Radio Stars

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 31, 8 February 1935, Page 14

Radio Stars

Great Line-Up of Talent for the N.Z. National — Stations

OUR further engagements of talented musical artists to tour New Zealand national stations are: announced by the New Zealand Broadcasting Board. Two New Zealanders, Miss . Ruth Scott, soprano, and Mr. Denis Dowling, baritone, Mr. Lionello Cecil, the famous Australian tenor, and Mr. S. Stansfeld Prior, A-R.C.M., English pianist, lecturer and recitalist, comprise the quartet. New Zealand listeners have been treated to a wealth of "imported" talent in the last six months particularly, providing for them some of the finest high-class entertainment possible. The richest variety of style has been enjoyed: in piano work. Myra Hesse and Marie Moffatt, both of Sydney, were the only women pianists, and the men who were engaged by the board to perform on this instrument included Mr. Frank Hutchens, Mr. Gordon Bryan and Mr. Andersen Tyrer. The Russian tener, Chostiakoff, was another visitor whose talent was not lost on New Zealand listeners. Elsa Stralia, Nanette de Launay, Madame Goossens-Vice-. roy and Winifred Moverley were other. women who pleased our musical palate not long ago. . "Raymond . Beatty’s singing is still fresh in. New Zealand’s ears, and Alexander Browne, whose wife is Winifred Moverley, had a wide appeal with his firie "baritone. It is especially pleasing and encouraging to find that in the present announcement the board has found New Zealand talent which is worthy of engagement for the national tour. Admittedly both Miss Scott and Mr. Dowling have. recently taken singing honours’ in Australia, a fact which must have.influenced the board in their arrarigements. A ‘case of the prophet

in his own country? . . . .But both of these artists 'have been recognised for some years in their respective home centres as. possessing niore than average ability. Miss Scott has been one of the most popular ‘concert and broadcast sopranos in Auckland since she came into the public view when she won several prizes at the first Hamilton competitions. _- . She was trained by Miss Maud Rimmer «= (Mrs. Thompson), of that town. Miss Scott recently repeated this triumph when she won the Open Operatic Section at the last Sydney Eisteddfod, and was’ quoted by the Sydney Press as the feature of the Eisteddfod when she sang as Maria in "The Daughter of the Regiment." She also appeared in the Sydney Conservatorium’s production of "Fra Diavolo,’ where she has been studying under Roland Foster. On December 11 last year Miss Scott appeared in the name part of the musical comedy "The Red Widow," presented by the A.B.C. Musical Comedy Company from 2FC, Sydney. ‘She is to be heard in soprano recitals from 2YA on February 11, 12 and 15, and from 1YA on February 18 and 20. Recent honours have also been earned by Mr. Dowling in Australia. From among 93 entrants in the Ballarat Competitions he was one of the’ eight to be selected to compete for the Melbourne Centenary Operatic Aria prize, which he won with an easy margin. Mr. Alfred Hill, co-adjudicator with Madame Florence Austral on that occasion, said: "It is a gorgeous voice." Mr. Dowling did not undertake the study of singing seriously until he was 20. After a successful public appearance in the Dunedin Competitions Society’s festival in 1930, he gained further. honours in Christchurcli the next year, and later again’in’ Dunedin. In addition to concert work, he has taken a prominent part in the Dunedin Operatic Society’s. production "Les Cloches de Corneville," and has sung with the Choral Society in "The Messiah" and : other : exacting works. His training has revealed a decided flair for grand opera, probably one of the most difficult vehicles of vocal art. He must rank as one of the foremost vocalists of Australia and New Zealand, for the section in which he took the highest honours recently was open to amateur and professional singers of either _ sex from both countries. He is to make a tour of the board’s main stations starting:on’ Monday, March 18, at 4YA. por ee en Nor do we need to go far from .home:'to find. one of the leading ‘operatic :tenors in the . world, Mr. Lionello Cecil, an Australian. On‘his arrival’ in ‘Italy in 1914 he won a scholarship at the Milan Conservatorium, a distinction gained by no other British subject. Under Maestro Pieraccini he studied: for four years and made his debut at Modena, in "Rigoletto." He has