MUSICAL UNION CONCERT.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12498, 8 May 1906, Page 8

MUSICAL UNION CONCERT.

•PAGLIACCI. '

Though, a.- was observed by Mr Andrew LS.a.:-k in a recen:- interview hi :v. t'ho production.- of cp,-r.i in comvrt. form in tms;itL»i"ae: , cry. n:u>ic lovers \v«to la>t night mdeliud to the oiiiorpnso ct" the Miii'.imJ Union in bring j ;;Li.« to heir ••P.igU-.ici-i." i.iie oix«r;i j which kus luale tno t.iuif of civo ot the j ni*t recent opt ratio oomjKWJj. Lt.-.n----j cav.ilL). '1 hough tuk> i> >o, and in a I cri.> get a ci' aJi idea ot I w/iat the opera k> like —;it any r..:0 h.ivatg the hvaruig tho on ii««;iu-t ion-—the pruicioal mi)o.>..s wore hiht night to mi oxuiit iiancli-. j capp.'d liy fjii ut the ;ulv«.iUiI tiuiis ;.;<ls ot <»■,-.■;iimo :uid it. !Ls <simi'!ilt. for e\:imi>.«i, to pouTtr.iy j stronj; tintftioii aii<i p.usMOiH uiuK'r iiie j sokl indiivnce ot tho t-jiK\'M pla.lorni, i wJioiv no action i> poi-jliU , . llivre i> 'a funking siiniLuiiy b. :woen th.; <;iiari -acter ot C'i'.mo ;uiu taat- ct J>-ck l*«;uit in • The Yeoman <;t L.'K-(iuard, ' iii;j>muL-:i ;ii lir has to go on t)u> .-tagi» to ]>I.ty tlu* i>ait ot Piinchineilo and make inn tor sue jvop.o win n liw liiiin iti bwukwith jealousy. I hf. liiusic im I tirul throughout, being batli nielcdious I and full oi <lrainatic power. This latter ! <:iiaiacteri.-tif.' is j/i-rnap- niore marke<l jin the mucLc alloUtd t(; C'-,-nio. notably ;in th<! magiiilicent swrwi ;i-t the end ot tii<> iir.-t act. 'Lhe mii.-ic jrivvn to 'Juuio, the principal bintoiit , - pa;t. though noti;> much a-s tJiiit. ol tho ttiiw, is still strongly diamatic. The choninte are a.ll c'Jiiirmii!j;ly mc 1 odious a,nd tiio inetrnmcntatioii is marked witJi much felicitoiin construction and wonderfully j <(fi"oc.Uv«( combinations oi the various iiu-tninujns. This was particularly not.iceal>le in tho overture and aL>o the introduction to tin; >eccnd act. Tiio hopiauo limbic, v,m> nunu; throughinit by Mra (lower Hums wiiii a great deal of artistic ability ami miccet-, e was exiicting to a and Kotrewhat untha.nl : fid. Tiure was hut one kiria., wiiiKt the irnpr.'ino had to si with all the other principals, having no chance cf rest. Mrs liiints was especially t.iiceo.'ir-ful in tlio .iria, "How tierce lie- fcoked," which sho interpreted with a. great deal ot skill, tlie peculiar clwirapteristics of tho music Ix'ing well brought out. S!ie was particularly good in. the part of the aria commonoing, "Ah, yi- beautiful f-ong birds." The duet pafetageti with Touio also were excellently Ming, though, tho infusion of somewhat mare dramatic loroo was wa>nt©d in the finuilo, whero Nedda repulwos tho .atlvancccs of the hunchback Tonio. The duets with Silvio wero given with a. good deal of riiccoss, notably, ''Ah, mc not,' , and "Can I forget." tlm lnxiutiful nielody being sung in, a lnaniier des-erving praise. In the play in the second act Mrs Burns was also hoard to advantage, particularly in tlio passage, "'No, by my •methers eotil," which was given witii a. good deal of intensity and power. In tho part of Cajiio, tho profet>ioual training of Mr Frank Uraliam stood him in good stead, and ho sang tho music throughout in a manner deperving the highest praise. The great fceno 'itt tho end of tho first act, where Cauio sbowß his jealously cf Nedd-a was interpreted ivitii. grtvat artistic power. Nothing liner has bfen heard here than Mr Graiiam'e einging of the magnificent finale. The fiorce grief and jealou.>-y which animate Canio, though forced to act the come<lian's part, we.ro depicted, most powerfully, whilst tho bcautii'ul music with which the ooinpot-er has illustrated t!ic situation was- .--ung splenr didly, evoking an enthusLastic encore, v."hen the lest pnei-age w:ls ivpyatetl. So in tlie second act Mr Graham sang tho fine eirs. "No, Punchinello, no more," and '"1 hoped in my passion." The first of the.-c, in which C'anio proclaims his threat of vengeance, in. a melody strenuous with hate, finely contrasted with the second full cf love, tender-noi-n, an;!' Jic-jirtbro-ktm regfet. The»=o varying emotions wore very artistically interpreted by Mr Graham, n.s w«s also the strongly passionate finale. Though ir.clin+'d at, times—notably in the fino prologue so splendidly sung by Mr Andrew Black—to rather clip his words by .vinginn: too etacoato, Mr Hamilton Hodges gave a very fine and artistic representation of Tonio, singing tho music, as a whole, with much tuic-ee--s. With the exception just noted, ho gave the prologue well. The pasanges in which Tonio telle liis love to Nedda were excellently given by. Mr Hedges, particularly in the duet., tho concentrated fury of tlie hunchback at being epurned being powerliiily interpreted. Tho part of Tonio is s"b».sidiary a 5; to music to that of Cairo, and there is not the same opportunity for display:, but throughout Mr Hodges fang with much success. Mr AY. A. Day was somewhat over-weighted aa Silvio, in that his (singing lacked dramatic force and spirit. Hus best efforts were the passages "Why wilt thou live. , ' , " Ne<Ldtv hoar," and the air " And yet you leave m-c.' , Tho last of theee iras well Hung, biit there w;>s a. wamt* of tho paetJionate fire, and lovo which are its characteristics. Tho music of Beppe, which was Ming by Mr Vincent i.s notprominent in the epera. The serenade. '" 0 Colmnbino " in the fecond act, which is noarly all that Beppo has to do, except come fchort pasi=ag«i, waft well sung. The choruses were very finely given indeed throughout. Tlie voices blended well, and the.ro was a fine compact bxidy of 'harmony. This van notably tho case in the pretty chorus, "Ding Done." in which (lie obce and zy'ophon-e effect» were heard to great advantage, ami the opening chorus of the second act. which was splendidly sung. .Tlie. orchestra interpreted the beautiful orchestration with which the composer has en richwl the opera, in a manner worthy of the highest praifie. They were specially good both in the overturo and in fho introduction to the wcond act, and throughout thoir work was dono with great effect. Dγ Brarlfh.iw conducted, Herr Kahn led. ami M'inr Katio Young was at the piano. An-c-t3ier ]>erform;in«' of ''Pagliacci'' will bo given to-night.