ANTONIA DOLORES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 60, 11 March 1911, Page 5

ANTONIA DOLORES.

Apart from her art Mile. Dolores is always esteemed as a kindly natured genuine lady. The following, clipped1 from the Sydney Morning Herald, needs no explanation;— "Christmas Eve was a memorable one for the women prisoners in the Great Penitentiary at Long Bay. Within the mournful-looking walls of the great building a series of musical entertainments wasi given that would have well pleased the most art-loving section of the community. Mile. Antonia Dolores, who is taking a fortnight's holiday here before leaving for New Zealand, sang in the chapel of the State Reformatory for women at Long Bay on Saturday. At the reformatory Mile. Dolores was welcomed by tfie governor (Mr Geo. Steele) and the matron (Miss Braithwaite), and was joined by members of the ladies' committee of the Prisoners' Aid Society, Mrs Arthur Lassetter (president). In the chapel 174 women listened to the music, the inebriates on one side, and the prisoners in their curious cowl-like sun-bonnets on the other. The French star-soprano threw a wealth of sympathetic significance into the richly rounded tones of her beautiful voice in 'I know that my Redeemer Liveth,' Adam's 'Noel' (in French), Handel's 'Come Unto Him,' and, with violin obligato and organ (Messrs Staell and Hellemann) the GounodBach 'Aye Maria.' The audience heartily applauded every item, and the unaffected and smiling cordiality with which Mile. Dolores responded to every recall put her on friendly terms with all. Mile. Dolores then walked down the long aisle with Mrs Lassetter in order, that all the prisoners might exchange the season s greetings with her, so that the afternoon must have formed a red-letter day in the grey routine of reformatory life." Mile. Dolores sings m Blenheim on TEursday, 16th March. ■