Summary

Bound volume of collection of daily programmes for the Melbourne Centennial International Exhibition (MCIE), held at the Exhibition Building from 1 August 1888 to 31 January 1889. Every day a free programme of events was printed on site at the Exhibition Building for visitors to the MCIE. The programme listed demonstrations and musical performances for the day, as well as notifications of coming events.

The MCIE followed on from the success of the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition, attracting over two million people, further showcasing the confidence and wealth of Melbourne and Victoria during the boom of the 1880s. With a cost to the Victorian government of £250 000, the exhibition had a distinctively imperial focus, and a greater emphasis on culture than in 1880, particularly on music and painting.

Physical Description

Bound volume in leather with gilt edges, enclosing 159 printed programmes. Each programme is 4 pages, octavo. Also contains one copy of programme for the opening ceremony of the exhibition, 4 pages, quarto.

Significance

This is an extremely rare item. Every day, a free programme of events was printed on site at the Exhibition Building for visitors to the Melbourne Centennial International Exhibition (MCIE). The programme listed demonstrations and musical performances for the day, as well as notifications of coming events. No doubt many of these programmes were kept as souvenirs of one's visit to the MCIE, however very few survive. This near complete set is therefore invaluable. It is a rich research resource, providing insight into the scope of events held during the run of the exhibition; events organised by the commission to generate revenue and visitation. For music researchers, it provides a fascinating and important insight into choral and symphonic performances, the like of which had never been seen in Melbourne. It records the types of pieces played, many of which were new to colonial ears.

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