A MORE PRESSING NEED

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 39, 5 April 1935, Page 5

A MORE PRESSING NEED

‘HERE has been a great deal of talk lately about the subsidising of an opera company for the purposes of giving broadcasts from the Australian national stations. It was first suggested that the Australian Broadcasting Commission should subsidise a company-a suggestion that the Commission did not receive with any noticeable degree of enthusiasm; the second idea was that several wealthy opera-lovers might find the necessary cash and the third that the Commonwealth Government should grant an annual subsidy. And while the Press and the broadcasting authorities are beating big drums in the cause of opera the scheme for the formation of a national symphony or-chestra-a scheme worthy of earnest support- seems to have been quietly dropped. Most New Zealand listeners are familiar with the Australian broadcast programmes and it must have become apparent.to most of them that there is a woeful lack of real symphony concerts on the air. On the other hand grand opera has been given a most generous airing-50 performances from the Sydney stations in the past 12 months, compared with fewer than 10 symphony concerts in the same period, ; A national symphony orchestra is essential in a country which has a listening public'the size of Australia’s; once firmly established perhaps a trip or two to New Zealand may not be beyond its powers.