VIENNA BOYS’ CHOIR

Evening Star, Issue 22209, 11 December 1935, Page 13

VIENNA BOYS’ CHOIR

ANOTHER MUSICAL TREAT TEe enthusiasm which has beei< aroused by the visit of the Vienna! Boys’ Choir to Dunedin showed no( sign of abating last night, and thebfi entertainment was Riven to another large audience in His Majesty’s Theatre.* The perfect blend of voices_ in classic, operatic, and other composition* was a treat to all lovers of good musicWhen to this, however, was added th* attractive and colourful costumes worn! in the operetta, as well as evidence ofl accomplished and finished acting on th* part of the boys, the evening became ai memorable one. Though the choir had given a matinee performance in th«' afternoon, -at which over 1,000 pupil* from the various Dunedin schools were present, it showed not the slightest strain or fatigue, the boys again singing with appealing charm and grace,; Again the programme opened with a' group of classical numbers, in which were included ‘ Haeo Dies ’ (J. Callus) , ‘ Asoendit Deus ’ (J. Callus), the! Holy Grail scene from * Parsifal ** (Wagner), and ‘Dio Ehre Gottes< (Beethoven). These numbers, which were unaccompanied, were most impressively rendered and enthusiastically, encored. The operatic section of the performance was devoted to the performance of Haydn’s one-act ‘ Der Apotheker ’ (‘ The Apothecary ’)- This revealed the boys as actors a* well as singers, both the drama and the music calling for skilled interpretationSolos, duets, trios, and choruses were! interspersed in the opera, which wa« bright, humorous, and colourful. Wellmerited applause greeted the conclusion! of this excellent performance. A solo.‘Hark! Hark! The Lark ’ (Schubert),was charmingly sung by, one of the boyi in costume. A delightfully balanced performance was given of the Ohorud of the Messengers of Peace from Wagner’s ‘ Rienzi,’ in which there was *1 wonderful blend of tone. Highly popJ ular with tHe audience was an artistically coloured rendering of Strauss’* ‘ Tales from Vienna Woods,’ and th* ‘ Blue Danube ’ also aroused enthusiasm. There were other numbers in' which the lads showed brilliant singing,, and the unaffected manner in which! they displayed their artistry made al profound impression. v ; . The cEoir will gitfe its final perform-ance‘to-night.