STELLA POWER'S CONCERTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 288, 3 December 1923, Page 7

STELLA POWER'S CONCERTS.

There was another enthusiastic J gathering of lovers of song in the Town j Hall on Saturday evening, when _ Miss : Stella Power, the accomplished singer, gave her second performance of the season. Everybody was delighted with the cantatrice's eoloe and captivated •with the perfectly easy manner she sang the high intervals, which were as clear and even in quality as a bird's, whilst her perfectly-sung shakes, mordentes, acciaccaturas and other ornaments, were fine examples of how these difficult problems of vocalisation can be achieved. As well as displaying remarkable skill in bravura and florid music, Mies Powers demonstrated that she was equally pleasing in her singing of lyrical compositions. In these she enters into the atmosphere of the eong and admirably relates its story. This was prominently felt during the artist's interpretation of Heinrich's "Autumn Eve," Haydn Wood's "A Brown Bird," and Henschel'e " Spring." Charmingly pictured was "Autumn Eve"; the notes were emitted in the purest style, the phrasing and technique complete, and the mood ajid colouring suitable. The pianist, Mr. James, delicately adorned each measure and phrase of the picture, specially noticeable being his work in the music of "I Fancy O'er the Meadow." Very sweetly expressed was " The Brown Bird." The tempo in Henschel's " Spring" was well maintained, and the cuckoo's song was realistically imitative, whilst the shakes were of delightful evenness and perfectly sung. Gounod's " Je veux vivre dans cc reve" received a brilliant rendering. It was a fine display of voice control; the vocal chords were managed in such a style as to cause them to vibrate with brilliance, regularity and evenness in the diatonic and chromatic scales, acciaccaturas and trillos. The high F at the end rang through space with the purity of a piccolo organ stop. Rimaky's-Korsakov's " Chant Hindon," and Bemberg's "Chant Venetien" were very carefully and elegantly expressed; the voice modulations were artistically achieved, and the head| degrees were of flute-like clearness. The Rubner " Pierrot " received an effective delivery, the head notes were far-reaching in their brilliance and effect. The operatic scenas by Mozart and Donizetti were sung in an accomplished style. Mozart's "Ah! Lo So" was sung in a plaintive and sombre manner, adequately Veflecting Pamina's feelings. As an encore the same author's " Voi che sapete" was given in a style -which clearly displayed the lovely melody and delicate touches of the music. Miss Power closed with a brilliant performance of Donizetti's "Arden gl' incense" wherein she was ably supported by Mr. George Poore, flautist. At its close, in response to persistent recalls, the soprano had to sing Bishop's "Lo! Hear the Gentle Lark" and Gounod's " Serenade." The 'cello and pianoforte eolos, by Messrs Harold Beck and William James, were artistically played, and resulted in the performers receiving hearty encores. The pianoforte pictures to the artist's work by Mr. James were of delightful quality. To-night's programme includes Bellini's " Carta Diva" and Donizetti's " Regnara Nel Silenzio," Phillips' " Nightfall at Sea" and Rachmaninoff's " Spring Waters." The season closes I to-morrow night.