ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 137, 4 March 1908, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

BUTT-RUMFORD COtfCEftT. The profound impression created'by Madami Clara Butt and Mr. Kennerley: "iiumford, th< English' singers,' on their first' ''appearance v ii Wellington assured for. tlicm : a hearty wcl come back last evening,- when ' tho Town Hal held a very, large, though ~not; by' any meani crowded, audience. As • was the .'case during the first series of concerts, tho programme as regards the vocalists, .wasvery widely,diver sified, which maybe- is the gecVet ; of the grea success they have achieved where other liigl standard artists have failed, and at timei failed grievously, to attract the public. Per sonality, too, may, without"-inferring, any thin] detrimental to the' art<of ; the 'singers,- be con sidered-a factor that counts' in'- the quite ex traordinary interest they .''have-"created rigli through their tour of Now.;Xeatand, now draw ing to a close. . Madame- Butt,: is a forci physically socially, ; anu. Wnen that * i: backed by a voice altogether; i'imarkable in iti power and range of action,..it would be re •markable if the triumph achieved had beei lesser in degree! Mr. :;Kennerley Buraford' personality would command the. attention o the vocal student were there no Jiadame Butt He stands for culture in-its application to tin lyrical baritone vocalist, and .to .hear him, in tone a song, however, intricately' or simpl; written, is to learn to be dissatisfied with tin rankers" of .the concert .platform.- -'-.What In seems at times to lack in vocal body is ampl l compensated for by highly 1 artistic interprii tation, and so he greatly pleases. Madame.'s first number lrif.t evening ivai the aria, " Mon coeur s'qiivre.ra-.tavoix" iron Saint-Saens's "Samson and! Delilali," siing ii the original French. It is a,.ballad of pas sion, tender, entreating,---'dematidingj and inti each emotion the singer, poured a wealth o sound. Madame is charming;in the simple songs, and her encore hurtipp.r, ''The Littl Silver Hang " (Chaminadc) ' ".delightful}; snng. The singer has a penchant for patriot! songs, probably, born of, jingo'days in merr, England, and she -..gave.'..,ataste o her quality in - Edward A' '• C. Booth' 'England, Mother England,''A -calling fo vocal declamation of no ordinary, charactei It- needs another war, properly ."to'- appreciat Mr. ■ Booth's composition. V Encored, Madam Butt sans the threadbare "11. Segreto " num ber from Donizetti's " Lucrezih. Borgia," and i] response to the appeal-of.-', the .audience sani Medcalf's pretty trifle, " Abssnt.'-.'in too.low 'i key. _Fihallv she appeared ;'wiih .-Mr. Rum ford m Allitsen's "Breakj Diviner Light' (Tennyson's words), aii attractive number which, oh'being encored,'prflducM the semi humorous duet "The 'Keys- 6frp&ven,"- ad mirabl.v sung and acted. .'i-l Mr. Rumford was riot. iq.. such good forn as when last in Wellington.. .His voice struct the writer us a -He opened with i difficult number, entitled "The .Lament oi Shah Jehan" (Lando'ii Ronald),'jvritteiv especi ally for the singer. -For '-tho-hiost;. it' is : weird dirge, in which ;the'' , cqnipi?ser exhausti ail the effects usually .asspbiiteE with such sub jects. It might gain-somothjrig-if siing with at orchestra, but the full ImpHj'ss'ivcness intendec by the composer was riot: .pfbSerit'last evening The lament, was encored,-, aiid'Maudo ; -Valeri( Whyte's "Last :Year "t'wa?-£ung. Mr. Riim fords greatest success!'.;last..evenipg were the songs, .racy of the soil,, written by Mr. Alfret Hill, of this city, viz., "Maori . Cnnoc Song' and "Waiata Poi" (poi' "sorig).;. The'first is £ pretty lttle 'idyll, $et: to a .graceful melody and the second has all 'tho' verve'and swinj of the'poi in action.'/ Mr. Rumford sang, ii admirably, with one exception'. •-.He failed ,t< get the guttural break -that adds such effect at . the end of the. achieved, hi will add a remarkable '-novelty to. his voca repertoire. The "Waiata ;I'pi", song was voci ferously, encored, and had to be repeated to t delighted audience. : Mr. Carl Barre goi.s . a D'icely-balanced anc sympathetic tone out of-his . violin, and hii numbers were much appreciated,,, He playet the light and joyous Finale, 'from Concert! in/E minor" (Mendelssohn),."and .as an en core Tschajkowsky's " Mslodie."'. Hubav' music is good to listen;-to ■ •alwayftVand' Mr Barre got a good- deal' 6ut.'of-!his, familia: "Hejre Kati.' Wither. ..Frank Merricl (pianist) he played Mozart's' uripretentiou " Finale from Sonata in F." Mr. Merrick go in some excellent exercise, in Schumann's un interesting and far too' long' "Toccato ii C." An impromptu in B: flat by R. 0. Beach croft wa6 Mr. Merrick's' solo in the-secon< half of . the programme.' . Mr. Maughari Bar nett, assisted at . the organ in two instances During the. evening Madame Butt was liberalb endowed with floral offerings in tasteful array ■ lhe last concert .in New Zealand is to tab place at the Town'Hall 7, to-morrow evening. . .THEATRE. ROYAL.' ' 1 Mr. Fred Graham !arid ; Miss Nellie Derii made a very popular rfe-appearance at Fuller'i last night with clever comedy sketches; -The''programme was com pleted with a strong array; of vaudeville talent which the Fuller Proprietary knows so wel how,to select. The sanie-bill will be repeats! to-night., ■ ■ ■ _.; HIS MAJESTY'S; THEATRE. " The Royal Pictures continue to draw lar'gi houses at His Majesty's. -Xast night's displa; was no exception. The management seems ti draw upon an inexhaustible . supply of high class pictures for its weekly. - change of pro gramme. The entertainment ."will be ■ repeatei to-night. - . :,v;. WIETII'S CIRCUS. ; " Despite its rather .out-of-the-way. - locatioi Wirtli's Circus was again largely attende< last night by an audience which deemed thor oughly to appreciate the. long and' varied pro gramme provided: by, the :managenient. Iler Batty s daring wild animalperformance wai watched with almost interest, ant the thrilling aerial trapeze. 7 act.'of the Flyini Herberts was, loudly, applauded;. The perform anco wjll be repeated tliis evening, and unti further notice. ,- WONDERLAND. ; . • Weather permitting, >a" grand" , firework dis play is to be given at-Wonderland,- Miramar to-night: The attack on Port Arthur will bi the subject; of an effectively-treated pyro technic scene. Wonderland opeins. at 2 p.iu to-day. A. lantern fete, : arid- .poster carniva is announced for Saturday'..'.''