NOTED BARITONE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 14, 21 August 1946, Page 5

NOTED BARITONE

MR PETER DAWSON’S VISIT

PACKED AUDIENCE THRILLED

Whakatane definitely took Mr Teter Dawson, the world-fam-ous Australian born baritone, to its heart last evening when to a packed house in the Grand Theatre he completely dispensed with formality and sang encore number after encore, discoursing between whiles in a breezy manner on the weather, the district and the world in general. It still puzzles our observer as to whether Mr Dawson enjoyed his audience more than it enjoyed him.

From a musical point of view the whole programme was a genuine treat from beginning to end and its -standard must be the highest ever -achieved locally. Mr Dawson’s powerfully rounded voice was heard to its full capacity in many of the old favourites of the gramophone recordings but his audience were thrilled with its amazing light and shade, depth and richness to suit the varied themes of his selected pieces.

No less brilliant in his own sphere was his accompaniste Mr Clarence Black whose delicate, pianoforte interludes were a recital on their own and well worth the entry fees alone. Throughout the full two hour nonstop programme it was possible to have heard a pin drop when either .singer- or pianiste were performing.

“I sincerely hope you have enjoyed this concert as much as I have,” said Mr Peter Dawson in answer to the'final ovation. “We (indicating Mr Black) are a couple of vagabonds roving hither and thither. When in Auckland last a friend of mine said—now you must come to Whakatane, and so here we are. I remember visiting the East Coast 31 years ago when Sir Apirana Ngata—he was then Hon. Apirana Ngata, introduced us to Tikitiki and Te Araroa. I had a wonderful time there roaming round the beaches enjoying myself so much that here we are and I hope to see you all soon again.”

The concert opened with an extract Handel’s ‘Acis and Galatea,’ T rage, I melt, I burn,’ and ‘O Ruddier than the Cherry.’ The singer won deep appreciation for his fine singing of ‘The Clock’ and ‘The Erl King.’ A brace of sea songs ‘The Glory of the Sea’ and ‘The Road Beside the Sea’ were also popular. There was no doubt about the audience preferences in the free and easy encore pieces when Mr Dawson selected piece after piece of the old favourites. The crowd was enchanted with “Simon the Cellerer,’ ‘The Floral Dance,’ ‘The Arrow and the Song,’ ‘Pride of Tipperary,’ ‘The Spice of Life,’ ‘Cells,’ ‘The Changing of the Guard’ and ‘Waiata Poi.’

In all these he showed extraordinary versatility in acting as well as singing the part. One of his finest was the singing of ‘On the Road to Mandalay’ introducing cleverly the four musical versions.

Appropriately enough he concluded with a bouncing rendition of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ given as a great Aussie should sing it. Whakatane has thoroughly enjoyed its contact with Mr Dawson and his associate and in expressing the hope that it will see both again soon, joins warmly in wishing them a successful and enjoyable tour. WIDE PUBLIC RESPONSE BOX PLAN SPEEDILY FILLS Whakatane’s appreciation of the visit of Mr Peter Dawson was exemplifield by the remarkable manner in which the box plan filled up when reservations were first opened. Within two hours no less than 500 reservations had been made and last evening when the doors were opened there were only a dozen or two seats in the rear which were still open for box sale. Messrs. Beggs Ltd. who number Mr Dawson as one of their greatest celebrity artists must have formed a high opinion of the local response which has more than endorsed the decision to depart from the usual precedent of keeping such artists strictly to the major centres.

The noted singer sang to crowded concerts in Auckland, appeared again at Hamilton last Monday evening and sang in Whakatane last evening in the course of his trip through to Gisborne. It is something of a feather in Whakatane’s hat to be numbered in the itinerary and from reports we have every, reason to believe that similar concerts by other woi'ld stage figures who visit the Dominion from time to time will be possible in future.