THE WORLD OF MUSIC

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 205, 30 September 1929, Page 10

THE WORLD OF MUSIC

(By "B Natural").

Tlie musical event of last wcek was the presentation of Balfe's "Boliemian Girl," which rau for tlirce niglits at the Municipal Theatre under the direction of Madame Bella Russell The company was unfortunate in losing, through illness, the services of one of the principal soloists, A1 iss Gwen Ivessell, but Miss Olive Fisli, who took lier place at short notice, filled the part exceedinglv well. This young lady has a voice of great promise. * * » The remaining principals evidently found the work, which, of course, is very ambitious for amateurs, rather beyond the range of their voices. I'hey were at times oversbadowed by the orchestra, the wood-winds' of which were imfortunately not always in tune. The work of tlie chorus was good tbroughout, their numbers being sung tunefullv and with precision. * * * It is beyond the scope of these notes to discuss the acting or the staging of the opera. Suffice it to say tbat those responsible are to be congratulated on a very creditable rendering of an ambitious work. The question arises, however, as to wlietlier Napier can support two operatic societies. ^ I learn tbat the Napier Society of Musicians has now become the Napier Braneli of tho Society of Professional Teachers of Music. Shades of the nine muses ! What a name for a hody which claims to be musical 1 Perhaps, however, like a Parliamentry statute, it will have a short title for everyday use. B© that as it may, tiiis society met last Saturday for its usual montlily gatliering, when the programme was provided entirely by individual students of several local music teachers. A numbcr of vocal, piauoforte,' and violin items were given, which for ihe most pa.rt were of a high standard and really enjoyable. * * Again one is led to express the hope that the claims of jazz, or economio stringency, or whatever chilling frost it is that always nips off so much bndding musical talent, will not operate quite so stringently as usual on the promising material which is being so carefully trained just now in our midst. * * v Tlie students' evcning (which was arranged by Mr C. B. Spinnev, L.R.A.M.) was a very happy idea. It is a pitv that such programmes cannot be given more frequently, and thrown open to the public. If this were done, an op-portunity would be afforded for young students to becomo used to public performances, which sliould, after all, be one of the aims of their study.