A VISIT TO VIENNA.

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19887, 16 May 1936, Page 19 (Supplement)

A VISIT TO VIENNA.

AN AUSTRALIAN THRILLED. STAYS WITH FRANZ LEHAR. Writing from Melbourne this week. Mr A. V. Allum, well known to theatrical and musical people in Australia. tells me of his friendship with Franz Lehar. composer of " The Merry Widow," “ Gipsy Love." " Count ol Luxembourg," etc. As each operetta score was published Mr Allum received a copy In advance from the composer. Thus he has “ Frasquita, “ cio-Clo.” " Endlich Allein," " The Csarevitch." " Frederika" The Land of Smiles." etc., and last year he received a copy of “ Giuditta." This line work was presented at tht> State Opera House, Vienna, with tht famous Tauber and the Czech prima donna, Jarmila Novotna, in the leading roles. The work Is in five scenes most of them laid in Africa and Morocco. The story is somewhat similai to -Carmen" to a certain extent. “Giuditta" is a strange creature Spanish and Moorish parentage. Sht “’vamps" lover after lover, and ilnall} goes native—throws in her I V with b Moorish tribe. The music is most col ourful and descriptive, and Lehar has ■written some fine orchestral as wcl. os vocal gems for the libretto. Thrill of Getting to Vienna. “ Imagine the thrill I got %\hen j found a chance of going to Europe, writes Mr Allum. " I wrote to Lehar I was coming, and he sent me a me» sage of one word —“ Welcome. Leav ing Victoria Station in London, t'oi Dover,, then over the “ pond " to Ostend. I caught a train that took me through Nuremburg and via Brusgels—an all-night journey through Belgium. Then in the morning I wa» crossing the Austrian frontier ano reached Passau, exquisite Austrian town. The scenery all the way was lovely. It was summer time and tht country was a picture—so very green and colourful —different from out grey-green Australian landscape. It was night when I arrived at the WestBahnnof 'Railway Station) at Vienna—a warm Spring night, and Lehar was waiting for me. I recognised him ai once—and what a greeting I received« I was his sole guest for the thret weeks I stayed in Vienna and I will never forget the wonderful hospitality I received not only from the composer but from the many Viennese and visitors from Budapest. Austrian ano Hungarian people I found most charming and courteous.

Races on a Sunday. My visit was spent at theatres and races—the Vienna Derby 1 attended on Sunday afternoon! That night i visited the Renaissance Theatre with Lehar to see the Hungarian operetta “ Juliska," a delightful performance My chief remembrance or it was a colourful ballet by a Hungarian troupe dancing the Csarda, the national dance of Hungary, in native (Magyar) dress. It was a gorgeous scene. “ Another event was a performance of Lehar's " Frederika " at the Johann Strauss Theatre. Lehar was not conducting personally. He conducts tht premieres of his operettas and a number of performances only. “ Frederika’ 1 is a beautiful work—it is a romance ot Goethe, uur mutual friend Herbert Browne (recently in New Zealand in “White Horse Inn") sings the 44 Frederika" songs beautifully. Lehar has a most artistic and interesting home in Vienna, also a beautiful villa in the country where he goes every summer. His study I found oj absorbing interest. The walls are covered with photos and souvenirs ol artists in the Lehar operettas. Photographs of scenes from Paris and London productions adorn the walls. On the composer's piano rests a huge signed portrait of Puccini, compose! of “La boheme.” Lehar and Puccini were great friends. Bome Amusing Incidents. I had some amusing experiences as Lehar’s guest. One day tie pushed me into a quaint little chair in liis study and all at once the chair played the waltz from "The Merry Widow"l A musical box was cunningly fixed in the spring of the chair. It was a gift from au admirer of the - Widow ’■ score.

Another incident: When having luncl with Lehar and his charming wife Mine. Sophie Lehar. the latter openei the gilded cage where a pet canar; perched. Suddenly, the bird hoppet out and tlew straight to Lehar am perched on his wrist, then on hi: shoulder, and chirped and warbled a: the composer stroked its liny featherc back. I was amazed. Afterwards tin bird flew back to the cage, then bad again to the composer. “ Lehar has a keen sense of humour as this shows. His wife had a pot dog—a little rough-haired terrier. Leha said to to me, " Watch! " Ho whistle* a few bars of the famous " Widow ’ waltz—the melody that swept tin world—and the dog instantly growle* and left the room in such a bored man ner that I was convulsed. At the Opera. “ °f course I did not miss the opera I saw Lette Lehmann and ,i wonderfu east in " Der Rosenkavalter" o Richard Strauss. Wonderful! Wha I liked about Vienna was the open-ai; cafe life. For a small sum one cai ha\e a stein ot' beer or a cup of cofi'ci and listen for hours to a string or chestra. or sit there and read tin papers or watch the passers-by. " I made many happy friendships ii Vienna. Emmerich Kalman is a com poser I admire. He is a countryman o Lehar —a Hungarian. Ho has* writ tn some tine operetta scores, ami hi latest will soon be staged in Budapest “The Empro>s Josephine." Kalmanmost popular (early i success w i “ The Gipsy Princess." and l rea with interest this morning that J. (, Williamson, Limited, will stage it ii a month or two. I h »ve the score: i is most haunting music, tvpicall Viennese." prises the pla>wrig)it by inionnim; tiii what he meant.—-Wilson Mi/.m i. I'm not going to write anv mor P !a>s. It is not a gentleman's Jutland I am now only the ghost of dramatist. GlifTord Bax. It is a pretty >afe rule that no aefo ean really play a part unless he i totally unable to comprehend what i is about. —James Agate.