MUNICIPAL CONCERT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19311, 26 April 1926, Page 6

MUNICIPAL CONCERT.

B 4$ ] GRAND OPERATIC NIGHT. The popularity of the programmes preseated under tUe auspices of the Munici--3 pal Band remains undiminished, judging r by the large and enthusiastic audience at the Town Hall on Saturday evening. This , time operatic selections;, many of them familiar, formed the mainstay of the cony cert. Interspersed with the band items 1:1 were a number of vocal solos which were also much appreciated and encored. The Municipal Band, conducted by Mr. ' Christopher Smith, showed a high stand- * ard of interpretation in its special con- ' tributions. After a spirited performance of the popular " March " from Wagner's " Tannhauser " in which not a point was missed, the instrumentalist submitted a sterling delivery of the overture to the same composer's " Rienzi." This, traversing as it did many of the salient features of the opera itself, was listened to with rapt attention. Rienzi's impres--1 sivo " Prayer " motif was handled with J commendable light and shade, while tho " Allegro " movement, with its rel'erences to the opening devotional theme. s and the brighter melody at, the end of the. sc-eond act, as sung by the Romans, was given with finished technique. The r coda was also particularly well done. .\ i- selection from Wagner's " Lohengrin " e brought into prominence many of the finer themes from th* opera, and the closing arrangement of airs from Gounod's e " Faust " showed tho versatility of the s executants. Somewhat of a novelty was i. tho treatment of the " Miserere " scene from Verdi's " II Trovatoro " with special solo work by Messrs. T. 11. Maloy and 0 Fred Bowes. This roused great enthust iasm. The cornet solo " Come Per Me t Sereno " from Bellini's "La Sonnambula" a was played with reliable intonation by e Mr. Fred Bowes. Miss Mina Caldow, as contralto r soloist sang with understanding, and t warmth of tone the excerpts, " 0 Love, y from Thy Power " from Saint-Saens's t " Samson and Delilah," and tho more e capricious " Habanera " and " Seguidille " from Bizet's " Carmen," and was o heartily encored. ; As tenor soloist Mr. Jean Dellore exhibitod an agreeable vocal quality in ,f " Your Tinv Hand is Frozen " (Puccini), e and "On With the Motley," from Leont cavallo's " Paglirteei " sung in the first part of the programme, lie subsequently e. scored well in the bracketed numbers: p " Strange Ilarniony " and " When the d Stars were Brightly Shining " both being from Puccini's "La Tosca." Mr. Delloro was the recipient of warm recalls. Mr. Leo Whit taker's task as accompanist was no sinecure, and he is to be y congratulated upon the musicianly support ha gave to the soloists*