THE MARIE NARELLE CONCERTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2761, 13 February 1907, Page 69

THE MARIE NARELLE CONCERTS.

That the Marie Narelle Concert Company did not exhaust its welcome with the Dunedin public in its recent visit was clearly demonstrated by the largeness of the audience which greeted the reappearance of the popular vocalist at the Princess Theatre on the 11th. inst. Miss Narelle has won golden opinions from lovers of song — of Irish song particularly, — ajid her reception last evening v/as demonstratively appreciative. She was in excellent voice, and gave a capital selection of vocal numbers, being, as gees pretty well without saying, recalled after her every appearance, and sometimes mope than once. Mies Nttrelle's programme items included Needham's " Exile's return," Glover's " Sweet summer bird " (very daintily rendered), " The harp that once," " Father O'Flynn," "Ye banks and braes," and " O'Donnell Aboo." In her humorous Irish numbers she appeared particularly to delight the audience. Her encore selections^ included "The low-backed car," " The dear, little shamrock," " Barney O'Hea," and " The hills of Skye," and, as a response to the long-sustained applause that followed the martial " O'Ponnell Aboo," a familiar Scottish ballad entitled * " Annie Laurie. ' Miss Narelle's artistic consistency and her versatility could not fail to appeal to all in the many and varied numbers mentioned. Mr Chester Fentress, the tenor of the company, lent very valuable assistance in the programme in a number of solos, and took part with Miss Narelle in a particularly meritorious duet, " L'Addio (Nicolai), which had to be supplemented with another duo in tbe shape of an Irish melody before the audience was satisfied. Of Mr Fentress's solo numbers, which were many, " Ihe, wind that shakes the barley" (Bunning), * Cruiskeen lawn," and " Oft in tbe stilly night " were perhaps particularly well rendered. The quality of the singer's voice is exceptionally good, if his methods are a little too studied. Miss Constance Brandon-Usher, the pianist of the company, rendered the piano solos " Wedding Day ' (Greig) and " Caprice Espagnol (Moszkawski) artistically, and made an admirable accompanist.