When I was honoured by an invitation from your secretary to read a paper to the Musical Association about Lortzing I was genuinely surprised, because I did not feel that I was anything like an authority on him. I tried to explain this in my reply to Mr. Erlebach's invitation, but without success. Nevertheless, my only justification in standing before you to-day must be that I have had the invaluable opportunity of conducting and of watching Herr Hans Strohbach, of Cologne, produce one of Lortzing's operas. I refer to the Oxford University Opera Club's performances of “Zar und Zimmermann” last year. This first-hand experience should help me to speak more convincingly about my subject, at any rate from the practical standpoint.