LIKES GREY SKIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 190, 1 November 1927, Page 13

LIKES GREY SKIES

JOSEPH HISLOP ARRIVES ARTIST WHO BECAME SINGER Found— a world-famous artist who likes grey skies. Ho is Joseph Hislop, the tenor, who arrived from Sydney this morning to begin his New Zealand tour. Mrs. Hislop, a charming woman who is very proud of her family of three, also likes grey skies. . I um Slad it is like this,” she said this morning. “It reminds me of going home to London again, and after the glaring sun of Australia I like it,” and she held a hand out into the rain. Before he was ever acclaimed a world-famous singer, Mr. and Mrs. Hislop met in Stockholm, Sweden. He had gone over from London to the Technical School in Stockholm to inaugurate the various colour processes for the reproduction of works of art. While there he got into touch with the famous voice and throat specialist, Dr. Bratt. That really began Mr. Hislop’s career as one of the world’s great tenors. DEBUT IN “FAUST” After a time he went to the School of Opera in Stockholm, and later he made his debut in “Faust” at the Stockholm Grand Opera House, where he eventually became the principal tenor. Mr. Hislop has very tender memories of Stockholm, where he first made his big success. His birthplace is really Edinburgh, and despite the fact that lie sings in six different languages and in as many dialects, he has not lost the charming burr which is his birthright. Mr. Hislop has had honours showered upon him. The King of Denmark conferred the Knighthood of Danneborg on him, and in May of this year the King of Sweedn conferred on him the Knighthood of Vasa. Previously the same King had presented * him with tho gold medal, “Litteris et Artibus,” a distinction which is conferred only on poets, writers and musicians of outstanding merit. After singing with great success at Stockholm and in other cities in Scandinavia, Mr. Hislop went to Italy, where he appeared at La Scala, Milan, and then to England, where he .made his debut at Covent Garden. Success followed on success. There were tours of North and South America, and appearances at all the leading houses of Europe. “Yes, we have seen everything, except your New Zealand and South Africa,” laughed Mrs. Hislop, who is enjoying her tour immensely. Her only regret is that her children are not with her. “My youngest son is only 18 months old, and already he is keen on the gramophone,” she said. BEECHAM AND GRAND OPERA Mr. Hislop is enthusiastic about Sir Thomas Beecham’s scheme for a National Grand Opera Company in England. England is the pnly European country, he says, which does not subsidiso grand opera. The Swedish Government, he continued, subsidises grand opera, drama and a. symphony orchestra. In London people pay as much as 7s 6d to see motion pictures and as much as 18s for a seat iii the theatre, but they cannot support grand opera. Sir Thomas Beecha.m has already lost a great deal of money fostering grand opera, and Mr. Hislop says he is willing to make, still more sacrifices. Only twice has Mr. Hislop sung for the wireless—once in San Francisco in 1921 and again a few weeks ago in Sydney, but he will not make a practice of it unless it is worth while. Mr. Hislop’s accompanist is a young pianist, A. Sciarrett-i, who will play some Italian music new to New* Zealand audiences. Two of his favourite composers are Martucci and Sgambati, whose work is rarely played on this side of the world. Scarretti is Mr. Hislop’s personal friend: otherwise he would not be making the trip.