EVENING ENTERTAINMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4306, 15 March 1901, Page 5

EVENING ENTERTAINMENTS

MISS KATE COKNELL’S CONCERT. Miss Kate Connell is doing'wisely in . deciding to go to Europe. Hers is a voice which ought to have the advantage of the highest training. It is of delightfully sweet and flute-like quality, and, moreover, it is used with rare intelligence. One is struck, m' listening to Miss Connell, with th-e excellent use she makes of the medium voice. In this she displays the'effect of judicious training, as well as of her own artistic spirit. Young singers, nowadays, too often forgetting: the importance of this reserve, strain after effect, with disastrous results to their voices, and very little pleasure to the listener. Miss Connell sings without any of this strain or strewn Her method shows ~ great _ judgmetnt, whilst it proves that .her training so,far lias been on right lines. Her voice is not powerful, but it is the ideal voice ..for ballad-singing. It is even-and true, and its flexibility is apparent in the ease cf the runs and roulades. Above all, however, she sings with expression, qgd a fine understanding of the spirit of the composer. This " was obvious last night in that lovely “Solvej Song,” which,,is almost enough to make Greig the songwriter of his time, if he had_ given uS nothing else. Undoubtedly this was the bts£ of her. songs.: Her pieces were, representative of many schools. She appeared first of all in Sir H. Bishop’s “Tell mo my Heart,” sung with tender expression, and when' encored, ' gave “Robin Adair,” also delightfully sung.The operatic piece. “Les. Jours de Moil 1 Enfance,” from “Lo'Pre aux Clares,” was semewhaf because it im-‘. pressed one with a sense of effort, in the head nates. It is a song written in the florid style characteristic of this opera, and the runs and other embellishments were daintily sung. Miss Connell gavea charming little lullaby for the encore* piece. When loudly Encored for the Greig song, she replied with “Home, Sweet Home,” given with the utmost taste and appropriate feeling. The freshness and sweetness of her voice, and her intelligent interpretation of -the . spirit.” of a song, so that she seems to live in if, are the characteristic features of Miss Connell’s -work. Of the other singers, Miss Lorraine Tansley, with her strong, well-toned contralto voice, bslame at once popular with the audience. The air from Meyerbeers “Le Prdphete,” “Thou Art my Son,” the encore piece, “Rooked in the Cradle of the" Deep,” and the ballad .“Why must wo-, say Good-bye P” were all given with fer--rour and fine enunciation,- but Miss Pansley’s best song was the ballad of Romberg, - “If all the Stars were Mine,” in encore piece. It was marked by jreat taste and expression, and won ier another recall., One of the most

charming items of the programme, from

the naivete and dainty grace of the player, was the violin performance .of little Miss Irene Morris. Tfcis child shows remarkable promise. For one' so youngj • the freedom of her bowing, the accuracy of her intonation, and the solid tone produced, were surprising. These impressed the hearer with ,tho possibilities which further training will bring forth.and her artless, pretty ways captured all hearts. She was recalled,” and was presented with a wealth of floral offerings. Mr John. Prouse, for his robust Hungarian folk song, won a pronounced encore, and then sang Tosti’s ‘Tor Ever and For Ever,” as;.it has'been seldom sung in Wellington, with all its loving, pathetic / spirit. Having sung “To-mor-row will be Friday.” he was again recalled, and took the audience. by‘ storm, in “I’m off to Philadelphia,”' gaining an-" other recall. Mr E. J. .Hill, always popular with Wellington audiences, was recalled for both' “Doreen” bad “It came with the Merry May, Love.” Herr/Max Hoppe ’ played tastefully a Spanish bolero and Sauret’s “Andante in G Minor,” and was recalled. A duet, a lullahy by Mattel,: was delightfully sung by Misses Kate Connell and 1 E. -Tansley, Misses' Florence Prouse and Winnie Connell played the accompaniments. The Opera House was crowded. It has been decided to give another concert to-night,, and to invito the officers and 100 men of the Seventh Contingent. The attractive, programme-staged at ; the Theatre Royal was repeated last night by Dix’s Gaiety, Company, in the presence of a crowded house. - Fuller’s Bijou Company,, which is prejsenting a capital -bill this week at the | Choral Hall, met with a hcarty receptioij’ from a very largo audience last: night. "

Among the performers at the Irish national' concert in the Qpcra House’to-, v morrow evening will be Miss' V; Mount, Miss B. Vartha, Miss, L. Fraser,.Madamb'Carltoni Messrs W; B.' Cadzbw, 'E. J. Hill and Martyu Hagan. The boxplan is open at the Dresden, and day sale tickets are r procurable at Abel’s, Manners street.