Opera “Maritana”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 658, 9 May 1929, Page 14

Opera “Maritana”

Choral Society’s Concert THURSDAY NEXT Tonight week will see the pexform- ! ance by the Auckland Choral Society of j Wallace's opera. "Maritana." In some j quarters there has been a tendency to ] criticise the Society on the selection ! of its programme for the opening con- j cert of the season, but there is no j gainsaying the popularity of Wallace's j very melodious work, and the action \ of the society wil.. no doubt be justi- j lied by a much larger attendance than j usual. Auart from the well-known airs, the opera contains some really attractive chorus, solo and duet work, and with a fine cast of soloists selected an entertaining evening should result. The soprano solos will be taken by Miss Kate Campion, who is particularly well suited for the role, the baritone role by Mr. G. Colledge, and the bass work by Mr. E. Thomas. Owing to indisposition Mr. Lambert Harvey, who was to have taken the tenor role, will be unable to appear, and his place will be taken by Mr. Arthur Ripley who has obligingly undertaken the role. The presentation will be in the • apable hands of Mr. Colin Muston. The box plan opens at Strong’s box office, Queen Street, on Monday. Rare Music MSS Sold A collection of autographs and original manuscripts of famous composers, including Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Mozart, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Rossini, Rubinstein, Schubert and numerous others, was sold at auction in Berlin recently by the firm of Leo Liepmannsohn. The highest price was about £I,OOO for the manuscript of Schubert’s “Erlkonig” (Opus 1). It was bought by the firm of Calvary and Co. Another was Frederic Chopin’s “Polonaise pour le Piano Dediee a Monsieur Auguste Leo, Op. 53" (the one in A flat), which was described in the catalogue as the "most famous of Chopin’s polonaises, one of the greatest works of piano literature, and a unique autograph of utmost value.” It brought about £450. Ludwig van Beethoven was represented by a manuscript “Der Mann vom Wort,” which was knocked down for about £95, and by some musical sketches; Franz Liszt by "Glanes de Woronince,” and Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy by the original manuscript of the Forty-second Psalm, which brought £l2O.