THE NEWBURY-SPADA CONCERTS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 14, 3 August 1894, Page 25

THE NEWBURY-SPADA CONCERTS.

Wk shall for once depart from the rule of politeness which it is our habit to observe. Place aux damn— that is the motto under which we write. The present, however, is an exceptional case, and we take advantage of it. Natnra'ly Mr Philip Newbury, who has returned to Dunedin from a sojourn in Europe, undertaken for an object brilliantly accomplished — that is the cultivation of bis voice, arid generally of his native gifts ac a musician and an artist, claims tiie greater part of our interest — only fails in quite absorbing it, indued, owing to the rare talents of the lady who shares his laurels aud hia fortunes, Mr Newbury received a cordial welcome in this city on his arrival here from Melbourne on Monday evening, July 23rd, but one not a whit above the merits of which he haß since given us full proof. It is certainly a credit to our town to have given to the world an artist of so high a standing. We have heard no tenor singer — and, in a certain sense, we have heard no singer of any voice — here to equal him. Others who visited uf, where voice was concerned, had passed their prime. Mr Newbury has taught some of us, and to others of us renewed their knowledge of, what a first rate voice at its prime is. His voice is a robust tenor, sonorous, clear as a bell of extensive range, and exquisitely sweet. In using it he shows the highest possible culture and a perfect finish, and his singing is that of a true artißt. Miss Emily Spada is a soprano singer of great merit. Her voice is rich and sweet, of fine rang* and power, and in every sense her rank as an artist is high. As to the songs contained in the programme, they were varied and suited, aa was becoming, to the variety of tastes. There were Handel and Mendelssohn for the classic ear ; Verdi and Arditi for lovers of the Italian school ; Balfe, Benedict, and Sullivan for the English amateur ; and many others. Possibly Mr Newbury was at his best in "Sound an alarm" from "Judas Macabbeus." His singing was magnificent — and yet, wedo not know We can say no lees, for txample, of the song from "Elijah" — "If with all your hearts." Splendid, als^, was his singing of Balfe's"Come into the garden Maud." Charmingly sung, too, were the duets with Misa Spada — Verdi's " Parigi o cara," and Arditi's pretty Venetian song. Miss Emily Spada'a singing of "Angels ever bright and fair " of itself alone proved her a mistrißS of her art. It was in every way perfect. But in everything — the florid Italian aria, or the simple