THE SECOND TIME

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12508, 26 July 1926, Page 2

THE SECOND TIME

"PAOLO AND FRANCESCA." At the request of tie composer, the Wellington Harmonic Society gave a second performance of Mr Claude Haydon’s opera, "Paolo and Francesca" on Saturday evening. The work suffered adverse crticism. on its first 'production, but there can be no doubt that it.possesses a good deal of charm and contains some effective writing. It is not great, but some of it is distinctly good. On a 6econd hearing those things remain the same; ‘'What shall I 6ay to Thee?" the “Merrily Dancing" chorus, “Oh, Melody thou Sweet, and Tender Bond/' the finale to art two. Here is inspiration. On the other hand some of the recitative is poor. Giovanni's soloquy, “I Strive to Banish Ghastly Fears in Vain," does not come off well, and Faolo proves a singularly ineffective lover If the music is better than the drama that is not to be wondered at since one is puzzled at the fact that Mr Haydon could obtain the slightest Inspiration from a work as bad at Vidler’s “Rose of Ravenna," on which the opera is based, it is the production of a man wno imagines that poetry is made when ends oi lines rhyme. Thus it is that the garden scene, the climax of the drama, which one approaches expecting much, is weak and disappointing. The climax is no climax, there is no hint of tnc rapture of love confessed, the whole scene is singularly undrnmatic. and u is no marvel that the composer could do little with such poor material. Yet ho concludes with an unaccompanied choral epilogue which ranks with the best thingß of the work. Opera, of course, as Mr Roland Foster once* remarked, is written for the world's best voices. Therefore, Mr Haydon may not be reproached for the fact that he has made melodies which few singers can face, because of their domand6. It is common with composers who do not know a great deal of the voice to ask singers to work. There is the Haydon stamp on the music, too, most pronounced in Reppo's song, “A Madly Mocking Sprite." Quite obviously the Harmonic Society was rather put to it to obtain the necessary soloists. The best of these were Miss Myra Sawyer (Francesca). Mr Frank Bryant (Paolo), and Mr E. W. Robbins (Beppo). Mr Temple White conducted. and the pianist was Mr Harold Whittle. ____