THE MELBA CONCERTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14499, 16 April 1909, Page 6

THE MELBA CONCERTS

' Many things, if less than all. come to J them thai wait. A Mclla nifjht in remote j bun-Klin _is one of the tiling that, have , to be waited for. .Such an event did occur jsix years ago, and left ils memorable memories, and time, which accomplishes wonders, brought its repetition to pass last evening. '1 he good people of Dunedin, little as it probably troubles 'iiem, have at times exasporalcd more than one musical entrepreneur by their comparative irrcsponsiveness, their slowness to enthusiasm as compared witJi tho more sybaritic throng of some other centres, but they have often shown that 10 i they call ri-so to really great occasions. Were i. [ this the place for it one might fluently disi, | course on the appearance presented by tho ; ferried audience to Ik' seen at the Harrison ;t j Hall last cvning: its murmuring anticipate : tion and unusual approach to brilliance. The f tianin of Melba is. of course, ono to cotijure with, and it is satisfying to think that s her Dunedin welcome was not unworthy of 11 her reputation. It is not for the tinmusicaf to decide ns to what place tho great singers d of a generation should be deemed to hold d among the notables of their day: neither is ;s il to: the musical. It, suUtces to known that h a queen of song such as Madame Melba ;. has her subjects the widu world over, and 2 ihat temporal sovereigns are among those i- that, do homage to her gifts. As was only d to be expected. Madame Melba. sang !s superbly last evening, and not less superbly 0 than any reasonable anticipation looked for. S Her performance evokes the more gratitude '. in its easy disarmament of criticism. Xo- . thing is more satisfying in its way than to r lislon with the sense that what is heard is , 1 lie lii's! ihat can he hoped for. Of Madame , Melbu, the singer, so much has been f written that it seems almost superfluous lo 0 enlarge on the theme. This much can be ; f.aitl, however: that Madame Melba ass.o----:l ciates with the possession of a magnificent. , voc-.il organ a peivonality of uncommonly striking type. Limping slightly last event ing as tho result of her accident in the - south, site lent the studied repose of her 1 attitude while singing a peculiar personal ; fascination of environment. One secret of i her present fame is obvious, and is revealed ; in the quality of her voice. Study may 1 accomplish wonders for the vocalist, but J the voice is, after all, the indispensable 1 requisite for great achievements. In the , case of Madame .Melba its natural and uni cDimnon beauty in a. constant source of t delight, and ils intrinsic melody gives dis- - iinction lo passages in which alt the re--3 sources of art might inevitably fail lo i impress. To every voice it is nor given to ; retain that quality, of youthfuliicss which I is always so attractive when recognised. - The. exception which Madame Melba prci sents in this regard is not among the least • of the charms ot her singing. Fur tho rest , her voice is llie dramatic soprano of all the t crystalline gem-like purity of which we > have had previous experience, while her , tanging seems to have gained au added > warmth of expression and colour as compared • with recollections of it as heard iu Duii- ; cdii:—in all too Jiomueopalhie a quantity, it. i must be admitted for sure judgment,—sonic ! jears ago. Like all great artists, Madame ■ .M'-lta has no mannerisms to speak of. IJcr i \ocal facility is such that the mere technical :■ achievement presented in her performance is apt to escnpc notice l>y reason of the • consummate ease with which difficulties are i surmounted. This is as it should be. Sonn s at. its best should charm by its spontaneity - like that of tho ecstatic lark. When Melba i sings one is convinced that all is perfectly i right, and no singer need look for higher . compliment. In its dramatic side her art . is peculiarly, even starllingly, convincing, . land to hear her in operatic numbers on me i ; concert platform is to imbibe an uncommon , j desire, to hear her in the operatic roles in I which, above all, she has gained hot- repu- ; • tat ion. Last evening's atulicncc accorded Madame Melba an enthusiastic inception, | and found in her singing an inspiration for ; «u unstinted appreciation, which culminated t ■in a furore of applause w'heti hor concluding \ i jjiimbers were reached. It was a matter ; for congratulation that the prima domta'j I prucTtiiiimD selections wore what they were. . ; to wit, the great recitative and aria "Ah 1 | fois e lui" from Verdi's "La Traviata," ■ the Ave Maria" from the same comparer's " Otello," and the famous "Mad Scone" from Donizetti's "Lucia di I,am- c I utwmooi'," The renderings in all eases