NINON VALLIN

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25206, 10 June 1947, Page 5

NINON VALLIN

ANOTHER GLORIOUS CONCERT Madame Vallin again triumphed in her . glorious recital in the Civic Tneatre last night. Her most beautiiul voice, her great charm, and her seeming perfection of technique have made her visit of great importance to musicians. She will long be remembered and revered by all her hearers. France, comparatively early in modern history, became a united nation, and was the principal inheritor of the Roman civilisation. Because of this, France has, of all nations, played the leading part in establishing, building, directing, and preserving Western civilisation, from the fall of the Roman Empire to the present day. This has no been done without fearful price. Time and time again in the course of the centuries there have been national catastrophes; there have been mistakes and pitiful retrogressions; but they have been refining fires and from their fier -e white blaze there has come forth that quintessence of the Latin culture which is like an enduring, well-tem-pered, and flexible rapier. All this is clearly shown in the art of Ninon Vallin. She is an heir of the glorious traditions of French art, and a worthy guardian of them for the future. Some may think, and have good reasons for doing so, that the French language, with its highly nasalised vowels, is less pleasing tnan the softer Italian and German languages as a medium for song. In general, to our ears, this may probably be true; but when Ninon Vallin sings the works of the greatest French masters, th? effect is sheer joy. The programme last night opened with three . Schubert songs, “Faith in Spring.” “The Brook,” and “Serenade.” These were followed by “The Vain Suit,” by Brahms, “Dream in the Twilight” and “Serenade,” by Strauss. The/ were all sung in French, and one can scarcely blame a modern Frenchwoman for not singing in German; but the lieder demand their own language for their full beauty. Madame Vallin sang them all enchantingly, but was probably most successful in the Strauss.

When she sang the French group in the second part, one was grateful for the authentic Gallic ring of both words and music. It would be difficult to give sufficient praise to her for her singing of the exquisite works of Chausson and Faure. They feere well contrasted in mood, and this general contrast ■•and the subtler contrasts in them were brought out by sheer perfection of phrasing and nuance. These were the finest numbers on the programme, and here most of all Ninon Vallin showed that intuitive feeling for rightness which goes beyond technique. The inclusion of an aria by Massenet between the Chausson and Faure must be called in question. This, and the arias from “Lakme” and “The Tales of Hoffmann,” although they showed us opera singing of the highest order, have not the intrinsic worth of the works of the other uompcsers. j Six Spanish songs by de Falla, Joaquin Nin, and Granados ended the programme. They have the warmth and passion of another Latin people, but the element of civilised grace is, not so apparent. They were very deliphtful and were sung with all the Spanish fire they demanded. Mr Henri Penn’s accompaniments were always in accordance with the best traditions. He showed a high degree of skill and taste. Madame Vallin stirred her audience to a pitch of vociferous enthusiasm which is unusual here, but which will inevitably be accorded to the very best. —C.F.B.