AN AUCKLAND SINGER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13813, 28 July 1908, Page 6

AN AUCKLAND SINGER.

CONCERT IN LONDON. [FROM our own- CO-RESPONDENT.] London, June 19.' Ox Tuesday evening last Miss Mary Cooper —or, as she prefers to be professionally known, Miss Mary O'Connor—of Auckland, gave at the Bechstein Hall a very successful concert. She was assisted, by Mr. Darbishire Jones, a violinist, of considerable reputation. Mr. Cyril Towsey (Wellington) was an able and sympathetic accompanist. Miss O'Connor's voice is of mezzo-soprano quality. "It cannot be said that her methods us at present ordered enable her to make the best use of the inherent qualities of her voice," "remarks the Morning Post, '* It is a mezzo-soprano in character and range, but in the development' Miss O'Connor lias so far undergone attention has been paid to style rather than method. The emission of tone has not been sufficiently studied, and Miss O'Connor has not yet completely acquired the art of 'spinning' or sustaining the tone, which is, the first step the singer has to conquer. As a result her efforts, though clearly guided by artistic judgment and musical sympathy, do not make the effect the fundamental character of the voice leads one to expect. ,By reversing the order of her studies, by leaving 'style' altogether alone, and by gaining real control over every note in her scale, Miss O'Connor should bo able to secure the purely vocal finish she at present lacks. With perfect command of that control she should prove a worthy addition to the already distinguished list of singers from the antipodes." " ' .

The Times mentions that Tosti'a " Mattinata" was encored, " though "the singer was evidently unfamiliar with the proper traditions as to singing the song in strict time throughout. In the well-known scene from Vaccaj's " Giulietta e Romeo," in a Gorman group, and in a couple of Mr. Mailinson's songs, Miss O'Connor showed considerable intelligence, and her enunciation was remarkably clear in all languages." In the opinion of the Daily News Miss O'Connor did not choose a particularly attractive programme; the dulness of the items, however, " could not excuse- her frequent lapses from true intonation. These, it is true, were often very slight, but as they made their appearance in more or less marked degree in nearly everything she sang, they could not altogether be attributed to nervousness." '-."'."'.

. There was a large attendance, and the recital was given under distinguished patronage.