MISS AMY CASTLES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1068, 6 March 1911, Page 2

MISS AMY CASTLES.

FINE CONCERT AT THE TOWN HALL. "Miss Amy Castles has just made her debut in Australia as a vocalist, and is already looked'unon as a coming Jlclba. In two nights at Melbourne she drew £15C0. She is a Victorian by birth, lust eighteen years of age, and comes of a musical family. As to appearance her Cloture tells a charmins talc."

Tho foregoing lines, accompanying an admirable portrait of a fair young debutante to the concert platform, in an old London "Sketch" of August 23, 1830, caught the cyo of the writer yesterday. To see this beautiful girl, with her wealth of glossy brown hair hanging loose round her neck, and her big luminous eyes looking wistfully into the future, and to see and hear the Amy Castles who sang so delightfully at the Town Hall on Saturday evening, one felt a sort of Horatius in charge of the bridge of years. Tho writer in tho "Sketch" showed a sense of prescience in his prediction, for Miss Amy Castles has' risen to a position among tho first flight of sopranos, and after her recent appearances in grand opera' must bo regarded as still winging upwards. There aro net many, if any, English prima ikmnns who have sung such roles as "Madame Butterfly," and Mimi in "La Boheine," nnd Santnzza in "Cavalleria Rusticana," at thirty; yet this Miss Castles has done with success. Having caught the fever, it must for her be grand opera or nothing. After Saturday's concert the latter docs not enter into tho sphere of our calculations. The concert was distinctly operatic as far as tho vocalists were concerned. Miss Castles, who was given a hearty reception, opened with tho beautiful aria "Ah fors e Lui," from "La Traviala," a favourite with all high-grade sopranos, affording as it does an exceptional opportunity of displaying the entire gamut of tho artist's vocal graces, whilst still retaining a high degree of melodic charm. Miss Castles used her fresh, limpid, clear and ringing soprano with delightful freedom in this number. Her voice is still improving. While the texture of her top register has grown firmer without loss of flexibility, her lower register appears to have gained in strength, nnd expanded in volume. An admirable feature of Miss Castles's equipment is tho perfect control she exerts over her voice in whatever work it is called upon to do. Be it a straight run, a chromatic slur, an exhausting cadenza, a prolonged trill with a curly tail, or a leap to the vocal heights,, the singer showed the same authoritative control—calmly reposeful iii attitude and mien—sure "in her \art. Verdi's aria was enthusiastically received. Miss Castles responded to the clamour with the "Ave Maria" of Gounod, in which her flawless vocalism was diffused with a proper sense of tho devotional. Another recall produced "Love's Whisper," a melodious bit of seutinient by Charles Willeby, whose songs are always tuneful. When Miss Castles appeared a second time it was to burst into the gushing Puccini melody, "Ono Fine Day," from "Madame Butterfly." Fortunately most of those present were familiar with the work, and were able, with tho aid of a short-dated memory, to recall Butterfly's pretty trilling as sho voices her hopes to the "doubting Suzuki that Piukerton will return when tho swallows nest. It is no 6et number, but just the thought of artless little Butterfly set to a stream of magnificent, music, full of tone-colour, and heart-throb, and withal richly, hauntingly melodious. Tho number was sung with the prettiest insouciance, and evoked a storm of applause. A repetition of tho number is demanded of Miss Castles this evening. Bracketed with the "Butterfly" number was the charmingly subdued "Sapor Vorrcsto" of Verdi, in which Miss Castles onco more trilled her way into all hearts. The oncoro number was Kevin's

" Twas April." Why Miss Castles should select _ that time-worn bit of theatrical sentimentality, Tosti's "Good-bye," is incomprehensible. Mclba sung down to the crowd. with it, Calve choked and sobbed through it, aud Miss Castles can"dot' evidently resist HTo* l'iffe ' or this pretty commonplace. Ah encore elicited the quaint trifle, "Philosophy" (Emwell). Miss Castles is not the only star artist in the party. In Mr. Louis" Hattenbach tho audience was privileged to hear one of the finest- 'cellists heard in; Wellington for many years. This artist has a wonderful mastery of technique, combined with the finest poetical temperament. Everything ho plays is invested with an appealing glow which interests and at times enthralls tho audience. Mr. Hattenbach has a fina tone at his command, his phrasing is tho essence of refinement, and tho pianissimo is exquisite in its delicacy. ■ His interpretation of Topper's "Rhapsodic ITongroise" bore the impress of a new and thoughtful individuality. It teemed with finely contrasted emotion's, aud was marked by a rare degree of verve, precision, and tonal sincerity. The player made a direct impression and was accorded a deserved "ovation. Ho' responded with his own sonorous "Albumblaat," a composition of taste and distinction. The 'cellist extended his charm in a "Melodie" by Charpenticr, tho alwayspopular "Souvenir" of Drdla, most exquisitely played, Squire's "Gavotte Humoristiqun, and Schubert's "Cradle Song." Mr. Hattenbach also played the obbligato to Gounod's "Avo Maria" for Miss Castles.

The baritone of tho company is Mr. Alexander Camphausen, who possesses a good resonant voice of singularly even quality, which is used effectively enough, but without distinction. Ho sang in German throughout. There was a Teutonic calm about his operatic interpretation of tho Prologue to "1 Pagliacci,' r hardly in accord with tho Italian ideal, and the samo lack of fire was noticeable in tho Toreador's song from "Carmen." He was better appreciated in the ballad, Bohm's "Still as the Night," and Maudo Valerie White's "Go, Lovely Rose." Mr. Wm. Conway plays accompaniments like an artist—they wcro a feature of the programme. That ho is a serious student was shown in his very able playing of Beethoven's favourite "Sonata in C Sharp Minor," which he played with nice feeling and authority. He was hardly so hnpny in Chopin's "Ballade in A flat," in "which too spark of poetic inspiration is an essential to perfection. Another concert is to bo given at the Town Hall this evening.

This evening Miss Amy Castles will make her farewell appearance. at tho Town Hall, when a programme of very attractive numbers has been arranged. Miss Castles ■ will sing "Cara Nome," from "Rigoletto," Waltz Song, from "Romeo and Juliet" (Gounod), "At Twilight" and '"Tnvas April" (Nevin), and, by special request, will repeat "Avo Maria," with 'cello obbligato. Herr Louis Hattenbach will play new solos, whilst Herr Alexander Camphnwcn and Mr. William Conway will render a new programme.