Played a Leading Part in Gilbert and Sullivan

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 33, 22 February 1935, Page 14

Played a Leading Part in Gilbert and Sullivan

HIS charming young woman will be ‘yecognised by many theatregoers as Miss Mary Hotham, heard by many listeners to 1YA quite frequently, and who made such a name for herself in leading roles in J. C.. Williamson’s Gilbert and Sullivan’ operas when the company

{ toured New Zealand three years ago. She has a beautiful, mezzo-soprano voice of wide range and lean thank radio for first bringing -her into the’ limelight in. -Australia. Born in England, Miss Hotham. who has been. for the past two years ani more the wife -of a successful young Auckland business man, Mr, Harold Owers, a merchant, came out to Australia with her parents when only seveu. She took up. singing when’ quite young and continued her studies at the Melbourne Conservatorium ‘of Music, winning the coveted Melba Scholarship, While singing over the radio from Melbourne, Mr. E. J. Tait, of J.C.W:. fame, heard Miss Hotham and immediately. sent for her. One audition wag enough, and she was given a leading role-that. of Tessa in "The Gondoliers." ‘That was in 1930. ‘Miss Marie Bremner was the other sister in the same piece. Following a long tour of all the principal: Australian towns,. th® G. and S. company came to New Zealan4l, where she met and fell in. love with her. husband, greatly to. the disgust of Mr. QW. J. Tait, who complained when she was married in Melbourne, that as s0on as he had found a-singer of good appeat: ance she went and got- married, After her marriage Mis; Owers continued with . the company. until the: firm of J.O.W. had trained a: ‘couple of understudies. Then she left. and came to Auckland, settling in a charming house. at Takapuna near the sea. "I-am quite happy to settle- in. Auckland, although I enjoyed the stage while I. was associated. with it," she confided to a "Radio Record" representative. Her main’ hobbies are gardening, and motoring. and: her fondest pet ist "Sailor." a particularly fine Sealyham presented ‘as. a wedding gift by Dr.. and Mre.: Alan Tennent, of Wellington. (Continued on page. 58.) °

(Continued from ‘page 14.)