"NO INTEREST IN WORLD CELEBRITIES”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 156, 22 September 1927, Page 16

"NO INTEREST IN WORLD CELEBRITIES”

MELBA’S INDICTMENT FRANCES ALDA DISAGREES Madame Frances Alda does not agree with Dame Nellie Melba that Australian musical appreciation is only a myth. “I think Australian audiences are the most appreciative I have sung to, and l have sung all over the world,” said Madame Alda recently. Dame Nellie complained of the lack of interest taken in the visits of the world artists, and asked, “What do we Australians want if Zimbalist is not good enough for us?” Although that artist, like others, has attracted only small audiences, Madame Alda does not attribute this fact to lack of appreciation. SUCCESSION OF CELEBRITIES

“There has been too much music, more than the public could afford to pay for.” she declared. “During a period of about 16 weeks there has been a succession of visiting celebrities, each giving from eight to ten recitals. No city in the world, with a population of 1,000,000 could afford to patronise concerts liberally in these circumstances.

“Where indeed would an eight concerts in succession? Popular as she is, Dame Nellie Melba would never dream of giving so many in the Albert Hall, London. She would just as well dream of flying over the moon.”

During her Melbourne season, Madame Alda has had numerous requests for songs, but not one of these was for classical music. Formerly she would never have thought of including Puccini’s “One Fine Day” in her concert programmes, but that was an example of the music that was now wanted.

Madame Alda does not cast any particular reflection on Melbourne, however. “The public wants to hear music that it knows. That remark applies not. only to Australia, but to the world.”