FOR THE RADIUM FUND

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 151, 20 March 1924, Page 8

FOR THE RADIUM FUND

MISS VAN STAVEREN’S CONCERT After a long silence Aliss Adelaida Van Staveren gave a concert last evening in the Town Hall in aid of the Radium Fund, but it is mentioned with regret that the patronage accorded was scarcely commensurate with the worthiness of the object. Aliss Van Staveren is a dramatic contralto of good range and power, who reaches the top of per powers in certain operatic numbers, as she demonstrated well last evening'. ■ Her first bracket consisted of no fewer than three big bers from grand opera, and four ballads, so it will be seen that she did not spare herself, and the effort, truth to tell, did make demands upon her tone. The operatic arias consisted of th o melodious “Connais tu le Pays, from Thomas’s , “Afignon, Softly Awakes Aly Heart” (from &aint ; Saens’s “Samson and Delilah), and “0 Don Fatale” (from Verdi s Don Carlos”). Of these she certainly was most impressive in the highly _ declamatory Verdi number which is rich ’in that passionate self-denunciation so common to tho Latin penitent. The ballads were “Star Vicniq (Rosa), “Homing” (Teresa del Riego), and “Three Fishers” (Hullah)._ AA'ith the last-mentioned song the singer took considerable liberties. Miss Van Staveren’s opening Part of the programme was the “AVitches’ Interlude, from Parry’s “King Saul.” Two song*, sung in Russian, were By the Borders of the Don” (Moussorgsky) and “Still Life” (Jacobsen), neither or which was melodious. After these the solemn glory of In Questa Tomba (Beethoven) came cool and sweet to the ear. and it found the singer in the mood to give the number its full value Miss Van Staveren also sang the “Seguidilla” and the “Canzonet Bohemian” (from Bizet’s “Carmen ). Miss Van Staveren was assisted by Mr Bernard F. Page* who played rather terrifyingly the “Coriolan overture (Beethoven). Rebikoff s “Psychological Poem,” “Lo Genie qt la Mort.” a rather gruesome analysis in music of a man’s death. Av 'ray of light relief Aliss Nosta CarwelLCooke danced a IT'ingarian fandaugo (in costume) More some imaginary brigands, to a Brahms dance, played by Misb Joan Evans. Mr. Harold Whittle was at the pianoforte.