GALLI-CURCI IN LONDON

Evening Star, Issue 18809, 6 December 1924, Page 3

GALLI-CURCI IN LONDON

The amazing scenes in tho Albert Hail when Mine Galli-Curci, America’s greatest singer, gave her first concert in England can bo compared only to a novelist’s idea of a singer’s triumph (says tho ‘ Daily Express '). For two hours 8,000 men and women, packed in tiers to tho great dome, sat under tho spell of her silver voice. Her last song over the audience awakened as if from a trance, and called her again and again. Time after time sho came, kissing her hands, waving her handkerchief. Tho insatiable thousands still shouted and stamped, demanding more. She sat down at the piano, and in a sudden hush sang ‘ Home, Sweet Home.’ A few thousand took the hint; a few thousand stayed on. “ She came, sho sang, and she conquered,” may very well bo taken as a description of Mmo Galli-Curci’s first appearance .’n England at tho Roval Albert Hall (says the Morning Tost ’), And when one sees a singer sitting down to the piano and accompanying herself in ‘ Home, Sweet Home ’ it is not difficult to infer that sho is on very good terms with her audience. This was tho state of the parties at the end of the longanticipated appearance of the famous singer. But in reality she had captured British ears long betore by means of her gramophone records. The audience was a little surprised when a lady in ball dress made her appearance on the platform at •six minutes past 3, for she was of smaller stature than one anticipated and much younger and more vivacious. Then her vocal gifts were sho vn to lie in more directions than had been indicated. In itself her voice is a purely natural soprano, one of invariably pleasing if not remarkably largo quality, used in tho legitimate manner “ on the breath ” so that her vocalisation is effortless. In this GalliCurci is exemplary, and is therefore entitled to the close attention of all interested 111 the art of -singing. Naturalness is the keynote to her singing and permeates all she does, her every action as well as her pitch.