CONVENT CONCERT.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 286, 3 December 1915, Page 7

CONVENT CONCERT.

TRYING OUT THE PUPILS

What struck one first at His Majesty's Theatre lust night was not the large attendance, but the tasterul color-scheme of the decorations of the stage and orchestra well. The Sisters must have had willing and dtft helpers. The festoons of greenstuff and flowers, palms, etc., with the furnishings, gave the stage an appearance of .varmth and color, and this effect was enhanced by the arrangement whereby the company —some 22 in number—were grouped gracefully about the stage throughout the progress of the concert. Half the proceeds were devoted to the Marlborough Wounded Soldiers Fund, - and the result means a" substantial sum for that deserving cause. During the evening .1 decorated Christmas cake, made by Miss K. Keating, was put up to auction. Mr A. It. Thomson was the "happy medium," and opening m breezy style Succeeded in wheedling :CSB 16s" from the pockets of the audience, a sum which Father Fay said he had reasonable hope would be raised to £60 before the close of the concert. The programme was very long, but those responsible for the arrangements behind the stage were good managers, and the audience were let away in fairly reasonable time. There were various choruses and part songs, the best of which were those which opened the programme, "The Cuckoo,'' and "O .Sing to God," in which the soloists were Misses. M. Watson and Ball. The volume and balance showed that there is some, good material in Blenheim for an amateur operatic, company. Misses A. and M. Watson were fully taxed throughout the evening in solo and part singing. Miss A. Watson, who has kept herself in re- s serve for some time, was quite the star of the company, her singing being especially pleasing. The sisters sang the "Venetian Boat Song," and to an imperative demand for more replied with a pretty "Irish Lullaby." Miss M.: Watsoii contributed,' Mattei's quaint "No, no. no," and for an enr cpre gave a charming rendering of "Twickenham Ferry." Mrs, FraserTytler's solo was "At my window," for the singing of which she was asked to sing again, but she,declined the encore.. Mrs Fraser-Tytler was also user iul in the concerted' numbers; Miss F. Langley, a well-known figure at the piano, made her debut as a singer. She has a deep, full voice which is in the process of being ' tried out, and in capable hancjs she should prove an undoubted acquisition to local concert j ranks. Her songs were wisely chosen. { The first was ''Sunshine and Rain," ! the encore number being "Should he j upbraid" (Bishop). Miss Langley also; played a pianoforte solo and with Miss j Ivy Ooker a_/ piano duet. Miss ■ Kathleen Scott-Smith has : wonderfully imprqved= since her last appearance. Her voice, though not strong, is sweet and tuneful, she having apparently overcome her tendency to flatten the upper notes. "Hush, my little one" ' was. a pleasurable effort. This singer: also declined an encore. Miss AJexis Watsoii -was heavily tasked with j Gounod's "0 3>ivirie Redeemer" (with piano and organ accompaniment). It was a rather ambitious effort, but she tackled, it with confidence, and there . was no appearance of straining. Her oncore "Song of Roses" wpn deliA'htfully given., Oiio of th? best things of the night was the qujyrfettrV'..''"P.nter-;" noster," .in..'whit'Jv;.;Mjss A^oxwi^'i^'-in^ sang the solo. V!MisKes E. :Wd M. Ball's ■ duct ''Serenade in Summer" was warnilv applauded, the repeat iiiuuber being "A Rose." Miss M. Ball contributed as a solo "When the flowing tido '" which elicited very" warm expressions of approval. She responded to an imperative recall .witty "Secret or the tide." Miss Kate O'l>wyer is another young ludv who shows marked improvement. S"he gets her notes • without straining, and her voice As: much more flexible than on her previous appearance. Her teachers are'• doing her good. She sang "Sing, J sweet bird,' 'and as.'an encore "The ' world andyod." ; The "Aye Maria" [ trio, by Misses P/Langley and A. and ' M.: Watson, was another item deserv- ■'I- ■ irig special, mention. . Penney 1 was the popular singer of the .evening, i As an encore to "Myrra" she sang ' "ITerbes -of the I>ardanelles," which V suits her/big voice. She was recalled ' many times, on two occasions singing p the refrain again. Her voice was. also : of great assistance in the concerted j woric. Tlie duties of playing the ac-) companiments, always an arduous one i at thrt^e concerts, were shared by Miss j B. Chambers and Miss - F. Langley, j and they were in capable hands. Miss I Langley also played/ the organ accom- j pariiiAents. I