A GREAT SINGER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 101, 22 January 1908, Page 6

A GREAT SINGER.

MADAME CLARA BUTT AT THE TOWN " HALL. ' 1 ENTHUSIASTIC APPRECIATION. Few. and far between are the visits of l thei ''- -' world's, really great artists to New: Zealand; ■-- and none, not even that of, the incomparable '/ ■ soprano, Melba, has.'created so pfofound # J - • sensation ar, Madame Clara Butt, England's .-representative • contralto,-. and the.'fortunate .w possessor of a voice;?o phenomenal in- its cul-v«mj> tured strongth . that the ordinary.adjectives.'.! in.tho dictionary of j;he critic. ~v.f to convey a just impression. -There is always ; • something fascinating. in power, in whatever ; V | phase .-yon please. - Individual greatness lias ; v boon worshipped .through all the ages, right v along through' tho • twistings and. twirlings • of what we are pleased to call-the- world's progress,-/' from'/ the: when 'individual excellence was: placed- on m the highest pinnacle of popular, favour, and ■ in the' long "roll : tlitf; -singetofsongs- ..has a : played.- vßut;:"w<i';gefc:i blase m tho van of the advanced, civilisation that is merely parts from the world's centres,: valid - the '■< i great singers of the ' time are honoured • soberly, by a starched, and- furbelowed pubho 1 by . the. passing", applausjo ; merely,' anc\ they, pass on as wo ask- tor'tho next. >It'-will,, .. however, be a long time- before those who-v -tilled' the- - big city hall last' evening will' for- ■■;>"; 7 get the .thrillingly impressive singing of Ma- ; . dame Butt. Jlor voice is a great well of : sound that gives ont of its; ,nch /.To-j;-"*: ditndance more -than the Jmagination"/ : v dreamed 1 of. At .times it is almost : baritone in.", the'f quality *-of ■ its- fibre," ' and it ranges with the- easiest abandon up 1 ; through the vocal 1 classes until; it: is a- ringing- a . soprano. And yet tho, control is so admirable,- .- ' the 'method; so. free • and , unaffected,'i that it '; can be - attonedto": the'-?swieotest' -whisper. , What emotions exist that cannot be depicted

with such a voice —none. /Anon, thero is . fierce tragedy; 'intense" J vin'dictiveness,' love,/ : ; passion, tenderness—each, having, an ■ anrieu- > - lar charm of • its own, and each portrayedwith breadth and earnestness which acclaim / ; tlu greatness of .the singer. • .-. 'Madame Butt' thrilled/with her. first,; note;» in "0 Don Fatale," from ' Verdi's ' Don Carlos,'' and 'thereafter threw :tho great weight of her art into tho scena in which anger, remorse, appeal,: and-anguish flash, out from tho grief-stricken:! As hard as brass in do-

(knee, as mellow as the suiiimer wind in its pleading, the convineing ardour that electrified the; audience, ivhich audibly ;, sighed. its '.satisfaction- before v - tho crash of applause commenced. In charming contrast, was ; sung as an encore, Hahn's "Si nies Vera Ancient des. Ailes," a ballad . ' of tender.; swoetness, 'at-which; the audience y . completely' capitulated . to the ;.'arf ofthe singer. ;Another very, fine effort,-.enriched by;, a fine religious fervour, was Liddle's popular r.acred song, "Abide, with; me,"/.an-' inspired setting' of,tho .old hymri,-.which: olicitea the: . tenderest little baby ballad "My Treasure," and in response to sustained applause the ■ .• popular-'ballad;.. "My-Ain Folk," sung with . beautiful expression. - With, Mr. Kenncrley, Uumford, Madamo sang' Goring Thomas's I "Night llymn at Sea," scoring another ar- '

tistic success. ■/ ■ ' ' Mr. Konnerloy Ru'mford is the ideal: light, baritono. He' has a roice ; of fine .sympathy, \yith a .tenor 'quality, in;,the'higher,.'.register; and a mezzo, effect altogether charming.; Re is a finished , singer;, whose. culture,;! so apparent in anything he does, should be of the greatest assistance to stragglers in the field of. vocal endeavour. • He ...scored-, ari;-instan-

taneous' succcss- in the buoyant 'song-of the barber in. "Tlie Barber of Seville" (Rossini),, a ' laughing, 'joking: patter, song,that: calls for' buoyancy, a niorry'tongue—and "a voice. For an encore lie sang a-charming thing of Schumann's, in tender vein. Later, he sane the old Welsh air "All Thro 1 . the Night' (arranged by Arthur Somervell),: which struck familiarly: on the ear; and the breezy, swash-buckling'song-"King.Charles" (set by Maude Valerie White to the lyrics of Robert Drowning), sung- with; a', declamatory emphasis that roused .the audience to..'a fine pitch of enthusiasm,-. which, .in ,turn,- produced "The Little-Red-Fox", (Somervell), a quaint littlo song that found, much favour. At the conclusion of the duet with Madame, which 'brought-the .concert to an, end, the artists were: recalled five times' for the!-'bow-ing process,; ofevliich botli ; artists are: graceful cxnanpnts.v- . ,

In Mr. Ciirl Barrc,: the company possesses, ail' oxcellcnt violinist—a. fluent executant, who bows masterfully) but'whose tone is on tho thin side. He induced a commendable sonorousness in the religious dignity of tho Schubert-Wilhelnij "Ave Maria," and managed the double-stopped passage with nice effect. In his Brahms-Joachim-"Hungarian Dance," more fire would pleaso better, but it was carefully, played and won hearty applause. He'was; definitely encored for Baz-. mini's daintv "La Ronde des Lutins," ana hail to play Mozart's "Minuet" to appease tho hungry audience. , Mr. Frank' Merrick, the solo pianist,. is a careful executant, ' whoso .playing 1 is t not marked by any particular distinction, but his interpretations show lively protaiso- in a future of hard work. With Mr.' Barre, lie played tho finale from .Cesar "Sonata in A," and as a solo Beethoven ? "Rondo a s full title for which \\abVtcle progranimo) " over a lost penny worked onf a:> 'iJ 'Wlcka Capriccio.'" It was catchy enough to. induce an oncore in Schumann s Traumeswirren." ' Mr. Arthur Godfrey was a perfect accompanist—why say anything further?—and it was pleasing to noto that his skill was rewarded significantly by Madanio Butt and Mr Rumford when they took tho hnal " calls." Mr. J. Edward Sykes, the Sydney organist now-visiting Wellington, officiated satisfactorily at the organ in those items for which the big instrument was requisitioned. At tho concert to bo given to-morrow ovenintr Madamo Butt is to sing Gluck.s glorious aria, " Divinites du Styx*," from " Alceste, and Sullivan's undying " Lost Chord, in which her voice should be heard to somo purpose. Mr. Rumford wfll sing ' " Tho Two Grenadiers" (Schumann), "Thy Beaming Eyes" (MacDowell), and "The /Four Jolly Sailormen" (German). Together they will bo heard iiuthc duet, " Dear Love of Mine (Goring Thomas). A third concert has been arranged for Saturday evening.