GRAND OPERA IN LONDON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1451, 14 February 1918, Page 33

GRAND OPERA IN LONDON.

Sii- Thomas Beecham’s ten weeks of grant! opera at Drury Lane has been a . disappointment, says the “Daily Mail,” in a recent issue. The performances have been magnificent. Principals, orchestra, and chorus have worked with an ensemble and verve, beyond, praise. During the last week the theatre was crowded every night, but during the ten weeks as a whole the attendances were not satisfactory. ' And so Sir Thomas Beecham is going off for a tour in the provinces, and there is fear that London may know him no more, at least for a time to come. He tells us that the. great provincial cities are music lovers as Londoners are not. Doubtless part of the comparative failure of the season was due to the air raids. Every form of entertainment has suffered. Many people will not go even to grand opera when there is a chance of bombs disturbing the middle of the performance. You can hardly wonder at it. Sir Thomas Beecham has been the great musical educator of London. He has given us performances worthy of his own reputation; I need not say more. There is no secret that he has only been able to do so because in addition to his own great musical qualities he has very ample means. But one can hardly expect even the most

enthusiastic musician to squander his wealth and music on a population largely indifferent.