GERTRUDE WOLFE (Mezzo)
MURRAY BROWN (Tenor)
HILDEHARD ARNOLD (Cello)
THE DAVENTRY STRING QUARTET
PERCY MANCHESTER (Tenor)
MARY ABBOTT (Pianoforte)
: Christmas is coming. Songs of the Season at the Piano by Helen Alston. The Christmas Mail ' (an Adventure Story), by H. Bedford Jones. More Things to do on a Long Winter Evening (M. J. Newell)
POULTRY KEEPING is an occupation that appeals either as an industry, a spare-time inoney-maker or a hobby pure and simple, to a vast number of people. Mr. Francis, who will talk about this year's World's Poultry Congress at Ottawa, has had experience with the Ministries of England, Scotland and Ireland.
MENDEMSOHN'S PIANO WORKS
Played by REGINALD PAUL
Variations in E Flat
An Opera in Three Acts by Verdi
S.B. from Manchester
Cast:
The Station Chorus:
Chorus Master, S.H. Whittaker
The Augmented Station Orchestra, conducted by T.H. Morrison
Rigoletto is one of Verdi's earlier operas. It was produced in 1851, and its composer died just half a century later. It is in the older discontinuous style (with set songs, etc.), and is very Italian in its type of tune and in its expression of passion. The plot is based upon a play of Victor Hugo, Le Roi s'amuse (The King's Diversion).
Act I
A Palace. The Duke of Mantua is a Don Juan, against whose attentions no woman is safe. He is indebted for help in his schemes to his jester, Rigoletto. The courtiers naturally have much reason to hate both Duke and Jester. The Count Monterone is angry on account of the wrongs done to his daughter. Rigoletto jeers at Monterone, who utters a parent's curse upon both Duke and Jester. The Duke is merely amused, but the Jester is terrified.
Act II
A Street by Rigoletto's House. Intimidated by the curse, Rigoletto makes a compact with an assassin, Sparafucile, whose help is henceforth to be at his service in case of need.
Rigoletto now goes into his garden, where he finds his daughter, Gilda. She conceals from him the fact that a young man is hidden on the premises. The young man (though she does not know it) is the Duke. The courtiers, by a ruse, abduct Gilda and carry her off to the palace. Rigoletto discovers what has happened and, with horror, recalls the curse.
M. ANDRÉ MAUROIS looks at us
AN ESTHONIAN and a German observer -Mme. Aino Kallas and Herr Lion Feuchtwanger — have already told us how our society impresses them. This evening the series is continued by a French writer who has made a particular study of England, and whose own English, by the way, is perfect. He is, perhaps. still best known as the creator of Colonel Bramble, but his ' Ariel,' a brilliant and original interpretation of Shelley, aroused the liveliest interest in English literary circles, and in his recent book on ' 'Disraeli' he invaded our political history with equally illuminating results. For anyone who wants to get a new angle on our national character and institutions, this evening's broadcast is an occasion not to be missed.
(Continued)
S.B. from Manchester
Act III
The Palace. Rigoletto rushes to the palace.
His daughter is with the Duke. In distress, he attempts to get into the room. The courtiers, who hate him, and do not altogether understand what is happening, prevent his doing so. At last, the daughter, released, dashes out. Rigoletto's fears are but too well founded. The curse has fallen. Rigoletto swears vengeance on the Duke.
Act IV
A House in a By Street. Rigoletto engages the assassin, Sparafucile, to kill the first person who comes, whoever this may be. He entices the Duke to the house, using Sparafueile's sister, Maddalena, as the attraction. Gilda hears, and though wronged by the Duke, makes up her mind to give her life to save him. Putting herself in the Duke's place, she causes Sparafucile to stab her. Rigoletto enters to receive the Duke's body in a sack. To his astonishment and horror, he bears the Duke singing in the room above. He opens the sack - and finds - his daughter !
' The Visitor's Book '
KETTNER'S FIVE, under the direction of GEOFFREY GELDEB , from Kettner's Restaurant
