GALLI-CURCI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19061, 4 July 1925, Page 6 (Supplement)

GALLI-CURCI.

BY QUIZ.

Galli-Curci has sung for its! Surely in that small, vivid and radiant personality lies the very spirit of song. On Wednesday evening tho walls of the Town Hall faded from tho vast audience, the pillar:? became vine wreathed, and a cerulean sky opened overhead- Wo were in the Temple of Apollo. For two halcyon hours a nymph of tho God v>f Music sang into our hearts and "gave to rapture ail her trembling strings." Tho flute that sometimes accompanied her was as the iEolian lyre, arid by "Helicon's harmonious springs" did tho magic voice waft us. Through nodding groves, where a thousand sparkling rills laughed, as ran; through verdant vales and leafy dells, did flow the rich strains of that wonder voice. Or, glad and gay,;.with Titania and her attendant sprites we dance. Anon a picture of sunny Spain, with its pretty gitanas and brilliant flowers. The unusual spectacle of a generally self-contained Auckland audience rising to its feet and calling "Bravo, bravo," right lustily and unashamed, did one's heart good. .lust what is it about this particular diva that no one can resist ? Wonderful singers havo visited us; indeed, our o\vn England has produced quite a number. Why d:> they not charm and move us quite as does Galli-Curci? W here did she get that exquisite clarity of tone, mo sweet it almost hurts? Cradled in a land whose sons and daughters lived for art alone, half their lives spent in the great outdoors, they drew exuberant vitality from the sunshine; it became part, of their blood, their very being. Ttaly! Tho home of art, of poets, sculptors, painters, and singers. Raphael, T.eriardo de Vinci, and Michael Angelo all depicted the beauty of tho human form divine, and worked not for gain. GalliCuni sings to the soul. That is the secret, and by the simple, self denying jife she leads one knows she lives for her • hrt alone.

It is a lovely thought of hers that she should consider it. worth while to cross the wide seas to this far-flung isle to give us of her best, to sing to us for a few hours only, eight or ten in all. We aro fortunate indeed, for by the courtesy of this rare singer there yet remains two hours of enchantment. With kindly grace she breaks a rule to please us. She will sing for us once more as she passes through. Then the wonder-visit ends. True, wo have imprisoned the golden voice, and many a time will we hear the exquisite echo, but glad indeed have we been to behold tho never-to-be-forgotten living personality of Galli-Curci. We women thrill with pride when to one of our sex is given the power to sway the hearts of thousands. "This vital spark of heavenly flame" must silence all praters of the equality of the sexes, for art is sexless and divine.