MISS MARY PRATT.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 833, 5 August 1933, Page 25 (Supplement)

MISS MARY PRATT.

Brilliant Contralto to Give Farewell Recitals. An outstanding musical event of the Grand National Week festivities is the farewell appearance in Christchurch of Miss Mary Pratt, the brilliant Dunedin contralto, who is shortly leaving for Europe. Miss Pratt, supported by Mr Rees M’Conachy, the equally brilliant young violin virtuoso, will give two recitals at the Radiant Hall on Thursday and Saturday next. Miss Pratt has many admirers in Christchurch, and probably no New Zealand artist has won more enthusiastic praise wherever she has appeared. Her wonderful voice, personal charm and artistic expression have been equally delightful to local critics and visiting' professionals of world-wide renown, such .as John Brownlee and Peter Dawson. Mr M’Conachy has recently returned from the United States, where he earned an enviable reputation after four years’ study and professional work as solo violinist with the New York Symphony Orchestra and other musical organisations of world-wide renown. In Rees M’Conachy New Zealand has an artist 'veil jibl© to hold his own with touring violinists, and this is the first substantial opportunity Christchurch will have of hearing lii s brilliant work. In addition to their respective groups of numbers Miss Pratt will render “Angels Guard Thee” (Goddard), with violin cbligata by Mr M’Conachy. Mr W. .T. Spratt, the Christchurch baritone, will sing “Honour and Arms,” from “ Samson,” and “ The Wanderer’s Song.” The accompaniments will be in the capable hands of Miss Blanche Atkinson. The box plan is now open at Chas. Begg’s.