Summary
Coloured print, published in 1880, depicting a 1000 strong choir and orchestra performing the specially commissioned Cantata at the opening of the Melbourne International Exhibition on 1 October 1880. A large audience, including the Governor of Victoria, the Marquis of Normanby, and the governors of Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales, is seated in the foreground of the illustration. All are well-dressed in contemporary fashions. The conductor and composer of the Cantata was Mr Leon Caron.
The Melbourne International Exhibition ran from 1 October 1880 to 30 April 1881. The (Royal) Exhibition Building, designed by Joseph Reed and built by David Mitchell, was especially constructed for the occasion. Over 1.3 million people visited the exhibition at a time when Melbourne's population was only around 282,000.
Physical Description
A hand coloured woodblock engraving cut from an unidentified illustrated newspaper. The reverse side contains three columns of newspaper text, mostly referring to events in England.
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Purchase
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Place & Date of Event
Museum Collection, Royal Exhibition Building (REB), Melbourne, Central, Victoria, Australia, 1 Oct 1880
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Inscriptions
Text: THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION - THE CANTATA AT THE OPENING CEREMONY. Reverse: Extensive newspaper text.
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Classification
Public events, Melbourne international exhibition 1880, Media coverage
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
388 mm (Length), 375 mm (Width)
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Keywords
Exhibitions, Exhibitions: Melbourne International, 1880-1881, Music, Musical Performances, Newspapers, Royal Exhibition Building, World Fairs
