RICHARD CROOKS’S TOUR

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 301, 16 September 1936, Page 3

RICHARD CROOKS’S TOUR

Only Two Concerts in Wellington The world-famous tenor, Richard Crook< is to commence his brief New Zealand concert season at the 'Wellington Town Hall on September 29. Owing to his overseas engagements, Mr. Crooks's stay in New Zealand must necessarily be limited, and only seven appearances will be possible in the whole of the Dominion When Mr. Crooks made his sensational debut at the Metropolitan Opera, something happened that had not occurred since the days of Caruso’s prime. The entire crew of stage-hands gathered in his dressing-room an hour before they were due to report for work, and decorated it with flowers and mottoes and amusing toys, just to please him. Then, three hours later, the vast and critical audience did something else “to please him”—they rose to their feet, shouted and forced the amazed young man to return for thirty-seven curtain calls. Everybody feels that “certain something” that emanates from Richard Crooks, and when he sings there is no great gulf between the footlights and the audience. While singing Beethoven’s song "I Love Thee,'' at a recent recital, a “black alley” feline stalked up the aisle. The audience sat in complete silence, glancing first at the artist and then at the animal, expecting any minute to hear **• attempt to harmonise. But the cat was apparently too charmed to utter even n “meow.” When Mr. Crooks completed his number he nonchalantly turned to the audience and said “We seem to have a guest here who hasn t paid for his ticket I” Preliminary booking lor the two Wellington concerts will now be received at the D.I.C. I