MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 900, 20 August 1910, Page 9

MUSIC.

(By Treble Clef.)

Caluo. The announcement by Messrs. J. and N. Tait that Madame Calve will give a cqiiccrt in tho Town Hall on Saturday, September 3, will naturally bo road with, unusual interest by 1 tho music-lovers of AVellington. Her brilliant associates are Signer Gasparri, tenor, and M.' Jacques Pintel, pianist. The success which marked the Australian tour was in keeping with tho great singer's Old World reputation. ■ It is said of her-that she is unique in her vocal powers as she is in her personality. One press notice runs as follows:

—"The possessor of a great dramatic voice, embracing in , its wido range the lower register of a rich contralto, the liquid, sonority .'of a mezzo, and the upper toues matchless in purity of a high soprano; the whole trained to the perfection of vocal technique, which permits, its owner to. express the most delicate gradations of tone, colnir, and, with admirable precision, to adapt its sensuous beauty to the emotional intentions of tho singer. . This vocal equipment joined to a striking personality, sparkling eyes, plastic features — herself tall and litho of movementscauses Calve to burn into.the hearts of her audience, and to become an abiding memory." . During her short tour ■in .Now Zealand, the groat prima donna will ho heard at the zenith of her powers, and it is indeed fortunate that she will bo heard in conjunction with such a fine artist as Signor Gasparri. An Interesting Letter. Horr Hugo Alpen, who is travelling in Europe,' after some 50 years' absence; as a holiday after his retirement from the post of musical director in the New South AVales Department "of Public Instruction, was in London in mid-June, and heard "Sladaine Butterfly" at Covent Garden, with lime. Destinn, "the finest dramatic singer I ever ' hoard," as Cho-Cho-San.' "Strange to say," continues Herr Alpen, "I did hot like the orchestra as , well as thali.of tlie Theatre de la Monnaie at Brussels. Tho full body of. tone and the single solo .' instruments wore superb, hut I missed tho Brussels nuances and. general delicacy." Tho traveller then left London for Gottenburg (Clotoborg), Sweden, where his sister met him on tho wharf, and ho recognised her instantly after • a separation of 5-1 years. .The town has increased out of nil . knowledge, and with.the splendid avenue, of lovoly trees was as beautiful as Brussels. In this city Heir Alpen heard the Kopenhagen Liedertafcl sing from a covered stage in tho Summer Garden. The public, literally in thousands, sal at little round tables; drinking tea, coffee, and light beer. The malo choir, though only of 30 voices, impressed the visitor as beyond rivalry. Each member musi. liayu been a trained solo artist,' and the leading' tenor soared up to the high C-with a ringing, clear note, free from tremolo. "No doubt our Sydney Liedertafel is fine, but after hearing tho Danes I iind wo can still improve a good bit." Herr Alpeu, on the other hand, was delighted to find that Mm singing of tho, children in the State, schools of New South Wales was' in advance of what lieheard in Gottenburg, .where two-part harmony seemed to be tho most the boys and girls attempted. Ho added that during July he would bo in Stockholm and in Hamburg, whence ho would outer upon a long ramble through Germany and Austria.

The New Puccini Opsra. Puceini'-s new opera, "The Girl of tho Golden West" is now almost completed, and will accordingly be produced at Coven I Garden in May next year. It will, it is reported, follow closely the story in Belasco's dranm, witnessed not long since iu Australia. According to- the "Daily Mail," the music has enchanted th'n representatives of the syndicate of Covent Gar--den. For.tho title role Madame Desiitui, who has done so much to make "'Madame Butterfly" one of tho greatest successes for several seasons, at Covent Garden, has been engaged. Unlike "Madame Butterfly," the new opera has not a tragic ending. • Madame Conly, who will open her Australian tour in Melbourne on August 24, possesses a repertoire including over thirty oratorios. Those oratorios comprise all the popular compositions of Mendelssohn, Haydn, Rossini, Gounod, and Klgar, but also embrace Coleridge Taylor's "Hiawatha," Sullivan's "Golden Legend," ' Goring Thomas's "Swan and Skylark," Bombergor's "Christopherous," Cowon's "Rose Maiden," as well as several pieces of Beethoven, Bishop, and Schubert.