Well-Performed Recital Of Operatic Works

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30587, 2 November 1964, Page 12

Well-Performed Recital Of Operatic Works

An enterprising, interesting, and most creditably performed recital of operatic works was given in the Civic Theatre on Saturday evening. Lesley Cartwright began the programme with “Adieu Forets” from “Jeanne d’Arc", by Tchaikovsky. She conveyed intensity in the recitative and kept, for the most part, a steady legato in the aria. There was warmth in her voice but sometimes some lack of control on high notes. She told the tale convincingly. Annette Quinn caught the character of Azucena and her burning desire for revenge in “Strida la Vampa.” Her voice had resonance and kept on a well-ordered line, and she sang with bright tone and with flexibility. Elaine Lethbridge sang “Pace, Pace, Dio” from “The Force of Destin/’ with particularly attractive tonal production and smoothness, especially in the softer portions of the aria. She handled the heavy parts with dramatic conviction, but will need to aim at more controlled smoothness in fortissimi singing.

Margaret Elvines had admirable control of tone and an attractive flexibility in the “Habanera” and “Seguidilla” from “Carmen." She sang with spirited animation, and he. voice is even throughout its compass and every vowel was held beautifully in line. Lyndsay Mika sang the recitative before “O Mio Fernando" from “La Favorita” with stylish skill, and gave an impressive performance of a difficult work. There is warmth in her evenly produced tone, and it was a pleasure to hear such beautifully relaxed singing.

The second half of the programme was given over to a concert performance of the first two acts of “The Marriage of Figaro.” and the performance held interest and commanded admiration throughout its course. There was the necessary Mozartian style and grace expressed in beautiful phrasing; the ensemble singing had clarity in balance and in line: there was vitality in the recitative singing which always carried clear meaning, and the arias were sung w : th graceful ease gained by careful and arduous study Everything was sung in Italian

and from memory. The small amount of chorus work was sung with admirable cohesion generally, and with expressive response, with pleasing balance and very good tone. Graham Wright sang Count Almaviva with dignity, and his baritone voice has "a dark richness of tone. Figaro was sung by Jan van Dongen with an appropriate lightness of manner. His voice had ringing clearness, and he gave rhythmic life to every phrase. He brought his part convincingly to life. Andrew Moore doubled the parts of Doctor Bartola and Antonio. His voice is gaining a firm richness of timbre, and he managed the very rapid words with admirable clarity. Neville Paris sang the parts of Don Basilio and Don Curzio with pleasing lyric tenor tone, and his work was effective both in solo and in ensemble work. Helen Hayward’s experienced musicianship and her lovely voice were both thoroughly rewarding in the important part of Susanna, and all her work had stylish finish and confidence. Elaine Lethbridge was an admirable Marcellina. and gave the part its necessary feline character. Yvonne Stables gave a very impressive rendering indeed of the part of Cherubino. Both m her singing and in her reading of the part she gave a thoroughly charming performance. She is obviously a younger singer of very considerable talent and promise. Because of the illness of the singer who was to have sung the part of the Countess, this P*rt —at short notice—was shared by Yvonne Stables and by Christine Allen, who sang in the first section of Act 11. Both of them deserve high credit for the admirable way in which they approached this very exacting role. Mr Wallace Woodlev was the accompanist for the evening and carried out his strenuous and unremitting task with accomplished musicianship and refined judgment. —C.F.B. The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Mr P. C. Bhattacharyya, and the de-puty-director of his bank’s economic and research department Mr V. B. Kadam, arrived in Wellington yesterday.—(PA.)