j | commanded an absorbed interest. In the ■ .first the dramatic contrasts were superbly < j cll'ectivc, the dignified restraint of the in- ; I tcrprctation in the recitative and the melancholy passion of the " A quell' Amorj interpolation paying the way for the aban- < don of the dosing passages of the aria. | ,In response to an imperative encore the ( 'singer gave "Comin' thro 1 the Tyc" in a ] manner which almost transfigured even this * cei'-luickncyetl ballad. Tho "Ave Mark" . which followed was notable throughout for i tho calm, impressive dignity ' of' tho ren- | dcring, ivhioli extracted the lullcst measure | of its possibilities from every note of the , music. The impression of reserve force and absence of noticeable effort w;is here again, t its in the earlier operatic number, munis- , lakablv conveyed, rhis, allied to unusual i beauty and clarity of cmmciatioji, enlianc- f ing tJie general elfect, Demonstratively „ recaJled, Madame Mellrn next delighted Iter 1 hcai'c.tii by a memorable rendering of Tosti', !j Good-bye.' There are few sopranos of parts who do not essay to excel in this ■ familiar ballad, but it is to be hoped that, J having heard it as Melba sings it, one may i bo spared its interpretation by leaser artists tor some time to come. The dramatic intensity of the rendering was itself a rove- v lation, and veritable tears in the voice of ) the singer struck a chord ill the a.udiciicc , that could not but respond. A douDlo encore was tho inevitable result, a charming little French song being the singer's c response to the demand from which there ' was no cscape, Ikr concluding programme ! number must be considered, however Madame Melha's greatest triumph, and was a J superb vocal achievement. The " Mad scene " " from "Lucia." afforded the singer just that * opportunity of displaying to the best adviin'age the resources of her voice and art w which the discriminating among the audi- ' cues hoped for. Its rendering presented an excursion into " the long reaches of the I peaks of song'" which was to a degree memorable and stimulating. Only a Melba r could have done such justice to the won- c derfiil climax, tho purity and sparkle of v the trill? iu tt marvellously-sustained burst J! o! song holding tho audience spellbound, c The etfect of the number was enhanced by 6 tho flute obbligato supplied by Mr Lemmoue, and the blending of voice and instrument iu duct was uncommonly line, albeit the honours to its infinite credit did rest with the former. As a. concluding solo, and in response to a great ovation, Madamo Melba gave Arditi's fascinating waltz song, T "So &ixaii Hose," with a vivacity and I spontaneity entirely delightful. Tho other members ol her concert company lend " Madame Melba able support. Mr Frederick ? Ranalow is the possessor of a. resonant and - flexible baritone voice of particularly agree- ® able quality, and he uses it effectively and , with judgment. He quickly made himself f : popular with his atulicncc. Perhaps the liost of Mr ltanalow's songs was his first— " a taking ballad entitled " I hear you call- " ing me,"—which was artistically and sympa- ~ thetically treated. The vocalist's other programme numbers verc "Thinking of thee" c (Oaro lioma), "The billet doux" (Lchm:inn), and "llecause" (D'Hardelol), the last-named eliciting the compliment of a double, encore. Mr Kanalow gave several 1 additional numbers in response to recalls, B some of which were scarcely worthy of tho •' occasion. The solo pianist of the company, '' Miss Unit Jiourne, created a. favourable impression, ami her renderings displayed ! artistic sense and considerable executive 1 ability. Her selections were Chopin's ' "I'olonaise in A Flat" and Liszt's ! " Ifongroise, N"o. 14." Greater ' crispness of execution would have improved ; the initial stages of the former. For her ' later etfort the pianist was recalled, re- ' spoiuling with an additional solo. The other i 1 solo instrumentalist of the company is Mr 11 Joint Lemmone, under whose .direction ! i Madame Melba makes her present appear- ' I anee. As a flautist Mr Lemmone is in I In: 1 : very first rank, and Dunedin conccrt-gcers were delighted last evening to resume ac- . ''acquaintance with him in such a capacity. Mr 11 Lemiuone's rendering of Briceialdi'sdcscrip- j: tive caprice, "Wind Among tho Trees,' was an effort of the highest artistic skill ' and excellence, charmingly seductive in its j delicate nuances of lone and facile cadenzas. As an encore number ihe flautist gave a 0 taking "Concert Polka," by Kranlz. J, Finally to be mentioned there remains Mr '■ Harold Whittle, the accompanist, who dis- j charged his onerous duties in an unostentatious and 1-ghlv satisfactory manner. 11 Madame Melba's second concert will take c place in the Garrison Hall to-morrow even- " ing.