Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Monday 19 May 1941, page 4


MUSIC AND

DRAMA

Melba Memorial

Plaque

The anniversary of the birth of the late Dame Nellie Melba, today will be marked by a special war funds concert in the Sydney Town Hall, and a memorial plaque to her will be unveiled by Lady Gow-rie. This memorial has been presented to the citizens of Sydney by Lord Lurgan, who gave for the purpose his entire earnings In Aus-tralia during his ABC tour. The plaque inscribed with figures symbolic of music, art, and literature has been designed by Arthur Munch. It will be hung under the southem gallery of the hall, very near the spot where Dame Nellie Melba used to enter the concert platform. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Prof. Bernard Heinze will perform at the concert which will be broadcast. All the assisting artists will be singers and instrumentalists who were as-sociated with Melba during her life. They Include Stella Power, protegee of Melba and called by her "The Little Melba," Lindley Evans, who was Melba's accompanist, and Una Bourne, the Australian pianist, who war, solo pianist with Melba on many tours. Melba's former flautist. John Lemmone. now aged 80 years, also will attend the concert.

National Songs

"We appreciate the criticism without being able to extend the principle perhaps as far as the writer would like," Mr. A. Limb, con-ductor of the Hobart Orpheus Club, said, commenting on a letter in "The Mer-cury" suggesting the Inclusion of more nat-ional and patriotic songs.

Mr. Limb said the Orpheus Club was a patriotic body, but it was essentially s musical society devoted to the performance of part songs for male voices, and the en-couragement of rising artists in the com-munity. Selections for the concerts of the society were chosen on the score of musical excellence, and adaptability to part singing. On the other hand, when the Orpheus Club had participated in patriotic concerts, its

programmes had been selected with .thai ' aspect in view.