CHARLES HACKETT CONCERT.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18148, 11 August 1924, Page 14

CHARLES HACKETT CONCERT.

SECOND NIGHT. . > Another full house on Saturday night was assembled to face the artiste associated in the Hackett concerts. _ A full house is a better tonic than any the cleverest doctor could prescribe for the cave-dwellers of stageland, and it acted perceptibly for the good in its resulting spirit. In the case of Mr Hackett himself, the voice seemed, to have acclimatised itself to the rigours of our wintry season, for in volume, a-i in flexibility, it surpassed the demonstration of Thursday night. More than at the first hearing, one felt impressed, if now and then, oppressed, by a wealth of tone that should suffic. 1 for a space three times the size of the Theatre Royal. Nor can it be said -.hat, except in rare moments, it is produced with undue exertion. It just will stream out, nolens volens. The tendency to power-display is nourished in operatic singers by a holy fear of : their arch-enemy the grand orchestra, against which they array themselves in battle with all their might _ and means. Even the comparative innocence of the piano cannot dissipate the lurking dread of being drowned, and so grows into habit what is often detrimental to the subtleties which are the charm of the art-song, and call for the widest range of emotional expression, and in its train the application of every tone-grade, between the extremes. On this occasion Mr Charles Hackett sang in' three languages: Italian, ■Franch, and English. In each his choice was very good indeed. The fine aria "O Paradiso," from Meyerbeer's "L'Africana," served as the opening . number, and, barring a hardness of tone in the two first lines, was delivered in very effective style and voice, •which, however, came to still better display—wonderfully fine at times—with the beautiful Mozart aria "D mio Tresore," from Don Giovanni, its florid parts being well executed. Then followed a group of delightful French songs, of which there are so many, and they, so little known- For originality of invention they are not easily sur- •. passed in modern song literature, anl French composers know how to write accompaniments suitable for players like Mr Eaybould. Dupare and Chaus;son are both pupils of C6sar Franck. Their "Extase'' and "Papillons,*' as well as "Clair de Lune'' joined in the group, are admirable songs set to words of real poetry, and their > tasteful and well-contrasted interpretation by Mr Hackett deserves very warm praises. But the "May," as he pictured in Saint-Saens's joyous song, resembled more a raw month-of winter, than delightful spring. Very good again was Oricg's "Dream." The final round j brought, with encores, no fewer than seven songs, including Liza Liehmann's lovely "Ah! Moon of my Delight"; c most impressive song, ''ln the Forest," by Ansorgej Frank Bridge's clever "Love Went A-Biding"; "I Heard Yea Singing," by Eric Coates; the fanciful Irish folk-song, "The Lepre- . haun," anl /'By the Waters of Miniietonka." In hig songs, as in his operatic numbers, Mr Hackett soars np and takes us to heights of perfect . iftagnificence in voice and expression, but-is yet. afraid- his passengers cannot long iendure -the upward flight, and so, m mercy,; lands ua back on earth. . And, back on earth, we - are apt to .grumble, though happy enough in having travelled far with such a singer. : , thing, less than a full-bodied con--sertb 'woTiia content M. Bratza on .his •first- entry on Saturday, his choice being the splendid G Minor by Max : Bruch. • When yon hear and see "BratzayVyou have' to cast overboard your" old-fashioned - notions. If you thought- the violin-tone was produced by fxiction you were mistaken. To let "out tlie secret, .all'you do is to glide over the strings, as you skim the ice. 'TKat'is, according'to Bratza. He play,'ed£ the Concerto with all the allurements of a great technique; with brain 3 ,'and a 'maturity of expression most gratifying, then vrith fine , feeling a itranscription of Chopin's E Flat Nocturne ,as encore. , We follow him 'through the mazes of Sairit-Saens's "Havanaise," of a Prelude by Bach, i and ' Kreisler's "Caprice Yiennois" and " Tambourin; Chinois,'' to the bewitching strains of Schubert's ballet music, to '' Sosamunde'' arid the quaint fancies jof Wieniawski?s "ValseGaprice." "It is ever the same. He indefatigably, plays on, always sure of . conveying the character and retaining the -'atmosphere of each number with an executive skill almost bewildering, combining to ensure pleasure un- > alloyed. ' Quite justly, both Mr Hdckett and M. Bratza insist on the reluctant/ Mr Baybonld sharing the applause of the. audience. He is a tower of strength' •'••to both artists, absolutely reliable at all -times. And the more you hear of' the more you appreciate and admire the finish and devoted service of his accompaniments. a Tho reception of all could not easily » have been ; surpassed in enthusiastic approval; no fewer than twelve extras being added to the programme by compulsion.. . t

PINAL CONCERT TO-NIGHT. ;Mr Haekett will give his final concert to-night in the Theatre Koyal, and "those music-lovers who have not heard the great tenor and his brilliant associate artists shotild not fail to seize the upportunity. To-night Mr Hackett will sing the principal tenor aria from "Borneo and Juliet," "Ah! leve-toi Soleil" (Gounod); "E luceven Jo Stella," from "La Tosca"; "La Donna e Mobile,'' from "Rigoletto." His group of classical songs includes "Gia il Sol dal Gang«" (Scarlatti), ; 'fare Selve" (Handel), and "Oh! Sleep, Why Dost Thou 7 .leave Me?" (Handel); "I Heard You Singing" (Eric Coates), "Blue Are" Her Eyes" (Winter Watts), "Nichav <" (Mana-i Zucca), "Because" (Gay d'Hardelot), "Thank God for a Garden'* (Guy d'Hardelot); "Duna" (McGill), etc. Bratza will play Concerto (Wieniawski), "Slavonic Dance in G minor" (Dvorak-Kreisler), "Praeludium au<l Allegro'' (Pugnani-Rreister) Romance in G" (Beethoven), "Bonda Cappricioso" (Saint-Sacus), etc. The box plan is at The Bristol, and dav .sales at' the Theatre Bcyal Confectionery. ' : '