MADAME MELBA

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1928, Page 4

MADAME MELBA

FETED IN HOME TOWN. SYDNEY, June 7. Extraordinary scenes were witnessed ill Lilydnle, a small town in Victoria', at the conclusion of a concert organised by Daine Nellie Melba for the funds of Melba Park. Her car was surrounded by cheering, excited, eager people anxious to show their appreciation of a concert which must have been unique in the annals of Australian country towns. Her car was almost hidden by flowers, pieseated in all sorts of bouquets, from the large presentation baskets from the florists to the humble front garden posies, scores of which must hat c been showered on the singer. It was some time before the car could be moved out of the dense crowd. Hundreds of Australians seem to think that it is the correct tiling to joke of .Melba’;. 1 “’farewell” appearances; such jokes are as popular as those* about the Ford car. But the Ford jokes liave not prevented people from riding in Ford cars any more than the Melba jokes have prevented Melba from maintaining her position as tbo idol of Australian crowds. Her popularity is remarkable, and the cn- , tliusiasm of the people in her home town of Lilydnle is not to be marvelled at. High prices were ( charged for the concert, and front scats were quickly sold out at a guinea each. From far and near the people went, the quiet country street breaking into activity which recalled a fashionable first night of a- city opera, season. Melba, who recalled that it was many years since she sang at Lilydale. was in remarkable voice. With characteristic good nature she had chosen songs which the people loved most, even altering the programme so that she could comply with the many requests for Tosti’s “Good-bye. She created all the old-time enthusiasm by sitting down to the piano and playing her own accompaniment to “Home, Sweet Home.” She sang eight- songs, stilling the demand for more by an excellent little speech. Station 3LO (Melbourne) paid 100 guineas for the rights to broadcast the concert, but was unable to do so owing to a fault in the land wire from Lilydnle. It is estimated that considerably more than IOO.fiOO people were disappointed by this failure. It was to have been''the third time only that Melba bad been broadcasted, the previous occasions being when she sang at the opening of Parliament House at. Canberra and during the last grand opera season. On each occumou the transmission has been faulty.

pioperly national effort has been made to preserve for the nation a living pictorial record of events and scenes in tbo nation’s History; not merely great events and stirring scenes, blit also the scenes and events of the everyday life of our times. Could we but have unrolled before our eyes the living picture of the London Dickens knew! Suppose Darwin walked again Her os and wc could catch sight of Disraeli about town! Or that we could see again the first steamer setting out for America, and peep at the figure of a statesman cutting trees! Our resolve to preserve films for our descendants jsliouid equal in strength our regret that our ancestors could not do. tbo same for us.”— “Liverpool Post.” „