MADAME BURTON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7030, 8 December 1890, Page 1

MADAME BURTON.

THE FIFTH CONCERT. The fifth of the Beries of concerts given by the Madame Burton Company drew a fairly good attendance at the Oddfellows' Hall on Saturday night, the back portions of the hall being well filled. The appreciation, displayed by those who were present was as demonstrative as on previous evenings. The first of Miss Col-bourne-Baber's solos was Benedict's " The Bird That Came in Spring," a florid composition, that proved the lady to have considerable power of execution. The persistent applause of the audience showed their appreciation of the performance, and the singer gave a coquettish little Bong, " Oh the Lads of the Village," with arch expression. For her singing of (irounod's " Aye Maria," accompanied as before by violin (M. Poussard), piano (&Ir Bradley), and organ (Mr G. H. Normington) she scored a vociferous recall. Giodani's contralto song "Caro Mio Ben," gave Madame Burton ample opportunity of displaying the roundness of her cultivated voice. In response to the inevitable encore which followed, she aang "Three Fishers Went Sailing," infusing rare pathos into the closing cadences of each verse. Cowen's " Better Land " again enabled Madame Burton to prove the fine balance of her beautiful contralto, and to rouse the audience to a pitch of enthusiasm. She Bang the old ballad " She Wore a TTreath of Eoses," with perfect style and inflection of voice, again receiving the wariaesb applause. Fesca's " Gipsy Maiden," a very difficult catchy song, was Mr Stockwell's first bolo, in which he was scarcely bo pleasing as in moat of his efforts; but with Blockley's " The Englishman," he made ample amends, and was recalled several times for a really capital rendering of that spirited song. With Mies Colbourne-Baber, Mr Stock well took part in the "Miserere" scene from Verdi's II Trovatore, of which the trying music was dramatically rendered. It should have previously been remarked that in the duet from Wallace's Maritana, "Sainted Mother," the voices of Miss Colbourne-Baber and Madame Burton blended with telling effect. A rippling little melody of Chopin's served to show Mr Frank Bradley's very artistic pianoforte playing, M. Poussard was as generous as usual with his violin music. He played a pretty little " cradle song " of Beber's, and a strikingly fantastic " Hungarian dance" of Brahms, adapted by Joachim; and, encored, a dainty little " canzonette " of his own ; with Mr Bradley, a fantasia on airs from La Sor.nambula ; finally, Paganini's famous bolo, "The Carnival of Venice." Each item was very appreciatively received. The last but one of these charming concerts, prior to the departure of the company for Dunedin, will be given this evening, when the Christchurch Orpheue Quartet, in compliment^ to Madame Burton, will sing some English glees, An almost entirely new programme will be presented, the repetitions being the aii " Che Faro," from GHick's Euriclice (whicli was sung by the gifted contralto at her first concert), and M. Horace Poussard' s "Scotch Carnival." Madame Burton's other numbers will be Molloy's " Kerrj Dance," and a song " Oh, Leave Me Not,' by Miaa Alice Kowley, of Christchurch.