Bravo! A Tribute to the New Zealand Opera Company 1954 - 1971.
Programme 1 of 3. The Pioneering Years.
Presented by music historian Adrienne Simpson.
Opens with an archival radio interview with Donald Munro about forming the company.
Donald Munro recalls being asked in 1953 to sing in an opera which toured New Zealand with people flocking to see it. This gave him the idea to found a New Zealand Opera Company. In 1954 this happened with the encouragement of John Malcolm. John Malcolm recalls meeting Munro.
Their first season was a modest two operas in Wellington. Geoffrey Newson recalls James Robertson, conductor of the National Orchestra, was a great supporter and became musical director. In another archival interview, Donald Munro outlines the three works planned for the forthcoming 1955 season.
Geoffrey Newson recalls how most of the funds at this time came out of Munro's own pocket, even taking on extra work so he could put another opera on. By 1957 the company had mounted its first full length opera. John Hopkins recalls meeting Munro and sharing ideas for the NZOC. Raymond Boyce recalls the scenery for "The Marriage of Figaro." Live broadcasts were an essential ingredient for patronage. The country's depth of talent proved to be astonishing and singers, etc. were coming in droves. There was a wonderful response to the talent in NZ. Manager Ulric Williams remembers how impressed visiting artists were at the standard of productions.
Administrator Constance Kirkaldie recalls the commercial sponsorship of the opera in 1959 was Fred Turnosky's idea. Turnosky recalls how he achieved this. One of their sponsors was New Zealand Breweries which made headlines, and it set a trend. A production of "Madam Butterfly" ended 1959, as soprano Angela Shaw (now Gorton) recalls.
1960 was the year the company finally became a fulltime fully-professional organisation. Operations began on 27 February 1960 and continued unbroken until the 17 December 1960. Five operas were performed, two being new, including "La Traviata". Brian Salkeld presents a radio broadcast of an excerpt of the production.
In 1960 the company was established and had headquarters in a large old house in Hill St., Wellington, bought with the aid of profits from a nation-wide raffle.
Ulric Williams recalls Marcello Cortis, who came out from Italy to perform in "Tosca." Graeme Gorton and Elizabeth Hellawell recall fond memories of Cortis. "Tosca" was considered a landmark in the company's progress and a great commercial success.
Ulric Williams recalls how they filled the roles for "Carmen" in 1962. Joyce Blackham came out from London for the leading role. Constance Kirkaldie also recalls Joyce.
There was now money to run training sessions for the artists , directed by John Thompson. Lynne Cantlon attended the first training school and talks about how she learned her stagecraft.
The company presented "Cosi Fan Tutte" in 1963 and had developed into a real family, who loved their craft as Constance Kirkcaldie and Raymond Boyce recall.