MADAME ALBANI.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6313, 13 September 1907, Page 6

MADAME ALBANI.

A SPLENDID GONCEET, Madame Albani's Concert Company appeared lor the second time at the Town Hall yesterday evening. Although the weather was not such as would tempt anyone to venture out, there was a fairly good attendance, which included his Excellency the Governor, Lady Blanket and the Hon. Kathleen Plnnket. Madame Alhani’a first solo was a delightful aria of Mozart's “Non temer/' an andante movement leading gracefully into an allegretto, in which occurred many passages of : striking brilliancy. number enabled the great soprano to give an admirable exemplification of her remarkable control over a voice such as few singers have been gifted with. .Notes sustained in full tone, melting into trills, and closing with exquisite turns, which none but a finished artiste could attempt, were frequent, but in addition there were diatonic and chromatic scale passages of surpassing ditliculty and beauty. Added to the splendid accompaniment played on the piano by Mr Theodore Hint. Madame Albani had the assistance of a violin obligato given by Mr Haydn Wood, which was as near perfection as could be asked for. Encored, Madame Aibaui was heard to equal advantage in Braga's well-known “Serenata," in which Mr Wood again played an excellent obligato. The diva was the recipient of many splendid bouquets, several of which were presented by the vice-regal party. Miss Mildred Jones, the contralto of the company, created quite a spasm _ of enthusiasm by her splendid rendering of Seeohi’s tuneful aria “Lungi dal care bene," but even that fine effort was eclipsed in her encore number, which was the old-time favourite, “The Banks of Allan Water." Mr William Green's cultured tenor voice was first heard in the famous romance, “Salve Dimora," from Gounod's "Faust." Mr Green's method is artistic in the highest sense of the word, and his fine phrasing and distinct enunciation made the song something worth remembering as a lesson in intelligent vocalisation. Mr Haydn Wood, in addition to the violin obligatos already referred to, gave several solos. Including a set of variations on a caprice of Paganini’s of his own composition. Each of his numbers only served to deepen the impression he made at the first of the Albani concerts. Miss Myrtle Meggy’s pianoforte solos, especially Chip in *6 scherzo in B flat minor, were achievements of which any artiste might well bo proud, and the applause which followed her playing must have convinced this .young pianiste that the people of Wellington can appreciate good -music when it is given to them in the form in which she presents it.