MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 476, 4 October 1928, Page 14

MUSIC

(By

F.1.R.)

For the first time in history, according to the “Musical Courier,” Mozart’s operas were given in French in a complete cycle at Brussels this spring. * * • The name of John D. Rockfellow, Jur. is involved with a project to purchase property valued at £16,000,000 in New York on which the longdiscussed new Metropolitan Opera House will be built. • • • Signor Alexandro Rota, the principal lyric tenor with the Gonsalez Italian Grand Opera Company, has been re-engaged for the Fuller-Gon-salez season next year. Signor Rota studied at the home of grand opera, Milan, and made his first appearance at Mantua only three and a-half years ago. He has sung all through Italy, in Spain, and South America. Later he hopes to appear in the United States. • * * “Musicians who know of the elaborate care taken by Puccini’s publishers all over the world to prevent unauthorised and unpaid performances of his music and of that of other composers contracted by this international house, are smiling at the news from Paris, published in the “New York Herald Tribune,” that two women musicians of Palestine are charging Puccini with plagiarism in his opera “Turandot,” states Ihe “Chronicle,” San Francisco. They are presenting as evidence their own opera of that name composed 30 years ago, and seem to be getting serious attention. The claim looks absurd at first sight, but presents elements of ironic humour. * * * Homage to the memory of the greatest natural melodist the world has ever known is the idea of the Schubert Centenary. To this composer

nature seemed always beautiful, life always sweet, man always good; because out of his good nature he wished it so. And having such a disposition and being absolutely devoid of business instinct it is easy to understand why he was always

poor, why he was persuaded to sell some masterpieces for a few pence. But though Schubert had little, and often no money, he had good friends, and we often read where they came to his aid with true Bohemian generosity—one found him lodging, another found him music paper and other appliances, they took their meals together and the man who had any I money paid the score.