A FAMOUS TENOR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1334, 11 January 1912, Page 6

A FAMOUS TENOR.

MR. JOHN M'CORMACK. By the Mocraki yesterday there arrived in Wellington, accompanied by the members of his concert party, Mr. John M'Cormack, who is the most famous ballad tenor in England at tho present day. He is an Irishman, and when ho arrived at the Grand Hotel yesterday afternoon he ■was accorded an enthusiastic Welcome by a gathering of representatives of the Hibernian Society m .Wellington, .among those present being'the Rov. Fathers Dβ: voy, O'Shea, nnil Hick'son, Dr. ' Martin, Dr.'Cahill, and Mr. Martin Kennody. The principal speakers were Dr. Cahill arid tho Rov. Father O'Shca, each of 'whom referred in glowing terms to the distinguished career of their young fellowcountrymen; A telegram was also received from tho Prime Minister (Sir Joseph .Ward),- who regretted that prior engagements prevented his attendance-at the. reception.

Afterwards, Mr. M'Cormack was interviewed by a representative of The : Dominion. Ho sat down with' a comical air of.''resignation to' au. inevitable' fate. "I was born' in;——" then he stopped/ "Supposo.we skip tho pastj-ch?" ■ ; v "By all means," paid tho interviewer. "Begin with tho psychological occasion— ■frlioh did yon arrive, as the saying is?" . )'*Well you see," ho replied, "you must first have tho poods—good goods. I thought I had the goods. . I -had■.letters from Vizotta by way of' introduction.' I went round tho bigniusic publishers, Chappell's, Bo6soy?s, and so on.' Chappoll's didn't reply to my letter. When. I went. to Boosey's I left '■ my letter thero and walked_away. _ Afterwards Mr." Boosey eaino downstairs aiid wanted to know where the man that brought tho letter was. They' had to find put where I was from Vizetta, my teacher. Then I was given a trial, and engaged for a ballad, concert. That led to (mother, and another, and finally I was given an engagement at. Coven: Garden. They engage you ,by tho week there, unless* your'are a Tecognised star—l wasn't that then,' you know." • •'• •>•'■' :■■-.■ And now? "I'm booked four ycaia ahead at various places'." ' Ever had stage-fright? "Always—l'm in a continual state of Dervousnavi."' - '-

Mr. M'Cormack added that ho liked Irish ballad singing better than anything else,- , although a cricket match, or a football match, or. perchance a boxing match wore also items of importance in tho ;ataloguo of his predilections. He lives natm-ally. Smokes, has no fads, never swaddles himself up for fear of catching :old, and has only disappointed his public twice in all his career. 'Tho first was ivlten ho sang in Chicago, with his temperature at 110, in the toils of la grippe, nnd an agonised doctor standing in tho wings, prepared to deal with' a collapse, the other was quite recently, in MelIxiurne, when ho missed a performance. Iho previous evening ho was within hn ace 6£ pneumonia.

Mr. M Cpruiflck 15 accompanied by Miss Ttosina Bnukiiuinu, the well-known New Zealand operatic sodkuio. who was with Melba recently; Mr. Alfred Kaufm,inn, principal bnsfb of : th'o Melba Granil'Opera Company: Mr. Spencer Clay, jiinnist; and Mr. hotithweli, his .Tiamigor. Only tu-o coutnrts will bo given in New Ze/iinrcl— the j first in Wellington to-moiwir evtniii", end thu sooond in > uckUntl.