MISS NORA DARGEL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 757, 4 March 1910, Page 3

MISS NORA DARGEL.

A NEW ZEAIiNDEEIN.OPEEA. • | ■•' Judging, by the enthusiasm of the tndieace,and the critics at Nice;' where Hiss Nora D'Argel made her debut on November' 25, (says the Australasian),,'.this,, young New. Zealander is ' likely soon to-be an operatic star of. the first magnitude; and her countrymen will be glad that' yet. another; voice ' from Australasia, has' coma,:to. delight the.ears"of; the old'world.- . ■..,'■...:', Miss 1 Nora Long, who has taken the' »tage' name of .d'Argel; 'was': born in Dunedin, and trained first by the-nuns at the Wellington Convent. "When only. £ ; small - child, she showed a; passion for

music, and received her first' press notice at the age of. nine,- :when ; she played Xittle. Alice in an amateur performance of. "Eip Van Winkle," and;a Wellington paper remarked on the'truly professional' way'■ in', which . she : took .a: top' note;' ex-: pressing,- the belief ■'that. she Vould be'a jrinia,. donna in the future. Miss d'Argel . comes ..of a musical, family: on both sides. Ber : mother, who was born in Victoria, (and whose mother was also Australian), was.considered ono of the best singers in •NewrZealand, though she did'.nbt follow t, ■ professional career.; Mr. : Lohg died Bomo.seven years.ago, and ITr-vLong and', her-daughter' .went' .soon', afterwards , to' Sydney,', where,; the latter: studied '■■ uhiler Signbr. Ha'zon, : and: was-there neard ; b'y « Madame. Melba, who persuaded her'to go j to.Burope. . ■.: -;.,.!,,■ . .'■ : " .- ; •".■'•;."..■•,■ "^.ter'her,' arrival in England, Miss D.Argel, sang in: several. London- concerts at. thg. Albert Hal l,j Queen's Hall,, .and. elsewhere, but, . being' advised, to'-, train for grand opera, -went.'to.Paris, .and,.r6-, mained hard at' work' under Bouhy'for .eighteen months. "She .'made 'no: appearaace on the operatic.stage until a,few weeks■ ago 'at Nice,'.' where• she'-won- the highest praise from',the : critics ''as .Hilda in"'Sigurd," Marguerite in 'Taust,'.' and La Heine Marguerite in "Lis Huguenots." Of.:her performance in the last role' the official critic sent, specially to report on the opera,atNice^td.'.The'.-Ope'ra,-,Paris;, sent, a telegram, of .which' the'fbllowing . is a translation—"The. "charming Australian artiste, has just obtained; in: tho role, of Queen- Marguerite of Navarre one of.those successes which make' an epoch in an artist's career!.. She possesses all the qualities of ..what we call in; France chanteuse,.d;agilite,' and just this delicacy in, the vocal ..organ; is necessary to give; the 're' and. the 'mi,' which, issue without, effort , from . this marvellous throat, ;whence trills, and roulades come liSea cascade:of pearls. .-The vocalisation; is very, pure, very even, the. singing correct and sure. I cannot .find a better comparison for this delightful, artist than Xi l . , de ..Treville or Lala JUiranda, who has left an imperishable: memory, at Nice. Nothing bnt confidence is : wanting to. this' delightful :artist,. who has. not yet; had time to gain'it, - since thisis-her dobut, butsuch a defect is due only to -the. singer's : youth',, and. will disappear, with experience, . I thank her for all,tho pleasure she- has given. rile during tnis representation, where, owing to her J. have experienced true artistic- sensations. .:--;. .:■'..

Other French critics.also wrote enthua iv Call l'' the -" I>all Mall". -Gazette" ■of December 31 says, in.its news from the -wnter resorts: "'Sigurd,' 'Faust,':and -bes- Hiiguenots were -plaved at the ? ot ' S? ' on - and Sunday •to. bg houses. Miss -Nora d'Argel sus- - 6-" ° f Hilda ' M«' ■ '.Keme. Marguerite, and scored an undeniable, all,three. -It would a strain u D der ordinarV circumstances to play such, heavy pa?ts in "Vo'days, but Miss..d'Argel is only just nate Ve m r i^i r ° m of.an unfortafnt „ m I'-l m . ado chemist in inakrrouh?/ i°h °, rs P r «"iption for a throat Si, W - h S II . thc wrong, solution acSSW"' : ir C ' IS s ." in S, for exceflfht'' ' • Slng - us 'i n? '- aWa y* '« excellent and. as .an. actress a diitinct nceablc at each appearance.'

Dt °V f T,sitors -te/Kirkcaldie's tca-ioom yesterday .was attracted by sbme teau iful pictures by-'Miss Dolla Kich mond, imverbeen m Z ' chilLi mo *8 :^ L *P*gT°npoi Maori -¥, pictu '' n - entitled,: "An , V „k g °-„' lul1 several, landscapes in Miss ' Richmond's, most vigorous, style

Mother (policeman's, wifo):,'.'Willie' I've b^;^ou«ng.for;yo„ / this;-;h a aou": ff! IS i never here . when vou are wanted?" Son:. "Well, mother I suppose I.take after father" '

Warnings, have 'constantly been given to -householdci-R to prevent- a repetiti™ of he plague and 5,!,a11-pox scare wiich Wellington was troubled with a fowvear" ~|?o .l>y.p.ague-infested.rats, and • tliis iV the sea»n of: the,year to destroy them, and the surest, preparation is .Shaw's wh t0 P ?'""*•., ,vhlc , ll is obtainable in bottles ? t is. bri each - from the. Medical Ha 11,... Manners Street,, and the fWil Baildings, Irunbton. Quay.-Advt' -

COSTUMIER.

Mrs. A:. R. Duff,, after an absence of two years-in England,..where' she has Btudied. the latest European modes, will be.pleased to meet old and new-clients at her rooms,' Hannah's Buildings, Lambton Quay.—Advr. -. " ' .'