Broadcasting history at the Bush Inn Hotel

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“Tasmania’s association with this composer

is one of the music honours of which

the island may well be proud”

The Mercury, June 1932

History was again made at the Bush Inn Hotel in June, 1932, when the Australian Broadcasting Company made a live production of the opera Maritana from the place that inspired its central theme, Scenes that are the Brightest. At the time ‘outside’ broadcasts were becoming increasingly more adventurous, and the Hobart radio station 7ZL decided to broadcast this opera from the Bush Inn Hotel on June 29th in what was probably the last major outside broadcast before the Company became the Australian Broadcasting Commission the following year¹³⁷.

The broadcast created quite a lot of interest, not only in New Norfolk, but Tasmania and the Australian mainland as well. In Tasmania, the event was preceded by media coverage in the newspapers as well as the over the airwaves. A week before the event, The Mercury newspaper carried the story of Maritana in its weekly column “Music and Musicians”¹³⁸

Then, on the day of the broadcast, June 29, the following article appeared in The Mercury newspaper:

The presentation of the opera “Maritana” in the Bush Hotel, New Norfolk, to-night, by 7ZL wireless station, is surrounded by unusual circumstances, that make this famous work additionally attractive. For on the verandah of this hotel the composer, Vincent Wallace, was inspired by the beauty of the scene to write the song that the passing generation has but increased in popularity.

Neither jazz nor revue, nor even the magnificent outpourings of the greater composers, have ousted this tender ballad from the heart of the world. Decades come and decades go, but “Scenes that are the Brightest” is written into the very texture of the British race, and wherever British people are gathered the melancholy charm and plaintiveness of the simple air will be heard.

The production of an opera in the place where its central theme was inspired is an unusual occurrence. For Tasmania, it is more than a mere musical happening; it is the reforging of an ancient link, a trifle worn, perhaps, but to be fired and tempered again in the delight of public appreciation..

It is one of those memorable links between the past and the present, between those who made our land and we who live in it, between Briton afar and Briton near.

...For most people the name of Wallace is little more than a name, but his song, “Scenes that are the Brightest” is probably known in every British home throughout the world. The whole opera abounds with ballads that have thrust themselves deep into the spirit of the British race, and one great reason for this is that they represent something of the native simplicity and yielding to secret melancholy that is a characteristic of the Briton.

Tasmania’s association with this composer is one of the music honours of which the island may well be proud. Its beauties are far-famed, and deservedly so, but that they should be such as to inspire music which after 87 years of test and trial, is as fresh and lovely, as seductive and full of delight as ever, is indeed to say Tasmania is a place where beauty has made her home...

The article also carried messages of success and well wishes from various Tasmanian dignitaries. The private secretary to the Lieutenant Governor (Sir Herbert Nicholls) sent the following message on behalf of the Lieutenant Governor:-

“I have to confirm His Excellency’s message of regret at his inability to attend the broadcast of “Maritana” tomorrow at the Bush Inn Hotel, New Norfolk, on account of pressing judicial business. His Excellency, however, desires me to express to you his appreciation of the invitation, especially as it is the first time in Tasmania, and indeed in Australia, that a composer’s work has been broadcast from the place where it was written. His Excellency desires me to congratulate you on the enterprise of such a work, and extend through you his congratulations also to those local artists who have made such a broadcast possible, and which His Excellency feels sure will be a source of delight to a multitude of listeners.”

The principals of Maritana.

Lila Harvey as Matitana Kathleen Hay as Lazarillo

(Supplied as photocopies

by the Historian of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.)

The Mayor of Hobart (Mr. J. J. Wignall) said “The management of 7ZL is to be congratulated on the thought which prompted it to arrange for the broadcasting of the opera ‘Maritana’ from the Bush Hotel, New Norfolk... I, with a large number of others, welcome the expertise of 7ZL, and trust that the evening will be most successful.”

The council clerk of New Norfolk wrote on behalf of the Warden (Mr. T. Andrews) “that he will have much pleasure in being present at the Bush Inn... and in saying a few words over the air on behalf of the municipality.” And from the Managing Editor of The Mercury (Mr. F. Usher): “It is a source of pleasure to The Mercury to have this opportunity of congratulating 7ZL upon the admirable idea of producing for wireless listeners the famous opera ‘Maritana’, the composer of which is so closely linked with Tasmania. Production on the spot where Vincent Wallace wrote his most celebrated ballad, “Scenes that are the Brightest” lends an atmosphere of romance and establishes a feeling of ownership and partnership in the work which will be shared by all in our State. The song which charmed other generations still contains its first delight for us in this day, and the thought that its plaintive tenderness was born of the beauty of Tasmania gives it added meaning and more personal value...”

Many other messages of goodwill and congratulations were received, including those from the City Organist (Mr. Scott-Power), the conductor of the Hobart Symphony Orchestra (Mr. J. Glanville Bishop), and the conductor of the Hobart Philharmonic Society (Mr. George A. Jackson).

