CONDUCTOR’S DEATH.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 833, 5 August 1933, Page 1

CONDUCTOR’S DEATH.

Gave Sign to Orchestra to Carry On. LONDON, July 23. Egon Poliak, the famous conductor j of opera in the United States and in ; Germany, has died at Prague in most dramatic circumstances. He had conducted the overture of I Beethoven’s “ Fidelio ” at the festival ! performance, and up to the middle of j the first act, when he became ill. i Poliak saw Professor Czell, the reguj lar conductor of the Prague Opera, ; sitting in a box, and with his left hand j he made a sign to him to come down ' into the orchestra. | The musicians perceived that some--1 thing was the matter, but at a sign ' from Poliak they continued to play on and he staggered out of the orchestra door. ! Professor Czell mounted the stand i and continued until the end of the act. ! The audience were unaware that any* j thing had happened until the manager ; of the opera house came on the stage ! and stated that Poliak was dead. The • performance was not continued.