NEWUURY SPADA-CORRICK CONCERT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 4925, 15 January 1902, Page 3

NEWUURY SPADA-CORRICK CONCERT.

It is some seven years now since Mr Newbury and MalameSpada's previous visit to Livvrenco and ou thai occasion '.hero was only one opinion and that a very ! lph one as to their powers as singers. Indeod tbfy achieved such a triumph and left such a reputation and a memory behind as possibly no other members of their cra f t who have ever appeared before an audience here have done Id is therefore easy to understand Iho anticipations that heralded their second appearance on Monday evening. And to those who had the pleasure .of being present on this their more recent and, let us hope, not their last appearance, there is no necessity to say that these anticipations were very fully and pleasantly realised. There was a large audience and during the evening the applause was almost continuous and at times demonstrative to a degree seldom experienced. Of tho Corrick Family no previous opportunity had been pre>onted to form an opinion of their powers as entertainers. They showed thembelves, however, on Monday evening to bo an exceedingly talented and versatile family. Both their combined and individual performances were alike clever and entertaining and at times amusing and they came in for a very large share of applause that was crirtainly well deserved. Their opening instrumental part (" The Bohemian Girl") in which the whole family engaged gave at onco satisfactory and entertaining proof of the possession of cultivated musical talent, the audience warmly applauding. 'I he Family also gave a very pretty rendering of" Jingle Bells " which was much appreciated by the audience. Madame Emily Spada, who was cordially received, sang in a faultless manner '♦ Angels ever bright and fair," and as an encore " N"o, sir," both songs apparently delighting the audience, Miss Ruby Corrick following with a cornet solo, " The lost chord," which was very finely played and stirred the audience considerably. Mr Philip Newbury's appearance was accompanied by a demonstrative welcome from the audience and his rendering of " The message" led to a further display of enthusiasm which in no way diminished at tbe conclusion of his encore number " Annie Laurie," the delicate shading of his Doric being a particularly noticeable feature of this beautiful old ballad. "The beating of my own heart," by Miss Alice Corrick, evoked a good deal ot applause as did also her repeat number " Soldiers in the park," with cornet accompaniment. The duefc, " Home to our mountains," by Madame Emily Spada and Mr Newbnry, was an exceedingly fine piece of concerted singing, the audience being somewhat disappointed at the inability of Madame Spada to comply with their demand for an encore.

The second part opened with a selection on the hand bells by the Corrick Family, which was lacking in neither the essentials nf time nov harmony, being altogether a perfect display of hand bell ringing, and was followed by the appearance of Miss Ethel Corrick in the song " Keep on the sunny side " and an encore song " A bicycle built for one," both songs being nicely sung but, perhaps, in some respects somewhat in advance of the years of the young lady. Then followed Mr Newbury's rendering of the song " Then you'll remember me," a piece needing a high degree of artistic taste and feeling as well as cultivation for its successful execution. But Mr Newbury was more than equal to his task, which was especially visible in the perceptible ease with which ha took the ascending notes as well as in the general treatment of the song. There was, of course, a vociferous encore, to which he responded with " Sally in our alley," which must be taken from the demonstration it evoked to have been Mr >>"ewbury's happiest effort during the evening. It fairly brought down the house, to use the popular if not too colloquial phrase, Mr Newbury being compelled to advance to the stage four or. five times to bow his acknowledgments, the demonstrative demand for a repetition only stubbornly subsiding after Misses Amy, Kuby, Ethel, and Master Leonard Corrick had taken their places appropriately costumed on the stage to dance the Highland fling which they went through with such spirit and yet eaae and grace of moyetnent as to merit all the marks of appreciation they received. Miss Alice Corrick sang with a grood deal of tante " The swallows " as a snbstuute for '■ Soldiers in the park," after which followed an illustrated song "The lads in blue," whioh did not fail to appeal to tbe patriotism of the audience, the song " Alone on the raft " by Madame Corrick, being also illustrated in a manner that told its own pathetic story.

The concert concluded with " The biographe," or a series of living pictures shown on the screen with a realism and naturalness the likeof which has certainly not been seen here before. The finest of the series of pict*res shown was the Queen's funeral procession through L/owes, a most startlingly lifelike reproduction of the original of which, indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that it was alone worth tho money paid for admission.

Last evening there was again a splendid, programme and a very good audience, the applanse and the demand for encores being quite as frequent and enthusiastic as on the preceding eveniDg. There was, however, one source of regret in the fapt that, owing to indis? position, Madame Emily Spada was un? able to propeed with her songs. Mr Newbary was again in splendid voice, and his singing of " Gome into the garden, Maud," was heard to great advantage as he was also in '< Mary of Argyle," bat especially so in " The Holy City," which ha sang by special request. In each instance he was loudly applauded and had to respond to the usual encore. The members ot the clever Corrick Family were also seen at their best, in their v.arions vocal and instrumental selections and came in for a large -share of applause. The ill usagain favorably received, and altogether the concert was up to the same high level ot excellence as that of the previous evening,