The production, arranged and directed by Mr E J McCann of 7ZL, featured Lila Harvey as Maritana (Scenes that are the Brightest), Fred Heraud as Don Jose de Santorini, Kathleen Hay as Lazarillo, Charles Clay as Don Caesar de Bazan (Let me like a Soldier Fall, Happy Moments), Frank Purchas as the King (Hear me, Gentle Matitana), Grace Whitelaw as Marchioness, Charles Thomas as the Captain of the Guard and Reg Cooper as the Marquis de Montefiori^139.

As the cast and crew prepared for their on-site broadcast at eight pm, 7ZR's schedule continued as normal.¹⁴⁰ At 7:15 it presented the Fruit Boat Information, followed by a talk on ‘Life at School’ by JL Rycroft. At 7:30 was a sporting interlude, then at 7:40 a talk by AM Barker titled ‘The War at Sea’. ‘What the Farm Bureau Man Says’ followed at 7:55.

“Maritana”. A programme that is unique in the history of Australian Broadcasting.

On has to go to the old world to find a parallel to the programme we present to listeners to-night. Although on a much smaller scale, me might almost compare this to the world famous Beyreuth Festival. To present a well known and loved opera on the very spot where some of its best and most haunting melodies were composed, and to utilise the very scenes immortalises in the opera itself, is something to appeal to all...¹⁴¹

True to his word, the Warden of New Norfolk, Mr. T. Andrews, gave the following speech:

As Warden of the Municipality of New Norfolk, I have been asked to say a few words on behalf of the Municipality prior to the broadcasting of the opera “Maritana” from the Bush Hotel, New Norfolk.

We people of New Norfolk are proud of the District in which we live both from the flourishing state it is in agriculturally and from the point of view of its beautiful scenery.

The operal Maritana was largely composed at New Norfolk and we consider that it was the contemplation of the scenes of beauty from the verandah of the Bush Hotel where Wallace was then staying that inspired him to compose the most beautiful parts of the opera.

The view from the spot where I now stand is one of the most perfect that it is possible to see in any country.

Away in the background stand the snow covered slopes of Mt. Field East and Mt. Field West, in front of them are thickly timbered hills of lesser height and then the undulating plains of the upper stretches of the Derwent Valley which are now an expanse of brilliant green, in the foreground the famous garden of the Bush Hotel stretching down to the most beautiful part of one of the most beautiful rivers in the world.

From the first glimpse that a newcomer has of these sights it makes it abundantly clear how Wallace chose the theme of his best work, the song “Scenes that are Brightest”.

The Bush Hotel, where I have said the greater part of the opera was written, was originally named the Bush Inn and is one of the most historic houses in Tasmania. Its first licence was granted in about the year 1820¹⁴² and the present proprietors are justly proud of the fact that they occupy an hotel of such long standing - among the old records they treasure are some files of the Tasmanian newspaper printed in the year 1828 in which frequent mention is made of the “Bush Inn”. This hotel as well as having an historical reputation through age and association, is also recognised as one of the best-kept and most comfortable houses in Tasmania and if any musician amongst my listeners is contemplating the composition of an opera, I could give him no better advice than to emulate Wallace and make the scene of his labours the place where such a fine example was set.

It is very fitting that the place chosen for the broadcasting of “Maritana” should be the spot where it was written and I am sure that the people of New Norfolk are proud that such recognition is being given to their Town.

I feel fully confident that a real musical treat is in store for all those persons who are listening-in throughout the Commonwealth and that though their appreciation cannot be conveyed to the artists at the time of their performance that appreciation will be a very true one and those artists must feel that their efforts are being rewarded.

I am very glad to have had this opportunity of addressing these few remarks to the persons listening-in and hope that those of them who have not yet visited our Town may be persuaded to do so in the future and I feel that the rendering of “Matitana” will make them more anxious to see the place which inspired Wallace to such excellent results.

The night was commemorated by the planting of a pear tree in the hotel gardens by Mr E Lewis, the Manager of 7ZL and producer of the opera, Mr E J McCann. It was one hundred years earlier that Lady Jane Franklin planted a similar tree, and at the time of the opera that tree was still alive and flourishing. The night was completed with a supper provided by Leslie Cowburn, the proprietor of the Bush Inn.

Above: Maritana cast at The Bush Inn 29/6/1932.

This room is now the Guests Lounge.

Planting a pear tree to commemorate the performance.

(Supplied as photocopies

by the Historian of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.)

As well as going to air live, the broadcast was also recorded. Hanging above the fire place in the Lounge Bar of the Bush Inn are the two 16” , 33 RPM discs, taken from the opera recorded that night and later replayed as part of a series, and a dedication which reads:

These two discs carry a recording of William Vincent Wallaces famous opera ‘Maritana’. They form one of a series of radio programmes, Opera for the People, which were especially produced in English and broadcast over an Australia wide network during the years 1946-49. The recording of ‘Maritana’ contains the well know ‘Scenes that are the Brightest’, the inspiration for which was the beautiful countryside and the River Derwent here in New Norfolk.

The discs were presented to the hotel by the sponsor of the Opera for the People series, the Vacuum Oil Company Pty Ltd.