MADAME CALVE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 204, 29 August 1910, Page 6

MADAME CALVE.

SECOND CONCERT. At His Majesty's Theatre last Saturday evening Madame Calve, the illustrious operatic soprano, and iher concert party gave their second concert, when an exceptionally good programme was provided, and performed in a manner that displayed to fine advantage the s gifts of the'artists and the beauties of the music. Madame Calve gave a splendid render- I ing of Felicien ]>avid' 3 "Le Mysoli," , from "The Pearl of Brazil," the music of -which afforded scope for the full display of hsr cultivated voice. The intri- | eate passages were executed with the c greatest e-ase, and the florid runs a.nd embellishments were sung with toilliancy and rapidity. Of delightful timbre ; were the sustained intervals of the head register, and as she descended the scale the notes became deep and rich in quality, while the skips of octaves , and other degrees were artistically delivered, and the different shadings and ( echo effects were charmingly displayed. The diva's magnificent singing of the j solo elicited great applause, which she;, graciously acknowledged.- Gounod's "Serenade" was the next number. This was charmingly delivered, and called forth unstinted praise from the audience, in response to which. Madame sang Yeradaer's ''Chanson d' Espagnol," which was rendered in a graceful way, exhibiting to the fullest extent the alluring beauties of this captivating music. To the two former pieces, Mr. G. E. Poore played the flute c-biigatos in admirable style. Guy d'Hardelot's "Sans toi" revealed the cantatruce's genius for expreseive singing, and Maseenet's "Serenade dv Passant" was sung with lightness and grace, delightful quality of voice, and excellent feeling- for rhythm. At the close Madame was enthusiastically applauded, after which she gave the French air, "Lisette." It was, however, in the duo from "Carmen," "Now I will dance but to please thee," that the famous operatic singer achieved her greatest triumph. A finer exposition of the character it would be difficult to imagine. Madame threw herself into the part, and acted and sang with ! all the abandon and spirit that she is ! capable of. During her performance she j held the audience spell-bound. She lookied tbe very embodiment of the heroine of the opera—every movement, glance, and fleeting expression of her face had a meaning, and she passed from one mood to .another with wonderful emotional power. Great passion and force was thrown into her acting and singing in "Ah! this is too mortifying!" Most effective was her withering r>ply to Don Jose's declaration of love. Very beautiful was "her expressive singing in "Yes, over the hills," while dramatic in it 3 intensity was Madame's performance of "No; too long I've listened to thee!" and with great hatred and disdadn she delivered the lines "No; I love thee no more." Signor Gasparri as Don Jo3e sang and acted with conspicuous success. He contributed with fine feeling the solo "See Here, thy Flow'ret," sang with passion and dramatic intensity "Ah! Carmen, Have Pity," and acted with force and threw much power of voice into the closing scene, where he takes farewell of Carmen. He also delighted the audience with his artistic singing of Tosti's "Tdeale" and Tirindelli'e VO Primavera," after which he was accorded a hearty encore, when he returned and sang Verdi's "La Donna c Mobile," the tripping measures o: which were delivered in delightful fashion Puccini's "Reeondita Armonia" and ! I"E lucevan Iα Stelle"—two lyrical meloi dies from "La Tosca,"—were rendered in a finished st3 r le, and in reply to a hearty recall, the gifted tenor gave the Italian song "Maria." The pianist, M. Jacques Pintel, played ■ Chopin's "Scherzo in B Manor" in a masterly manner, while Rubinstein's "Valse i Caprice" vras delivered in a light and i elegant way, and great bravura was displayed in Moszkowski's "Spanish Caprice." After each appearance the pianist was warmly recalled. The stage arrangements, though, a slight improvement on the first night, were very inadequate, and the subject of > universal condemnation. To-morrow evening will be the last op- - portunity of hearing Madame Calve in 1 Auckland, when she will sing Massenet's "Air do Salome," Gounod's "An ' Prin--1 temps," Offenbach's "Evohe Bacchus," t and the love duo from "Faust" with Signor Gasparri.