EVERY TICKET SOLD

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21242, 12 October 1940, Page 13 (Supplement)

EVERY TICKET SOLD

12 HOURS’ WAIT TO STAND TWO HOURS The 46th season of the Proms began last night, says a London paper. Not even the war, not even bombs over England could prevent Sir Henry Wood from stepping jauntily on to the platform at the Queen’s Hall at 8 p.m. precisely. There was the customary enthusiasm. For days every ticket had been sold, and some determined first nighters waited twelve hours for the privilege of standing for two hours.

After a tremendous welcome, the audience standing up to greet Sir Henry, they joined in the National Anthem. Berlioz’s ‘Carnaval Romain” overture made a brilliant start, followed by Elgar’s very beautiful second “Wand of Youth” suite—written originally when the composer was aged 12. Noel Eadie sang Verdi.’s sparkling “Ah fors e lui” from “Traviata,” and Pouishnoff played Liszt’s equally

sparkling Concerto in E Flat with Sullivan’s “Di Ballo” in between. After these coruscations came Ravel’s “Mother Goose” suite—one of the most delicately and piquantly orchestrated works ever written — and by way of contrast again there was Liszt’s First Hungarian Rhapsody. The “Tannhauser” Overture and Arthur Bliss’ curiously topical march “Things to Come” brought an exciting evening to a close.