METROPOLITAN OPERA SINGER

Evening Star, Issue 22004, 13 April 1935, Page 10

METROPOLITAN OPERA SINGER

GRACE MOORE IN • ONE NIGHT OF LOVE ' ‘One Night of Love,’ which is still proving popular at the Grand as a return feature,' .has been hailed as one of the best musical films seen in Dunedin. One of the reasons for the high reputation of this fine production is the magnificent singing of Grace Moore, the Metropolitan Opera star. She is known in the world’s musical centres, where she has appeared on the operatic and concert stage, and she now achieves the heights of scicen staidom because of her superb portrayal in ‘ One Night of Love.’ Features of her performance are her bright and engaging personality and exceptional acting ability in a role which gives her amide scope for light-hearted comedy, pathos, and romance. t ‘ One Night of Love is, of course, Grace Moore. One asks nothing better. The story traces her rise from a small town girl singing at a competjtion to prima donna at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, singing, as the film concludes, One line Day’ from ‘Madam Butterfly.’ Artfully, but with considerable effect, the director shows his audience the development not only of his chief character’s fortunes, but her voice. And what a voice! How many international prima donnas could play a perfect Carmen and a perfect Madame Butterfly ? Such a feat requires more than a Covent Garden standard soprano voice: it requires the histrionic qualities we ask of first-rank actresses. Grace Moore amazes one with the ease with which she accomplishes her difficult task. She dashes off the ‘ Habanera ’ with wild abandon, leaving one thrilled by her coloratura work, gives to ‘ The Last Rose of Summer’ a poignant sweetness and lays bare the tragedy of little Butterfly in the glorious music of her entrance song and the haunting 1 One Fine Day.’ A really attractive array of short subjects is headed by a comedy entitled ‘ That’s Gratitude.’