AMATEUR OPERA.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1798, 10 July 1913, Page 6

AMATEUR OPERA.

WELLINGTON SOCIETY FORMED,

It is many years since anything in the nature of amateur opera has been seen in Wellington, although at one time a very capable company of amateurs gave a series of delightful performances. As profes'sional musical performances aro to-day as few and far between as they were fifteen years ago, tho lack is to bo remedied. Last evening a meeting was held at the Dresden rooms, when it was decided to form a society to bo called tho Wellington Amateur Operatio Socioty, and all present were elected to act as a committee. These wore Messrs. P., Levi, W. Smith, A. W. Newton, D. A. Kenny, V. It. Meredith, .H. Plimmer, F. Kelly H. N. Fletcher, G. Hutton, Norman Hales, and Dr. Isaacs. Mr. E. B. Vance was elected secretary; Mr. D. A. Kenns\ musical director; and Mr. A. W. Newton, stage manager.. . '

On the motion of Mr. P. Levi, it was resolved to register the socioty under the Incorporated Societies Act, and to further that end Messrs. Levi, Meredith, and Kelly wero appointed a sub-committee to draft rule's, to bo submitted tq the next committee meeting. Tho first work to be produced is to bo that melodious light opera, "Tho Geisha, which has not been performed in Wellington for over a decade. Communicition had been established with' Mr. Tom Pollard, tho well-known producer, and he had consented to produco tho opera for the society. Tho subscription for acting-members (to bo approved by tho committee) was fixed at ss. per annum, and it was decidcd to have, in addition, a limited number of subscribing (non-acting) members, who would receive concessions in tho way of tickets. Tho matter of fixing tho concessions was left over to another meeting. . In the opinion of those present there was plenty of talent in Wellington capable of giving good performances in light opera, but chanccs had been wanting owing to the non-exisfcenco of an amateur society, which shouild readily command the sympathy and support of tho public.