ANTONIA DOLORES CONCERTS

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 83, 7 April 1919, Page 6

ANTONIA DOLORES CONCERTS

Before a crowded and enfchusiastSe audience in the Town Hall last- Saturday evening Mademoiselle Dolores, the famous French cantatrice, gave her third song recital. It is a long time since suck a splendid programme of music has been submitted to Auckland music lovers, and seldom has an audience so completely abandoned itself to joyous astonishment as on this occasion. The an. plause following after each set of solos seemed likely to go on indefinitely, whilst at tlie termination of the evening Mademoiselle was warmly ovated. All through the concert the illustrious singer seemed inevitably to regard her performance as primarily a suggestive and idealised speech. The soprano singing is so. transporting that you forget the art ot ft in sheer delight. Her excellent trill, command of chromatic and diatonic, runs, largeness and purity of tone, and knowledge of tradition and tasto m ornamentation, command instant recognition. The magnificent trumpet aria "Let the Bright Seraphim," from. Handel's "Samson," was rendered with telling effect, the artist overcoming its bravura and florid parts in splendid fashion, and completed a noteworthy rendering with a brilliant performance of Tito Mattel's Cadenza. Mr Maughaa Barnett effectively played an obligato. on the grand organ. A set of seven G'pay songs by Dvorak displayed the cantatrice's excellent command of voice ia different moods of music. "Tune Thy Strings," "Cloudy Heights," and "I Chant My Lay"' were given in an energetic and telling style, whilst "Silent and Lone," "Songs My Mother Taught. Mc" were sung in a delightful legatiasimo manner, grace of phrasing, purity of voice, and clearness of utterance. A firm and deliberate reading was that of "Hark How My Triangle," whilst a fine feeling for rhythm, rich timbre of the middle and low notes, pnd charm of embellishment were special features of the singing of "In His Wide and Ample.* Puccini's "Non la Soepiri" and <c V_>si d? Arte" were expressively interpreted, and enjoyable performances were secured of songs by Scarlatti, Parodies, Lotti, 'Beach, and McCoy. Though Mademoiselle had such an exacting number of items to sing she gave several encores in response to insistent demand, finally closing with the famous "laughing Song," from Auber'B "Manon Lescaut," which was given in her own inimitable style, the performance of which simply captivated the audience and sent them away de-' lighted with the concert.

Mr. Harold Smith had a strenuous time with the piano parts to Mademoiselle's solos; he fulfilled every desire of the musician. His playing was always in the best of taste and his sympathy with the singer was felt in the artistic way he performed every bar ot music. As a soloist he displayed clearness in his finger work, a beautiful can. tahile, rich chording, and facility in scale arpeggi. He gave a poetic and gracefully phrased reading of Chopin's "Nocturne in E Major," performed with facility and clearly defined rhythm the same author's "Tarantelle," working up a fine climax at its conclusion. Moszkowski'6 "Barcarolle" and "Etincelles" were also admirably performed solos. At the con* elusion of his pieces the pianist was enthusiastically recalled and played Chopin's "Etude of 25," and Grieg 'a "Spring Song." Mr. Maughan Barnett gave with delicacy and refinement Cesar Franck's "Pastorale," and an arrangement of English airs on the grand organ, after which he was warmly encored, and was heard in S_int-6aens' "Le Cygne," LAST CONCERT TO-NIGHT. The final concert of the Auckland season will be given in the Town Hall Concert Chamber this (Monday) evening.