SAPIO-URSO CONCERT COMPANY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9581, 4 August 1894, Page 5

SAPIO-URSO CONCERT COMPANY.

Last nighb ab the City Hall the SapioUrso Concert Company gave their fourth concert of the season, and achieved another triumphant success. The programme was of great excellence and immensely enjoyed by the audience, who were mosb lavish in their demonstration of approval, while some very choice baskets of flowers were handed to the artistes during the performance. The piece da resisttance of the programme was the magnificent rendering given by Madame Sapio of Donizetti's great aria, " II Dolce Suono,' which for beauty, power, richness of melody and dramatic expression, few solos can rival, and is a scena which is always revelled ,in by great singers. Madame Sapio gave full scope to her emotional powers in this, and sang with a truth and force of expression which aroused the audience to an exceptional display of en- . thusiasm. In reply to an imperative recall the singer gave Thomas's ballad "Summer Night. Her next solo was the woll-known aria " With Verdure Clad," from the "Creation," a composition of which Haydn (the writer) was very fond. It was rendered with rare vocal grace, the performer employing her beautiful voice with in-, variable taste and aplomb, and was listened to with profound silence and the most scrupulous attention. After it was over she was re-called again and again amidst hearty plaudits, after >Svhich she appeared, and contributed. a lovely ballad composed by Signor Sapio, called Spring." Madame Urso's principal violin solo was the difficult sonata of, Rubenstein's in 0, opus 13, which received a faultless and masterly delivery, and the piano part was skilfully executed by Herr Soherek. At the close the executants were thrice recalled. Equally meritorious were the interpretations given of Chopin's "Nocturne" arranged by Wilholmj and Wieniawski's grand fantasia on airs from Gounod's "Faust." As encore pieces to these a Chopins' . yalse, and . " The Last Rose of Summer" were; given. Two piano duos, namely, Wagner's " Dutobman" and Raff's " Fisherman of Procida" were played with great taste and preoision . by Signor Sivpio and Herr Scherek,' and loudly applauded, and the last-named received an imperative recall for his exquisite performances on the piano 'of Lasren's " Melodie" and Paderewski's '" Minuet," which were . bracketed together, and as an encore gave a mazurka by Godard, , A very enjoyable evening terminated with a charming performance of alovelvair by R. Sapio called ""Faith is the Polar Star," nung by Madame Sapio to a delicious accompaniment given by Madame Urso (violin), Signor •Sapio (piano), and Herr. Scherek (organ). For to-night's conoert an excellent programme has been arranged, when Madame Sapio will sine," I Know that my Redeemer Livetb," and Madame Urso contributes some first-class violin solos. ; .'