CENTENNIAL MUSIC

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 April 1940, Page 2

CENTENNIAL MUSIC

SPECIAL WINTER FESTIVAL PROGRAMMES IN VARIOUS CENTRES. ASSISTING VOCAL ARTISTS. The Minister in Charge of Centennial Celebrations (the Hon W. E. Parry), in a statement released today, makes reference to the arrangements | being made by the Government for presentation during the winter months this year of special Centennial music and drama festivals. With the conclusion this month of the main historical celebrations connected with the National Centennial, interest will centre on the music celebrations which are being arranged on behalf of the Government as an important part of the country's Centennial activities by the National Centennial music councils in Auckland. Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. The provincial committees will be responsible for the Centennial programmes in their respective centre and they have secured the co-opera-tion of the various musical societies. The National Committee, acting for lhe Government, is making available to each local committee the services of a musical adviser from England, a specially assembled symphony orchestra of picked New Zealand players, and live overseas vocalists of high artistic reputation. The festivals will be held as follows: —Dunedin, May 8 to 20; Christchurch. May 22 to June 2; Auckland. June 5 to 16; Wellington. June 19 to 30. Already the musical societies in the centres are in active rehearsal, while in Wellington the Centennial Festival Orchestra of 34 of New Zealand’s best players are assembled for intensive work under the baton of Mr Andersen Tyrer, the distinguished English conductor and pian-ist-composer who has been brought from England as musical adviser to those responsible for the arrangement of the music celebrations.

Two of the vocalists have already arrived, namely Mr Oscar Natzke, the brilliant Auckland bass who has returned to his home country for this special engagement after winning the high encomiums of musical critics in England for his work in leading parts in opera at Covent Garden and in concert work, and Mr Raymond Beatty. the well known Australian bassbaritone who recently sang for the Wellington Choral Union in "Elijah" and has a number of times toured the stations of the National Broadcasting Service. The remaining vocalists who are of outstanding reputation in their respective musical spheres arrive in New Zealand about, the middle of April. They are Heddle Nash who is deservedly acclaimed as one of England’s greatest tenors and has gained a high reputation at Covent Garden and Glyndebourne Opera Houses; Miss Isobel Baillie, soprano, who is regarded as the leading oratorio soprano in England, and Miss Gladys Ripley, a young contralto with a voice of rare quality who has sung in leading roles at the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Among the works to be presented at each centre during the celebrations will be the complete stage presentation of the opera “Faust” with the Centennial Festival Orchestra and with the overseas vocalists in the principal parts. Picked local singers in the various centres are being trained for the chorus work and for other parts. There will also be celebrity concerts and among other works scheduled for performance at one or other of the centres are "Carmon" ■‘ Ki ng Olaf,” "The Dream'of Geroiitius. “Elijah' and other major musical works.

Such an aggregation of artistic talent and such ambitious musical programmes have seldom, if ever, been presented to concert audiences in New Zealand. It seems certain that music lovers in this country will not fail to show their appreciation of this feast of music by their attendance in largo numbers at the various functions.

The National Broadcasting Service is co-operating with the Centennial Branch of the Internal Affairs Department and the various committees in the organisation for the presentation of these celebrations. .Many of the programmes will be broadcast through the national stations, thus enabling those music lovers in the smaller centres who unfortunately cannot attend in person to enjoy in their own homes, the good music provided.