MADAME CLARA BUTT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 105, 27 January 1908, Page 8

MADAME CLARA BUTT.

THE FINAL CONCERT. A ; -SCENE-OF ENTHUSIASM. Madamo Clara Butt and Mr. Kcnnerley Kumlord 011. Saturday evening had an immense audience for their final coiioert in Wellington. Tho Town Hall was fillbd in every part, including, all Ibo spaco available for chairs in the choir. Afow minutes before eight o clock applicants for admission without reserved seats had to be turned away from ,the gallery doors. At that time people .in tho-gallpry were standing round against tho 1 Nails. . .1 he attendance was undoubtedly greater than,- on the previous ■ evenings, and there was everything to warrant the extension of, the season. . In the selection of Madame Clara. Butt's items the audienco wero indeed fortunate, and tho same may be said of Mr. Kennerley . Rumford's contributions, for, though in diis caso tho " popular " predominated,- it'proved a study in art to follow his interpretations of such melodies as "iEva loolo," "Trottih', to, tho Fair," and tho popular hunting, sang Tho Old Grey Fox." Listening ,to . both singers,. indeed, one instinctively recalled. " ars est celere artem." Madame Butt's-first selection was Handel's, great largo, and- she sang it with perfect violin, ana organ obbligato. The, effect was cicatrical ; • tiie voice was displayed at its best and in all its ranges, anil one seemed apt to overlook in tho spell of the song how great was: the'-vocal'rango at tho singer's )>erfcct command. As tho notes of the ■grand. fu 1 " di <; ti * iiwa y thero Was almost a hush,-and then tumultuous applause broke out. -Madame, came out and bow : ed, but tho applause continuing; sho returned and sang again that one of hor favourite songs, " Abido with me " (Liddle). '. Tho deopc-si pathos was infused into tho beautiful words of tho hymn,' and the dramatic fervour'of tho centro. declamatory \«erse marked tho climax. The : interpretation a study, for. students, lhis contribution gave tlio &udienco a desire 'for moro, and, after returning and bowing five' times, Madamo was. forced to accede to tho : demands, and this timo sho gavo tho .pretty little number In My l- r ardcn, alsq/. by, Liddle. Her other programme iteni was Edward Elgar's setting of Arthur C.-Benson's patriotic words " Laiid of Hopo and Glory," which she gavo by special request.' Mr. J.' Edward, Sjkes played'tho organ accompaniment. Tho item gavo opportunity for all'tho vocal power ami dramatic declamation of the singer, and nothing could bo grander or more lifting "than tho refrain, "Lund of Hopo and Glory, Mother. °f the Free,". and the ringing last lines God,; Who ..made thee mightier mako thee mightier y<;t," .T'ho applauso was nothing less than 'a''demonstration.' Bows' would not appease, and Madamo answering tho compli-ment-sang': "Kathleen Mavournecn." j Again there was sustained applause, and in the end' the singer canio out onco moro aiid contributed a, bounio.little item "My Treasure." '' Mr'.'Kennqrlcy Rmnford, who was in good voice, sang his finest item first, the popular "Sands of Dee." His encqre to this was a border song by Cowen,'which,, he gave with good defiant ' spirit. " Eva Toole" and "Trottin' to the Fair" (old Irish melodies arranged by Sir C. Villiers Stanford) and an ol(l Sicilian melody, "The Land of the Almond Blossom " (arranged by Mr. Valerie White)' Were bracketed for his second appearance.', The music was 'light and the words quaint and pretty,, and the singer gave them just tho treatment required. "Tho Old Grey Fox" was given as an eiicorc, and persistent calls for a reappearance continuing,- -Mr: Rumford at last responded with White's favoiirite song, "When the Swallows Homeward Fly."

Mr. Carl Barre's violin items wero a romance in G (Beethoven) and " L'Abeille " (F. Schubert) ' bracketed,- and the well-known "Plevna Natti" (Hubay). Mr. Barre's bowing was particularly fine, arid his tono pure. For an encore to his last item ha gave ".Hiiniai'esk " (Dvorak). Mr. Frank Merrick,' piano'soloist, played' " Ballade in G minor" (Chopin), Schumann selection, having' to'return and bow to recalls: •

. Tho programme concluded with the duet, "Dear liovo of Mine" (Goring Thomas), by Madame Butt and Mr. Rumford. After' the singers had left' the stage tho applause and cheeringi continued, and the aiidionco were reluctant, to leave their seats. Several times the two artists returned and bowed, hand in hand with the pianist and organist-. A number of the audience meantime had moved towards "the doors, but still the applause continued,' until at--, Inst an ■ extra outburst announced that- tile singers were returning'. Tho crowd that had come down on to tho stage from the choir seats were pressed back from - the piano, and with half tho people in the' hall standing, and others grouped about them, Butt and Mr. Rumford sang the bright- duet, "The Keys of Heaven."' Recognising this as, positively the Inst, the audience cheered again and'turned their attention to out of the hall.