STELLA POWER

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 103, 29 October 1923, Page 2

STELLA POWER

THIRD RECITAL

Stella Power added new lustre to her reputation in Wellington at her third concert in the Town Hall on Saturday night. The same indeed might be said of her co-artists, Mr. Harold Beck and Mr. William James, the appreciative audience demanding encore's and double encores throughout the evening. " Perhaps the most successful of. a noteworthy series,! the third concert was rendered the more notable by the inclusion of organ accompaniment by Mr. Bernard Page, City Organist, and the reappearance of Signor A. P. Truda, who rendered flute obbligati in "Charmant Oiseau" and "Lo, Here the Gentle Lark." The features of the evening were Miss Power's singing of Gounod's "Aye Maria" (with 'cello, piano, and organ accompaniment), and, by request, Felicien David's "Charmant Oiseau." In the former, the beautiful blending, of the instruments, the rolling notes of thg organ, the majesty and purity of the composition, and then Miss Power's voice rising clear above the setting, enthralled everyone. But it was in the singing of "Charmant Oiseau" that the audience was roused to highest enthusiasm. The song seemed composed for the singer, its brilliant passages giving full scope to Miss Power's remarkable range and capacity. The unsatisfied audience, calling for encores, Miss Power sang "Lo, Here the Gentle Lark" I (Bishop) and "By the Waters of Minnetonka." Miss Power also Eang the ana, "Eegnava nel Silenzio," from "Lucia di Lammermoor" (Donizetti), and ! in English, "Do not'go my Love" (Richard Hagemann); "Nightfall at* Sea" (Montague Phillips) and "Spring Waters" (Rachmaninoff). Her encores were "La Danza" (Rossini), "Se Saran Rose" (Ardti), "The Night Wind" (Roland Farley), Gounod's "Serenade" and "Annie LaurieJ' Mr. Harold Beck scored a distinct triumph in the violoncello "Aria" (Bach), with Mr. Bernard- Page at the organ.Mr. Beck played with artistic feeling, bringing out all the rich beauty of the composition. The accompaniment was masterly. The solo was repeated in response to insistent demands. Popper's "Hungarian Rhapsody," for the 'cello, i brought forth a fine display of technique ] and a perfect sense of feeling. The encore was Handel's "Pastqrale." Mr. James played a prelude (Debussy), "Improvisando" (Mangiagalli) and "Toccata" (Mangiagalli) with fine appreciation of values. He was particularly successful in capturing the reverie spirit of "Improvisando" and the Bprightliness of the Toccata, compositions for the first time played in New I Zealand. ' The rippling quality of the "Shadow Dance" (MacDowell), and the pensive interpretation of "To a Water Lily," by the same composer, won him enthusiastic appreciation. His playing of MacDowell's "Hungarian" was a brilliant exposition. His encores were "Poupee ■ "Valsante" (Poldini) and Liszt's fifteenth "Rhapsodic Hongroise."

TQ-NIGHT'S PROGRAMME.

A feature of the programme-for Miss Power's concert to-night is tfte performance of three popular operatic arias, the "Mad Scene,'.' from "Lucia di Lammermoor," with flute obbligato, which created such a favourable impression at. a previous concert, the . famous >'aria--"Depuis le jour," from Charpentier'6 j opera "Louise," and "Una voce poco fa," from Rossini's opera "The Barber of Seville." Other numbers include' a' group of French songs and the English songs "Ecstasy"- (Hummel!), "The Piper or Love" (Molly Carew), and "Spring Morning" _ (Carey), etc. Mr. William James's pianoforte solos will include "Le Coucou" (Daquin), "Scherzo" ■ (Scarlatti), "Etude en Octaves" (Alkan), "Gopak" (Moussorgski). "Poupee Valsante" (Poldini), and Chopin's "Waltz in.'D Flat." Mr.' Harold Beck will contribute 'cello solos. , Mr. E. J. Gravestock announces' that' owing to. the success of the Stella Power -I concerts he has. arranged three extra concerts; to be given in the Town<,Hajl Concert Chamber (the large hall not being available), on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday'evenings next. The box plans for all the concerts are now available at, The Bristol, the day sales are at the Blue Bird Confectionery, next to the Grand Opera House.