A GREAT SINGER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23382, 26 June 1939, Page 14

A GREAT SINGER

FAREWELL CONCERT, MADAME LOTTE LEHMANN LARGE AUDIENCE CAPTIVATED Not often can one hope to hear in this part of the world a voice of such glorious perfection as tiiat of Madam Lotto Lehmani!; and, realising this, the people of Auckland made the final concert of her New Zealand tour another memorable triumph. 3'or the audience that filled the Town Hall in every part on Saturday night the experience was a pure delight that will be cherished through the years to come. The pleasure was greatly added to by the charm of the singer's vital personality, and her evident intense absorption in her art. From the first bars of the familiar opening number —Handel's Ombra mai in—to the final encore Madam Lehimuin held her audience spellbound and motionless to catch every note she uttered. She was generous indeed in extent as well as in quality of her programme, and in response to insistent demands added no fewer than nine extra numbers. The enthusiasm of the audience was immediate, and from the very first their eagerness for more was shown in prolonged demonstrations of applause. Singer's Bare Gifts Tn tho earlier part of the evening the singer devoted herself chiefly to lieder, a sphero in which she is supreme. Her choices, in addition to the opening number, were Beethoven's "t 1 jovc You," Mozart's "Cradle Song," Brahms' "0 Death is Like the Cooling Night" and "Cradle Song," Mendelssohn's "On Wings of Song I'll Take Thee," and Strauss' "Devotion." In all these were to be observed her rare gifts of interpretation, her perfection of control and an exquisite j smoothness of quality and delicacy of shade that belong only to the greatest I artists. The power and feeling with j which she rendered "Devotion" made !it a fitting climax that carried the | audience away in unrestrained applause. After the interval Madam Lehmann . gave two excerpts from opera, and : then passed on to render four varied j numbers in English. In Elizabeth's prayer from "Tannhauser" (Wagner) and also in Madeleine's aria from "Andrea Chenier" (Giordano) were fully shown her powers of expressive interpretation. Songs in English Of the four English pieces it would be difficult to say which gave most delight. They were "Tn tho Silence of the Night" (Rachmaninoff), "Romance" fßubinstein), Burns' "Charming C'hloe" (German) and "At- the Well" (Hageman). each of which she gave to the audience charged with her own fresh and vivid understanding of it. Her extra pieces were not less delightful. and it was to a deeply gratei fill audience that sho spoke a few words of friendly farewell. "I will alwavs remember the kindness of the public of New Zealand," she said, "and the beauties or" your lovely country. I hope there will be a time when I can come back to sins to you." As accompanist Mr. Paul THanowslcy fully deserved the prominence ! Madame * always graciously insisted lon giving him when the thanks j and appreciation of the audience were I being expressed. Tt would be difficult to I conceive more sympathetically blended | accompaniments, than those ho provided. His three piano solos —extended 1 to five by urgent request —were studies | of great beauty, executed at times with | amazing technical brilliance. His part lin a great entertainment will be reI mcmbered with gratitude.