LIGHT CONCERTS IN SOUTH AFRICA (1956 -1975)

CONCERTS AND VARIETY SHOWS IN SOUTH AFRICA

I have compiled the following information from newspapers, personal recollections and programmes. The list is far from complete. Please contact me if you can fill in the gaps.

November heading for Johannesburg.

6 November 1955 – Quick Work. Anne Ziegler and Webster Booth, with their accompanist, Arthur Tatler, fly to South Africa on November 6 to fulfill a concert tour in South Africa, Southern and Northern Rhodesia and Kenya. This will indeed be a flying visit for they will fly everywhere in order to fulfill so many engagements in so short a time, as they return to England on December 11, when Webster Booth is due to broadcast for the BBC on December 14, after which he leaves the following day for Huddersfield to sing in the Messiah.

Anne Ziegler and Webster Booth sang to fellow passengers while flying to South Africa. Their duet was We’ll Gather Lilacs, sung at 18,000 feet as they crossed the Zambezi.

ANNE ZIEGLER AND WEBSTER BOOTH, 8 November 1955

Webster and Anne arrived at Jan Smuts airport on 8 November. They had been booked to appear in concerts with the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and East London, also in Durban and Salisbury, Rhodesia. Webster gave a rather bitter interview about the changing times in music with the growth of music that appealed more to teenagers and the rise of television.

ANNE ZIEGLER AND WEBSTER BOOTH, 23 November 1955, City Hall, East London. Recital presented by East London Association of the Arts.

After their concert tour they returned to the UK where Webster had several Messiah engagements to fulfil. Despite his bitter comments on his arrival in Johannesburg, 1955 had been a very busy year for the Booths.

ANNE ZIEGLER AND WEBSTER BOOTH, with Arthur Tatler (piano), City Hall, Johannesburg Tuesday, 31 January 16th and 21 February 1956

City Hall, Benoni, Saturday, (opening Benoni’s Golden Jubilee celebrations) 4^th February 1956

City Hall, Pretoria, Wednesday, 8 February 1956

B tour to Bethal, Bloemfontein, Parys (concert on an island on the Vaal River), Kimberley, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

Having tea during the interval of a concert in Bethal during their country tour – their accompanist, Arthur Tatler, Webster and Anne.

10 May 1957, Hobbies Exhibition, East London. The Round Table has engaged Anne Ziegler and Webster Booth to sing (Rand Daily Mail)

THE NIGHT OF A THOUSAND STARS 29 May 1957, Johannesburg. Anne and Webster sang at this concert produced by Cedric Messina and Monte Doyle in aid of the Jimmy Elliott Appeal.

STARLIGHT 13 to 16 November 1957, Prosperity Park, Zoo Lake. All funds in aid of the United Party, Anne, Webster, Maria Pavlou, Eva Tamassy, Gordon Mulholland, Jack Kruger, Charles Castle.

VARIETY UNDER THE STARS 7 March 1958, Joubert Park Open Air Theatre, Anne and Webster and a host of other performers.

1958 snippets

VARIETY PROGRAMME June 1958, Kangalani, home of Eva Harvey (by invitation only!) Anne and Webster, Sini van der Brom, Francois Bouguenon, Eva Harvey.

Variety in the Home – Eva Harvey

GRAND VARIETY SHOW, 27, 28 May 1960, Methodist Church Hall, Roberts Avenue, Kensington, Anne and Webster and other artistes. I (aged 16) attended this show and got their autographs at the interval.

CHRISTMAS CAPERS December 1, 2, 3 1960, Civic Theatre, Bloemfontein, Anne and Webster and local artistes presented by Rotary Club.

CONCERT 30 April 1961, Anne and Webster sang at the Wanderers Club, Johannesburg.

OVER 6OS OLD FOLKS VARIETY SHOW 2 May 1961, City Hall, Durban, Anne and Webster, with Cyril Sugden, Graham Rich.

City Hall, Durban

5 July 1961. Festival Concert, Allen Wilson Beit Hall, Salisbury. Anne and Webster appeared after Webster had adjudicated at Vocal Festival for the Rhodesia Institute of Allied Arts.

SATURDAY NIGHT VARIETY SHOW 1961, Amphitheatre, North Beach, Durban, Anne and Webster and top line variety stars.

GALA BENEFIT SHOW February 1962, Ciros Club, Johannesburg, Anne and Webster appeared in benefit show for the actor, David Beattie, who was suffering from cancer.

CONCERT Mid August 1963, Ficksburg, Anne and Webster, accompanied by Desmond Wright. Webster said that he would have taken me as the accompanist but he didn’t like two women on the stage as it would draw the audience’s attention away from Anne.

