MELBA.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12145, 10 December 1908, Page 4

MELBA.

PREPARATIONS FOtt NEViTZEA-"*^" LAND TOUR.

■Smiling visaged as of yore, hut looking younger and sprightlier than ever, , Mr John Lemmone dropped into .our office yesterday afternoon. The reason for this unexpected but pleasant visitwas soon learned. Mr Lemmone is tak-

mo; a run round to,^arrange just,how Madarno Melba, _.wiU<. travel, ancl Where .. she will stay arid" what J she. \v;ill d<?~ [' when ho brings her \\, here 'in May next.; .•" It is interesting to ihiijjc how closely he ha.", been associated with the career of •' ■

the' world's greatest singer, whose at- - fairs ho is to manage. . Twenty-two years ago he made his debut, playing the flute obligate'-'for' f tho great singer-, ( who was also then making her dtfb'u'tV.^and was in the course of time./to*'-conquer the whole world. It is'iiot possible for a flautist to attain the eminence that -aT~soprano a jsoluto may seenro if ..she happens to have T\lelbaj,'s brains-as- well as voice, culture, aiid. determination, but Mr L-cmimono dttainedu a' as one world's 'very,{greatest artists on his instrument,-before, he was drawn to the managerial sl&el 'and he still re-' tains'that ('lemli\eiitie'"as a' performer, whilo,manitaining"X>mine,nce-also as entrepreneur j _as>;Tivii£&e,s£' that Paderewski tour, and^thle^coming of Melba,. The great -sfrigcr naa , "seven business managers"; wb'en* sKe'-vras in,' Australia before—-a whole army bf them. This time she' is pinning her faith on the man who -will not only manage,; but ,* appear'also as one of the artiste of tho company, jind play t £he, obligatos with her ns he j has .played with her in the world's Teates't ''confco'rt' rooms.

Everyfchin'-'is^beihg mapped out wit/h . tho cara of• -fw-gft-eat campaign. " Ar* <; ran°ements liavc been mado with tho t - Railway Department for a special car do luxe, which - will icon vov Madame and " her paity t and -wait at each place for- ■ her. s ",.".' .• Mclba lias just concluded a trnimuhal . tour of* Britain. Tho tour closed'"at"* Aberdeen on December 4th, and at tho conchision of the concert she boarded • ' a special train and left for Liverpool,where she. took passage, by the Maurc- .. tania for New York. Four weeks,arc t to bo spent in the United States'. where tho diva will give o:ght concerts, for1 which she will receive £8000. She.-will

leavo America on January 15th and return to England, -where she will take , passage by the Orontes for Australia. A concert "will bo given in Melbourne on March 9th. and then Mflba will - como lo New JZealand via - Tasmania^ Tho tour of the Dominion will be opened at Invercargill on April 13th,, and. in duo course ,the great singer ~ Vill roach Wanganui on May Hth,, a con- " , cert being given on the following eyeri-

'me. The company to support Madame Melba, who is fin<ziu.q: better than ever, will include* Frederick Ranalow, ' a :

young Tr'sh baritone, whom the famous ' conductor, Mr Hcnrv J. AVood. considers Ihe finest male singer in Groat Brit- ' am. tc-dav. Ho has been sinking at all the bis; festivals with great success: Miss Una Bonnie, the. Australian piaiiist; Mr Harold Whittle) accompanist ; Mr Lemtnone, flautist.