MUSIC NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1522, 26 June 1919, Page 30

MUSIC NOTES.

(By

“G” String.)

It is stated that Frances Alda, the great operatic artist, proposes to visit Australia. She is credited with having mastered the finest details of song, including diction, nuance and atmosphere. She makes her hearers visualise a song as she does herself, while the ever-deepening beauty of her voice has attracted widespread attention this season at the New York Metropolitan Opera House, where, in addition to her appearances in opera, she has appeared in an unusual number of concerts. Her finest impersonations in opera appear to have been Marguerite, Manon and Mimi. It is to be hoped that this famous vocalist will include New Zealand in her Australian tour. The London String Quartette — James Levey (violin), Thomas Petre (second violin), Waldo Warner (viola), and C. Warwick Evans (’cello) —is now touring the world under the management of Mr. Charles Philpott. During the month of March they were in Scandinavia, and last month they were touring Spain. Negotiations are now well advanced for a lengthy tour of America and Canada, but Mr. Philpott would like to include Australia and New Zealand in the tour. Such a quartette would undoubtedly be supported by music lovers on this side of the world. In the London “Referee,” G.. R. Sims relates how the birth of the late Kaiser was received in London 60 years ago—on January 27, 1859 — when Pyne and Harrison were giving a performance of “Satanella” at Covent Garden. After the first act Mr. Harrison came before the curtain, saying that a telegram had been received from Berlin announcing that the Crown Princess of Prussia, the wife of Crown Prince Frederick William,- had given birth to a son. The curtain rose, and all the company sang the National Anthem. And that is how the birth of William, late of Potsdam and now of Amerongen, was celebrated in London. It is significant that Satan was present on the occasion, in the name of the opera.