NOT ENOUGH TENORS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 97, 27 April 1939, Page 5

NOT ENOUGH TENORS

HOLLYWOODS PROBLEM. FEW FILM OPERETTAS. Hollywood, where you can find plenty of almost anything ranging: from Swiss bell ringers to Congress | gaiters, is suffering from a shortage , of tenors. And that, according Io th? Para-' mount music department, is one of the reasons why film operettas are so few and far between these days. There are plenty of feminine singing stars, it is declared, but not nearly enough men singers to cast NOT ENOUGH TENORS 1287 | opposite them who are, or could be i "box-ofiice." It is pointed out that Gladys Swar- ( thout, now working at the studio in • a straight dramatic picture called; “Ambush," is a singer for whom pro- ( ducers would like to find a person- ‘ able leading man with a good tenor voice. John Boles, the only box-office, tenor in the business at present, has; already been teamed with her twice. I and at the moment is looking for a , straight acting role in line with his • jolicy of alternating musicals and non- , musicals. Nelson Eddy, who is a baritone any- • way, is permanently teamed with ■ Jeanette Macdonald. One other is Allan Jones. Unfortunately, though. • the leading male roles in most of the ' popular opretttas are nearly all writ- ’ ten for tenors. Grace Moore. Lily Pons and Helen , Jepson have all left Hollywood due to the fact that the movies aren't fi’m-■ ing operettas just now. A Bath Festival. C. B. Cochrans enthusiasm for the' British stage shows no signs of wan-i ing. He is now busy preparing a, “Bath Festival of Music." to last four, weeks, starting on July 17. The idea is rather a grandiose one. and plans i include the visit of a French company I 1o play Moliere, and also a modern! French company such as Sacha Gui-; T—r . The aim is to make it a repre-1 sentative festival of the best of all; art. classic and modern—drama.; music, ballet, painting —of all periods, j irrespective of nationality. Mr. J Cochran adopts a lifelong practice of j selection with advice from helpfull people. He is hoping for the co-oneri-l tion of the Sadler’s Wells Ballet Com-’ pany. At Bath there are magnificent | assembly rooms, and here will be. established a club with facilities for music: dancing to the best of modern, orchestras, and cabaret turns. Dress: shows by famous houses, and even a 1 circus are contemplated. A pro- • visional executive committee includes, the Mayor of Bath. Lady Diana, Cooper (formerly Lady Diana Manners), John Gielgud. Sidney Bernstein. I Owen Mase (of the London Musical Festival). Captain Bruce Ottley (now, in command at Covent Garden), and the Hon. James Smith. Oliver Messel is the instigator.