatre the building caught fire. Amid screams of panic.Melbp. stopped in the middle of a song to assure the audience there was- no danger, though there really was. The audience was quietened till the conductor started to climb on the stage, shouting excitedly. Melba leaned forward and gave a resounding crack on the head to the conductor, who fell back senseless. There was no more panic. The Daily Telegraph says Alelba s name, like Jenny Lind’s, will live in the legend of romance, and thanks to the gramophone generations will be able to listen to her perfect music. Describing Melba’s last ’ visit to Coyent Garden the Daily Telegraph’s Peterborough correspondent relates that shortly before returning to Australia she was talking purely business matters with Colonel Blois in his private office when she paused suddenly and said: “This place is full of the ghosts of Harry Higgins, Gladys Ripon, Caruso and Neil Forsyth. They are all gone, and I shall never be here again. She then broke down and wept inconsolably.

FOREIGN NATIONS PAY TRIBUTE ' - Paris, Feb. 23. The newspapers pay tribute to Melba's great artistry and magnificent voice and gratefully recall her concert in aid of French wounded during the war. New York, Feb. 23. The New York Herald-Tribune in a leader states: “It is startling to realise that Dame Melba, the great lady and the «Teat artist, was the last of those soprano empresses of song who made the glorious lyric history of the last half-century. Those who recall the peculiarly radiant beauty of Melba’s voice from the stage of the Metropolitan in the nineties possess a memory unique and to be treasured. Those who realise what is meant by .the perfection of coloratura singing, what is meant by a voice really ideally equipped for that perilous and most exacting art, may imagine as best they can the Melba of those days. But she gave us more than that. "Her singing was touched with greatness of style, with imperial distinction of utterance, patrician fineness of musical taste, sovereign mastery of beauty and the means by which beautv may most excellently be achieved, which made such singing the thing of rarity and wonder that it was. Doubtless the golden age of song will return, but no Melba will sing for us again.”