MADAME WINNIE FRASER AT 2YA

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 16, 4 November 1927, Page 5

MADAME WINNIE FRASER AT 2YA

Madame Winnie Fraser, who is to sing for Q2YA on Triday and Sunday, November 4 and 6, was first introduced to New Zealand audiences in 1910 when, as Miss’ Winnie Nixon, she toured the Dominion with the Ellwood Trio under the management of Mr. Hugo Gorlitz. Her talents as a vocalist then earned for her the highest praise, and the best musical critics in New Zealand prophesied for her a brilliant future, and the critics have been right. Trained in Christchurch under Mr, H. M. Lund, in 1919 Madame went to England and Europe for travel and study, and on returning to New Zealand sang for all the musical societies, including the Royal Auckland Male Choir, Royal Wellington Choral Society, Christchurch Musical Society, and Dunedin Choral Orchestral and Male Choir. She returned to Europe in 1923 for study alone, and after six months in London as the pupil of Sir Henry Wood, with whom she studied Oratorio and choral works-such as ‘Hiawatha,’ "Golden Legend,’’? and Elgar’s works, "King Olaf,’ ‘‘Caracatus,"? etc., she went to Italy for six months to hear and study Italian Opera and songs under Signor Cortogni, From Italy she went to Vienna, the most mttsical city in the world, where Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Wolf, Gluck, and Mozart lived. Here there are three Opera Houses open for seven nights a week, and for ten months of the year, not to mention the Comic Opera Houses and the wonderful Concert Rooms whicre the world’s greatest artists appear. Madame Fraser remained in Vienna for a year, studying German Lieder under Herr Manzoni, and Grand Opera with Von Mullin, both celebrated teachers. She gave a concert in Vienna in November, 1924, On returning to New Zealand Madame Fraser received many engagements at the New Zealand Exhibition, under M. Slapofski in the ‘Messiah,’ ‘Tannhauser," "Rebel Maid," "Tlijah," "Golden Legend,’ etc., and now can fairly claim to receive more engagements and sing in more works than any other New Zealand soprano. ~ In August of this year at Auckland Madame appeared in the first New Zealand performance of "Aida" (Verdi’s opera) in the role of "Ammneris."? She has just sung for the Napicr Liedertafel, and will shortly sing in "¥iawatha’’ at Palmerston North. She has also sung at New Plymoutlt, Wanganui, Timaru, Gore, Dunedin, and other places,