MADAME MELBA.

Evening Star, Issue 14037, 19 April 1909, Page 6

MADAME MELBA.

+ The second and final concert by Madame Melba and company in the Garrison Hall on Saturday night was a success both as to music and money. Only a. few chairs in the guinea quarter were vacant. Madame was welcomed like a queen. The charm tf Chopin, as interpreted by Miss Una Bourne, pianiste, was still keeping the appreciation of the audience warm and clamorous when the famous singer appeared somewhat unexpectedly. She paused momentarily, as might a stranger on a highway confronted with cross roads. The pause was not a pose. The same steadying halt is common with the lame as they decide to go a given distance quickly. She walked slowly forward, limping noticeably, and seemed glad to lean her right hand heavily on the back of a chuir behind a palm Then she smiled as one just home from afar to friends. Her manner was very agreeable, and free from affectation, being easy, and touched but a little with the confidence of tried, successful experience. And as she stood there smiling—a fine figui-e in red, with the shimmer oj jewels playing about the dark abundant hair piled on her head—the audience clieered with rare singleness and unrestrained heartiness. Then all was still for a moment. The anticipation of the audience could almost be felt. Presently the place rang with haunting song, clear and exquisite as the singer sang Ambroise Thomas's mad scene from ' Hamlet.' Everyone was charmed. They had heard something to remember. Sorrow and joy. election and passion bad been mingled! together j in artistic proportion, and sung beautifully. Applause burst forth like tropica! hail, and Madame Melba came again and sang Guy D'Hardelot's ' Three green bonnets,' not quite so well, but with winning charm. She declined the inevitable recall tirailv but pleasantly. Later the desire of the audience was humored liberally, when madame, after singing Tosti's 'Good-bye' with rare expression, until the false "sob was introduced, returned twice, and gave a pretty song about the note of a bird down in a forest • and ' Coruin' thro' the rye.' With the latter song she obviously won the men. Her plavfu! coquetry was delightful. Her Scotch, "too, was distinctly superior to the colonial brand. The way she sang "need a body! tell" was charming. Madame's last number for the night was 'Lo! here the gentle lark' (Sir H. Bishop), the flute obligate played by Mr John Lemmone. The harmony of voice and flute was not perfect, the voice spoiling the flute; still the effects were beautiful. It was a delight apart, and never to be forgotten by those who heard. The audience tried desperately hard to gain a recall, but failed. Madame smiled and smiled, bowing acknowledgments behind a tower of floral tributes, her laughing lips shaping the words "No more." She was firm, and there was an end of the matter. The other members of the company achieved success, and gave full satisfaction. Miss Una Bourne was notably successful with her pianoforte selections, which were Chcpin's ' Etude' (Op. 25, No. 1) and the ' Grj;id valse in A flat,' and later Zanella's * Minuetto' and Vogrich's ' Staccato"caprice,' and an encore numbeT. Mr Frederick Ranalow was so agreeable that he had to exactly double the number of his songs on the programme. Had he answered the will of the audience twelve songs! instead of eight would have been his portion. The best of the eight, which were all good, were Thompson's ' Emblem,' Ghaminade's " L'amour captif.' and 'The sands o' Dee' (Clay). Mr John Lemmpne, in addition to sharing largely in the final triumph with Madame Melba. won a recall by his beautiful rendering of Wetzger's idyll 'By the brook.' Mr Harold Whittle, as accompanist, did his share of the entertainment faultlessly.