Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Friday 7 January 1949, page 3


SIR T. BEECHAH HITS

AT OPERA PLAN

Australian Associated Press

T ONDON, Thurs.-A blistering attack was made yes. terday by Sir Thomas Beecham, the noted conduc-

tor, on the proposed body to control the British National Opera.

JTIS references to "the hapless set

of ignoramuses and nitwits who-j

have conspired to taring about this disaster" brought protests and hints of legal action.

Sir Thomas made his attack afc

the annual conference of the Incor- j

porated Society of Musicians. He

said:

"I don't think the word racket is out of place. The leaders of the musical profession in England have been carefully excluded from the body."

He suggested a public inquiry into the Covent Garden Opera House

Trust.

Reading out the names of mem-bers of the proposed trust, Sir Thomas continued:

"Tlie first and most noticeable feature about the list Ls that there is not a single person who knows anything about the opera or has had practical experience of it, and whose . opinion is worth a brass farthing.

'"The second feature is the total absence of the name of any Brit-ish musician ever associated with opera over a period.

"Let us see evidence of how the vast sum of £100,000 has been spent in one year, with so little to show for it except the disap-proval of almost the whole body

ot' thc public and Press of Great

Britain."

He said the appointment of Dr. Karl Rankl, musical director of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, as musical director to the British National Opera was "the mystery of mysteries." The appointment of an alien, especially one bearing a Ger-man name, was incredible.