1964 Concert tour with SABC Orchestra. Anne and Webster were soloists on this tour.

1965 Concert tour with SABC Orchestra. Anne and Webster were soloists on this tour.

POPULAR CONCERT, 2 October 1966, Johannesburg’s eightieth birthday concert at the City Hall.

GRAND VARIETY CONCERT 15 September 1967, 8.15 pm

POPULAR CONCERTS, December 1967/1968

THE ANNE ZIEGLER AND WEBSTER BOOTH SHOW 26, 27, 28 August 1972, Durban Jewish Club, Anne and Webster accompanied by Jack Dowle, with top supporting artistes.

FAREWELL CONCERT, late 1975, Somerset West

Farewell performance, October 1975.

Anne and Webster had planned to retire from the stage at the end of 1975, but when they returned to England in early 1978 they were in great demand so came out of retirement until Webster’s health broke down in 1983.

Jean Collen 19 December 2019.

BOOTHS IN SOUTH AFRICA (1964 – 1969)

1964 was a very sad year as my dear friend Ruth Ormond died in Cape Town at the age of 19. I managed to pass the LTCL singing exam and Webster and Anne starred in Noel Coward’s Tonight at 8.30 in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth in June and July. I continued accompanying for Webster when he returned from PE.

10 April 1964 The New Moon at The Springs Operatic Society. Anne directs the show.

29 March 1964 The Crucifixion.

March/April – accompanying for the Booth’s pupils at the National Eisteddfod. – “G” rather than “J” Campbell!

May 1964, My best friend, Ruth Ormond died suddenly in Cape Town. I was heart-broken.

29 June 1964 Cape Town, The play went to other cities in the province.

8 July 1964 from Sea Point, Cape Town.

Anne and Webster stayed at Hotel Elizabeth, Sea Point.

Anne and Webster stayed at the Grand Hotel in Port Elizabeth when they were appearing in Tonight at 8.30.

10 July 1964 from Port Elizabeth. I had managed to pass my Licentiate singing exam!

19 September 1964 Pietermaritzburg. The Creation.

1 February 1965 – Reference for Kingsmead College.

A photo from an article written in 1965. Anne, Webster and Lemon. I started teaching at Kingsmead College, Rosebank but continued with my singing lessons and taught in their studio every Wednesday.

Another photo from the 1965 article.

Webster played the small part of British Ambassador in King Hendrik.

The British Ambassador – complete with monocle. On the night he was filming this small scene I was in Nabucco. Anne attended the performance with Dudley Holmes’ mother and a friend. They returned to Anne’s for drinks after the show. I was dropped off at Kingsmead College. I decided to go to the UK after that incident.

Anne directed The Merry Widow in Bloemfontein. I think this was her leading lady. (circa October 1965) I went to the UK in January of 1966.

15 January 1966 I went to the UK with this reference.

Guests of honour at The Merry Widow in Irené, produced by Doris Boulton and starring Doris as the Merry Widow.

Doris Boulton as the Merry Widow in Irené production.

2 October 1966 Johannesburg 80th birthday concert.

2 October 1966 Programme for concert.

10 October 1966 Artice about forthcoming productions – with Lemon and Silva.

Opened on 22 October 1966 – it was not a success.

Webster as the Circus Barker in The Bartered Bride – a non-singing role.

14 December 1966.

7 April 1967 in Parktown North

April 1967 SABC programmes. Webster had told me about them in one of the last letters I received from him before he went to Knysna.

May 1967.

2 September 1967. The Rococo Canada LP briefly reviewed!

11 July 1968

15 September 1967. The first concert in Knysna 15 September 1967.

11 July 1968

Knysna 1967/68

24 August 1968 I found this edition of the paper in the shop on the SA Oranje when I was returning to South Africa from the UK in August 1968. It was surprising to see that they were trying to sell their house not very long after they had settled in Knysna.

Anne with Silva and Lemon. Was she in a Cox and Box costume? Photo: Dudley Holmes.

Webster and Lemon. Photo: Dudley Holmes.

Anne and Dudley Holmes, Knysna. Photo: Webster Booth.

Anne and Silva. Photo: Dudley Holmes.

Anne and Webster in Knysna (Photo: Dudley Holmes)

Anne and Silva. Photo: Dudley Holmes

Webster and Lemon in the garden in Knysna. Photo: Dudley Holmes.

On the beach at Knoetzie with Silva. Photo: Dudley Holmes.

Anne. Photo: Dudley Holmes

Excerpts from Messiah and Elijah 1969.

Elijah (1969)

1969 Knysna

Ena van den Vyver and Anne – two principal boys in the Knysna Pantomime!

Anne and Webster in Knysna.