PERSONALITIES ..ON THE AIR..

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 37, 24 February 1939, Page 8

PERSONALITIES ..ON THE AIR..

BUTHOUGH composers and prime donne have taken their names from cities and towns such as Palestrina, Offenbach, Melba from Melbourne, Albani from Albany, and so on, there cannot be many examples of towns taking their names from prime donne. One example of this is the Ameriean town of Lilypons, in the State of Maryland, named after one of the most charming and loveliest French singers ever to grace the opera stage and the silver screen. She was ‘born in Cannes, and began her musical life as a pianist, but upon the discovery of her voice definitely and finally decided that singing was to be

her career. She has a voice ot lovely quality and extraordinary range, singing the high F of the Mad Scene’ from "‘Tucia’’? with ease and beauty of tone. She is probably the first to do it in performance since the time of Donizetti. 4YA listeners will hear Lily Pons, soprano, on Sunday afternoon, February 26.

ENGLISH OPERATIC SOPRANO

A dramatic soprano with a fine stage presence and a comprehensive prac-

tical knowledge of opera, MIs. f. Plowden-Wardlaw has appeared in solo roles in Gilbert and Sullivan productions. in England, where she was associated with various musieal organisations. In the Welling: ton production of Mascagni’s "Cavalleria Rusticana’" at St. James Theatre in 1935, Mrs. Plow-

den-Wardlaw appeared as Santuzza on three occasions. When she left Wellington she was greatly missed in social and musical circles, but Wellington’s loss turned out to be Christchurch’s gain, for, in the words of the old nursery rhyme, "there shall be music wherever she goes." 3YA listeners will hear Mrs. F. Plowden-Wardlaw, soprano, on Friday, March 3.

ASTONISHED THE . PROFESSORS

Now in his sixty-fifth year, Fritz Kreisler was born the son

‘ of a aistinguished physician and musical amateur. He was a healthy and sane boy, full of, life, who at first thought nothing of his natural powers and who would rather be a tram conductor than 2 violinist. At the age of 10, young Fritz won the first prize at the Vienna Con- * 6. 3 ae F I ¢

nme servatorium; and in his twelfth year astonished the professors at the Conservatoire in Paris by winning the "Prix de Rome," an unprecedented occurrence. As a boy prodigy he toured with the great pianist Rosenthal, but later returned home to Austria to enter other fields. Four years later he devoted his entire energies to violin playing, until to-day he stands in a class by himself. Fritz Kreisier, violinist, wili be heard from 2YA on Thursday, March 2.

CONDUCTOR AND COMPOSER

Like numerous others who have reached lofty positions in the

realm oOL music, Leo Blech was allowed to become a musician only after numerous conflicts under the parental roof. Born at Aix-la-Chapelle, Germany, in 1871, Blech was educated for business, but soon showed his musical bent. Extraordinary talents rapidly advanced him to the position of second gonductor of the opera house of his native city, then to first conductor, then to conductor of the German Opera in Prague, and finally to the Royal Opera at Berlin. Meanwhile, he has also gained fame as a composer, having written several operas and numerous symphonic works and _ tonepoems for ochestra. 8YA listeners will hear the London Symphony Orchestra, under the conductorship of Dr. Leo Blech on Wednesday, March 1.

ATTRACTIVE IRISH SONGSTRESS

At the age of 17, Pat Hyde created some thing of a radio

sensation im frelay of var riety from Middlesborough. Only a little over 20, she is one of the most attractive vocalists one is ever likely to meet, or hear, and she’s Irish-and personally charming. She has been featured with Charlie Kunz at the Casani Club, and with Preagar at Romano’s. She has her own band-Pat Hyde and yeh? 7 ‘ }-

oa her swing music, and not content with carving a big name for herself in syncopated vocalism, she is also an accomplished accordion player. 2VA listeners will hear Pat Hyde, swing vocalist, in a recorded feature, "Singers On Parade," on Friday, March 3.

TOWN SEXTON’S SON

Beniamino Gigli is of Italian birth and training, and by

right of those things is fitted to carry on the great traditions of the art of bel canto. He was born at Recanti, in Italy, on March 20, 1890. His musical studies began in childhood. His father was sexton of the largest church in his native town, and for 10 years the boy sang in its choir, soon rising to be chief soloist. Like the English chorister, Master Ernest Lough, in later years, Master Gigli attracted

crowds to church to hear him. He was sent to the Conservatorium at Rome, where he studied under Rosati, and his operatic debut was made at Rovigo, in 1914, in "La Gioconda." His success was instant. He soon became one of the most celebrated Italian tenors of the day. 4YA listeners will hear Beniamino Gigli, tenor, on Sunday, February 26.

UNSOLVED LITERARY MAYSTERY

After two centuries, the problem of Esther Johnson — the

"Stella" for whose bright eyes Swift penned his fascinating "Journal"’-still remains one of the most intriguing mysteries of literature. He taught her to read when she was a little girl of eight and he a lumbering, calflike young man. She saw him as a poor and insignificant parson exhorting his entire congregationhis clerk-in the words: "Dearly beloved Roger, the Scripture moveth you and me in sundry places. . 2" She later saw him pulling ‘strings of the most wonderful puppet-show in the world-London politics; and he took her (this dark-haired witty daughter of an upper servant) behind the scenes, and for four years he wrote her a budget of gossip, sprinkled with delicious baby-talk, that would make any modern journal’s fortune. Why didn’t Swift marry her?. Or

did he? There are two prodlems that will keep the printing press busy for many a hundred years to come. 4YA listeners will hear Professor T. D. Adams in a reading from Swift’s "Gulliver’s Travels" on Friday, March 3.