JUBILEE SINGERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2355, 13 April 1899, Page 47

JUBILEE SINGERS.

The memory of the delightful entertainments provided by the Jubilee Singers on their pre--vious visits to Dunedin ensured a large attendance and a hearty -welcome for the company directed by Mr Orpheus M'Adoo at their opening concert in Dunedin, which was given in the Princess Theatre on Monday night. The company do not, however, need to rely for their claims to public support on the successes achieved by ; their predecessors. On their own merits j they may look for, and they will receive, the patronage of music-loving people and of those who appreciate an entertainment that is j absolutely what ia claimed for it — a thoroughly j clean and wholesome entertainment. It js well that it should be made perfectly clear in the first place that this company differs <jomewhat in its personnel from each 61 tho previous companies of Jubilee Singers that have visited us, and the class of entertainment that is .provided is also somewhat different. 'J'he programme now has one part devoted to the jubilee melodies and plantation songs v.ith which the original Fisk Singers, headed by Mr Loudon, so strongly impressed colonial audiences, but these delightful aongs are rendered with the same striking effect now as then. The second portion of the programme is more varied, and comprises not only ballads and humorous secular selections, but also a downright comedy " turn " and an exhibition of remarkably clover jugglery. The vocal gifts of the Jubilee Singers, it may bo at once" said, *re more advantageously employed in the melodies with which their names are particularly identified than in English balluds. Even in these latter distinct successes were achieved by members of the company, but it is the i former clusa of songB — the quaint and eccentric ] songa which were the spontaneous products ■ of camp meetings as distinguished from the j carefully written songs of musical composers— ! that they have made peculiarly their own. In these jubilee melodies they are unapproached, and probably will always remain unapproachable. " Steal away to Jesus," " There's a camp meeting in the Promised Land, and " Roll, Jordan, JRoll," are admirable types of these songs. They are almost familiar now, but they never Beem to lose their freshness, and they certainly retain all their irresistible attractiveness. In the rendering of these numbers, with their curious rhythm and fantastic wording, the Singers attain to the highest level of efficiency in chorus singing, their execution being remarkably fine, and their observance of the delicate niceties of light and shade perfectly true. These choruses with " Hear them bells " and " Brother Michael, hand down that robe " in last night's programme were all received with the most encouraging plaudits, and they were nearly all redemanded — indeed, recalls and double recalls followed, almost without exception, tho whole of the items in the entertainment. A chorus of an entirely different character was that with which the second pait of the programme was opened, this being ft vocal interpretation of Strauss's " Blue Danube " waltz. This, sung with all the requisite awing and gaiety and with the suggestion of reckless irresponsibility, was irrcstibly redemanded, and for tho repeat number the ludicrous sketch to the music of " The old folks at home" was given. While the . combined efforts of the members of the company in their chorus-singing are so undeniably successful, there are individual members who acquit themselves with great credit in the rer-dering of solos. Mr Eugene M'Adoo, whose basso profundo was extremely serviceable in the choruses, sang the plantation solo " Massa'3 in tho cold, cold ground " with splendid effect, an.l Mibs Marshall Webb, who is the possessor of an admirably-trained light contralto voice of great sweetness, created an exceedingly favourable impression with her singing of " Tho songs that I love best. ' Miss Robinson, Madame M'Adoo, Miss Anderson, and Miss "Webb gave an excellent rendering of a special arrangement of ' The lo3t chord." In Madame M'Adoo the anomaly of a lady tenor is presented. That she is a tenor is undoubted. It is in the upper register that the true tenor is tho more clearly shown, it is in tho lower register that her voicfe is the more powerful. Her intonation is capital, and her enuriciation admirable. In " Come into the garden, Maud " she was very successful, and a double encore awaited her, a jodelliiig song which was given as a, repeat number being so effectively rendered that the audience would not let her go until she had sung the " Cuckoo " song. Miss Susie Anderson (described as America's black Melba) received a similar compliment after her rendering of " Queen of the night," in "which she showed that she has a powerful and flexible soprano voice of noticeable purity and sweetness. . Mr R. H. Collins, who sang very effectively a couple of charming coon songs, has a capital tenor voice of considerable volume and range. The Orpheus quartet, comprising Mr C. A. White (the musical director), Messrs Nbtt, Collins, and Eugene M'Adoo, created a considerable amount of amusement with their quartet, " Bingo," which is of the nonsensical order. Ten minutes' hearty fun was provided by Mr Jerry Mills, whose specialty business was as clever as it •was droll. The difficulty of standing on one's liead without support and of turning somersaults without the use of the hands appears to have been overtaken by this performer. The audience were loth to part with him, and, returning to the stage, he gave a capital display of high kicking. The juggler of the company, Jalvan, introduced an exceedingly bright and Bkilful exhibition of his art. His work was remarkably cleverly done, and Borne of his feats were certainly as good as have ever been done here, his balancing achievements at once

causing astonishment and extorting admiration.