THE FOLI CONCERT COMPANY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9013, 19 October 1892, Page 5

THE FOLI CONCERT COMPANY.

Tin: fourth concert of tho present season of Signor Foil's concert company, given last night, was an exceedingly interesting one. Signor Foli appeared ami sang in his? own perfect manner his allotted solos, sustaining his reputation by capital performances. The great aria "II Monaco," by Meyerbeer, one of the grandest solos written, received an eloquent interpretation. The opening allegro was given with dolorous expression. Most devout was the part " Maria Mar]re l)iletta,"and in the closing allegro the difficult intervals and long-sustained notes were most artistically and faithfully given The audience were so charmed by this masterly performance that they burst into spontaneous applause and recalled the maestro, who then sang the popular Herman melody, "In Sheltered Vale." The famous bass solo by Lo-ler, " The Diver," was so enthusiastically applauded that he had to give in reply the extremely comical Irish air "Father O'Flynn," the rendering of which delighted the audience immensely. Miss Rossow gave the touching and impressive prayer "Allmacht 'ge Jungfrau," from Richard Wagner's great opera Tannhauser, which Elizabeth sings in her solitude to tho Virgin on behalf of Tannhauser the knight and minstrel who has made a pilgrimage to Rome to express his peniionee and confess to the Pope. It was sung with much beauty of voice and intense feeling. The solo is very slow and requires a performer of no mean order to cope with its difficulties. Miss Rossow was most successful, proving herself to be equally able to sing music of a hard and dignified character as efficiently as she does music of a florid kind. Her legato is splendid, whilst her phrasing, intonation, and gradual swelling and diminishing of the voice, proved that she is a highly-finished musician, and has her voice in perfect command. The audience failed to see the beauty of the piece, or the tendering, for it was received most coldly. However, Cowen's lovely song pleased her auditors, who listened throughout to the singer with breathless silence. Pinsuti's favourite air, The Three Wishes," was sung in fine stylo. "The Chorister," by Sullivan, was sung in an admirable manner by Madame Cole, who also gave a very effective rondering of " Love's Old Sweet Song," by Molloy, and in reply to richlydeserved applause she rendered the pretty song, " Listening," by Packer. In the second part, for her successful delivery of the Scotch ballad, " We'd Better Bide-a- Wee," she was again recalled, and sang "Caller Herrin'." Mr. Middloton, the tenor, was only fairly successful in the well-known and much-sung ballad, " Only Once More," by Moir, but in the song, " Mary of Argylc, he was more pleasing, the song suiting his voice and compiles better. Miss Emilia Wood displayed much taste and neatness of execution in her two piano solos, Schumann's " Novelette and t Jottschalk's "II Tremolo. Most effective and finished was the trio, " 1 Naviganti," liandeggor, interpreted by Miss Rossow, Mr. Middleton, and Signor Foli. Tosti's lovely Venetian melody was given with particular grace and charm by Miss Rossow and Madame Cole, the voices blending most exquisitely. Horr Zimmermann is becoming quite a favourite at these concerts. Every time he appears his effort is awarded unbounded applause. He gave a capital performance of Mendelssohn's andante movement of the third concerto, opus 64, and as an encore piece played Schumann's " Abendlied." Admirable tochnique and phrasing were shown in the execution of the mazurka by Wieniawski, and a fine body of tone was produced from the violin. To-night Signor Foli and his company give a grand sacred concert, contributing solos from tho wellknown oratorios.