MISS ETHEL OSBORN

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12094, 23 March 1925, Page 4

MISS ETHEL OSBORN

ARTISTIC LYRIC SOPRANO. THE FIRST CONCERT. Another colonial singer has arisen to take her place amongst the illustrio us ones whose voices have the world. Miss Ethel Osborn, who is in Wellington a second time, was remembered for her almost illimitable, vocal range and the clarity of lier high notes. She retains that magnificent voice, flute-like, rich and full, and that charming, personality, but her. art has developed amazingly. At the Town Hall <m Saturday night Miss Osborn gave her first concert, and she was rapturously applauded by a delighted audience. It was certainly not the fault of her listeners that she left the platform for the last time, after having been most generous with her encores. Miss Osborn is a very versatile singer, but her bird songs, now famous, are the finest in her repertoire. Her singing of ‘‘The Wren” (Benedict) was full of light and shade and delicate touches, and the final trill, sustained to the flute obligato by Signor Truda, was a most artistic and satisfying performance. The placid composition of Saar, “The Grey Hove,” with its gentle love calls, was sung with remarkable facility. A Handel number, “Bend J il Screno,” was infused with warm tone-colour, and Miss Osborn’s treatment of its phrasing would be difficult to excel. Very impressive* was { her singing of BJiinsky-KorsakoSf’s ‘Tho Wounded 3>uek.” A stately trio ofi pieces were “An Eastern Romance (Rimsky-Korsakoff), “Dream Merchandise” (Baillock), and “I Felt Thy Breath Blow Round Me” (Ruibenstoin). The first saw the characteristic pauses, well made, and the phrasing and general effect were very sympathetic- The others were given with chasm and sweetness. The great song of the evening was the aria “Regnava net Siieruaioj,” from “Lucia di Lammermoor.” In this' the singer displayed impeccable technique-. Tire reflective and dreamy passages were softly sung without a trace of vibrato, and then came the brilliant flashes of melody. The climax was sheer joy. Two dainty little pieces, “Grey Clouds” (Maurice Besley). and “The Little Men” (Roger .lalowiez), deserve special mention for their airy and. delicate handling. Mr Tom Williams, violinist, played correctly and with considerable artistry the first movement from Grieg’s “Sonata.” and “Guitane” (Moszkowski), “Obertass” (Wieniawski), and the quaint fascinating “Hejre Kati,” by Hubay. Madame Mario Borman, who skilfully and sympathetically accompanied Miss Osborn, wtus warmly applauded foi her niano soli, among which were “Prelude* op, 2, and No. 20” (Chopin), “Solfeggietto” (Pli. Bach), and “Raindrop Prelude,” by Chopin. Mr William Hunter sang “Youth ’ (Allitsen), and as an encore number “Mother o’ Mine.” Miss Osborn will give her final concert to-night. “BORN RICH” AT THE QUEEN’S THEATRE. “Born Rich,” A film version of Hughes Cornell’s well-known story forms the “star” picture at the Queen’s Theatre this week. The famous artists, Claire Windsor and Bert Lytell, have the i leading roles, and among a strong, cast of supports are Cullen Landis, Doris Kenyon, Frank Morgan, and Maud Turner Gordon. To be born rich and have nothing to do is probably the greatest wish of the majority of mankind, but the story of Chad and Jimmy, Fairfax —so lavishly picturised in this film romance—shows that the hardest workers after all are those who have nothing to do. In the case of the Fairfaxes when poverty came in through the door, love flew in through the window', and a bankrupt Jimmy and Chad found in each other what untold wealth failed to reveal. The supporting Programme includes the latest Topical Budget and- two rollicking comedies, “The Dude” and “Between Showers.” The Queen’s Select Orchestra, under the couductorsliip of Mrs A. Wright, provide a fine selection of bright music. ORGAN RECITAL MR BERNARD PAGE AT TOWN HALL. The popularity of the weekly organ recital given by the city organist, Mr Bernard F. Page, was again made apparent last night, when the Town Hall contained a most appreciative and interested audience, The programme was again a varied one, and the items were selected with both taste and an eye towards entertainment. Bach’s “Toecato and Fugue” in D Minor, a wonderful piece calling for all powers of technique, was admirable, while the other items included Brnhm’s “Romance” (op. 113, No. 5), Holloway’s “Suite Anciennc,” Wagner’s delicate idyll “Siegfried,” Hofmann’s “Scherzo” (op. 70), Claussmann’s “Elegie,” and the symphonic poem, “Danse Macabre” (Saint-Saens, op. 40).