A SHORTAGE OF OPERA STARS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17112, 6 April 1921, Page 11

A SHORTAGE OF OPERA STARS.

Iu making plans for the usual summer season of grand opera the Royal Opera Syndicate has found itself in a difficult position, says London "Daily Chronicle," owing to the impossibility of securing the services of many of'tho "stars" of the international opera stage.

"The fact is that, during the war and since, .great singers liave all migrated to Xorth and South\ America, wbero they haws found plenty of work at high fees. Conseqaontly "they are booked tip for a long time ahead,: for, after singing in N*>w York, Chicago, and other places they journey to .South America, Vrhere such opera houses as that in Buenos Ayrcs, pay the highest foes in the trbrid. Europe,' especially in the central countries, is too poor to pay thejn such prices for their services. Recently n representative of the syndicate made a tour in Europe with the hope of securing some fine new • voices f«jr 'Corent Garden this--summer,- but returned .having heard hardly any notable artists.

ispeaktiV.; to a "DaiJr Chronicle" representative, tI»V gentleman said: "Italy, c-uee so full ef fine singers, especially tenors, no longer gets lirstratc arci.-U ia it* ovrn opera houses: tii*v haw: it?' goae tfl America, and much 'he tame u*Eiark applies to France.'" »Njuh: »"r th? gveut ilnssian 'artists, siu-ii as (..'ha;ia}viu. are not allowed by l3w Bolshevists to leave their country.