BIG MUSICAL FESTIVAL

Hokitika Guardian, 4 December 1920, Page 1

BIG MUSICAL FESTIVAL

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WELLINGTON,' Nov. 29., ' Tfie suggestion to hold a big musical festival in each of the four centres of the i)6mihion towards the end of 1922 is gradually taking shape. It emanated from Dunedin as the, outcome of the singularly successful performance of “The Messiah” hy the Dunedin Choral Society, Mr. Sidney Wolf and others met and talked about the advisability of following up that success by a festival in celebration of this Society’s jubilee in 1922, and the outcome of that meeting was a proposal to seek the cooperation of the musical societies in the three other centres, and thus make it possible to bring out a strong vocal quartet from the Old Country. Mr Fraser Gange, then about to start a tour of the Dominion,, took up the proposal and promised to submit it to the societies at Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland when he visited the places. His ideri was to make a start by procuring a guarantee of £2OOO in each city, so as to be sure of securing the services of really able principals. . In fulfilment of bis promise, Mr Gange Has written to Mr Wolf,' stating that Christchurch aiid Wellington enthusiastically welcomed the outlined proposal, arid that % lias strong hopes of getting the co-operation of Auckland. At that stage things stand for the present. The idea accepted by Christchurch and Wellington is that the festival shall commence iri Dunedin, and last for a week iri each centre, and that before Mr Gange leaves New Zealand lie shall be empowered to treat for the services of a contralto and a tenor to act with Mrs Gange (soprano) and himself (basso) at the festivals. The total expenditure iri Dunedin is estimated at close on £4009. A meeting of delegates froiri the four centres will probably be held in Wellington before Mr Gange leaves for England, to hear'his final word on the blatter, nnd if the guarantees are forthcoming—which wi’ probably he the case—to authorise him to go on with the scheme so far as the engaging of principals is concerned.