THE CHARLES SAUNDERS CONCERTS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 964, 27 August 1908, Page 17

THE CHARLES SAUNDERS CONCERTS.

Aucklanders will have an opportunity given them to-morrow of hearing the famous tenor, Mr Charles Saunders, in Handel’s great work “ Samson ” which is to be given by the Auckland Choral Society at the Choral Hall. Miss Clara Robson, the Scottish contralto, will be one of the soloists. Concerning the concerts, in dealing with similar entertainments given in Dunedin, the Dunedin “Star” says:—“lt was not a song cycle such as Mr Watkins Mills gave us, but a selection of familiar songs of a good type, linked by pleasant little speeches from Mr Saunders, who in each instant said something to the point as to how the song came to be written and as to its motive. In this cycle the audience were favoured by Mr Saunders with ‘ The Irish Emigrant,’ ‘My Pretty Jane,’ and ‘ The Death of Nelson,’ also as an encore song with ‘ Let me Like a Soldier Fall,’ given in a most energetic and generous style. Very few tenors possess such a surplus of power as to be able to put in the ‘ Maritana ’ songs incidentally, but Mr Saunders did it without an effort. Miss Clara Robson’s contributions to the cycle were ‘ Darby and Joan,’ with ‘ Killarney ’ as an encore, ‘ Caller Herrin,’ with ‘ Jock o’ Hazeldean ’ as an encore, and Tosti’s ‘ Good-bye.’ This was a very fine collection. Mr Saunders then electrified the audience with his bold and accomplished delivery of ‘ Sound an Alarm.’ In view of the fact that he had previously done two men’s share of singing, and that he was right up to the pitch, it was perfectly amazing to hear how he got those four unaccompanied upgoing notes and how he hung on the top A, and his facility in respect to the runs was a revelation. Towards the end there was just a suspicion of flattening on the top notes, but the voice continued quite clear, and to the very end the singer never made the least attempt to dodge a difficulty or find an evading bypath. He is a conscientious singer and a great one, and the audience were delighted with him. As for Miss Clara Robson, she also sings well, making intelligent use of a thoroughly trained contralto voice of good quality. Her best contributions were ‘ Caller Herrin ’ and ‘ Darby and Joan.’ ” The Choral Hall should be crowded to hear these two artists.