THE MAGIC OF CALVE

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 912, 3 September 1910, Page 11

THE MAGIC OF CALVE

' • AN IMPRESSION. . : One . after another, the' great songstresses of Europe have been visiting Neiv. Zealand , of lato years, and now the last great comer is Madame Calve, who arrived in Wellington from Auckland on Thursday afternoon. It. seems an" almost unbelievablo good fortune that wp shall so. soon bo given thu opportunity ~of hearing this eminent singer, who has mhdo the rolp- of Garmeu world-renowned—rivalled only perhaps,!)} , her Creation of Santuzza in "Gavallefia Rusticana:" "Do-, ypu speak '■ French?" . was Madame Oalvo's inquiry after grcetiug. the representative of The Dominion who called upon her!. Alas! That unfortunate's knowledge of French had long ago departed tno way that.much ■ loarnt at suhool does depart. "I do not speak. English. Only a very little," continued' Madame.; For tho" moment 'the'situation looked a'very difficulfone, and then'a visitor, whose native..land ..was France, came to the rescue, and most kindly acted as an .interpreter. , . : As she talked the vividness and magnetism of Madame JCalve's. personality, came more -and more into play, and'ono . began. to feel - something , of the power .that has made .her Calve—the great singei; who' has stirred people by. her singing"and the- magic of, her temperament;, so that thoy hardly- knew \yhat they.- did.'..She is from Provence, the' land of sunshine and poetry, and all, the warmth,'the. joy qt ; life' that is.a part of its being, seems to emanato -ti;om lier. In-her voice, as sho tallts, one catches' now' and again something that can only be described as a singing note, and it gives one a thrill to hear it.; ••".'." ' . '.::•'.: ',-'■ ' ' : ' '. It,was a 'delightful'time-'that sho had .in-. Australia j and , she was .very inteiV 'ested in qye'rytliiug■sho.saw.:Australian women struck,her.as being'particularly bright,'full/of/ life;, and':intensely , ; appreciative .of music. ■ While thero she. beard some.beautiful voices,' both soancf contraltos.'.- A great, matter of interest to' tho. Australians is thu coming visit of the llplba-\Villiainsoii Grand .Opera, and' they are keenly-;, anticipating seeing Melba in grand opera: upon, lier own native grpuiid. The only, {thing is that at-present the .opera houses arc not big enough for what will be:'required.: ; ■■..'•' .. ,! ■■■ ■■■. ■-.■■■Above' all things does;Madamo Calve love the simple folk songs 'of- her coun--try. To he'r thbrc is nothing like them, -for they contain the .very'..soul., of thepeople'/ It.isio song .they .fly-to express every feeling, 'every mood, !.who7. ther .it .is joyful 'or • sad;,. In these ..l'rovencal; songs; is to -be,,found- 'a11.'./tho , richest, ahd.jmost .imaginative poetry of '•France, liuii'd they have '. been '•'.■-•handed, '.down, for centuries " amoiig' tho.". simpln peasant people. In ■ the eleventh and .twelfth' ■ century, the' ; singer ; tells, the P.foveucal language was -thu'ianguage of the kings.»and, of the court," being'; *'Italian;. ■as ' pure / as -the language used ,by Dante'.- As ; time went'.by".-it became ■ corrupted /.with, ■French, .and gradually -Provencev becanip; the 'only, country in France in ■which it. wan used, lipbn being, a sited ■. whether .■■they .wei'o Mistral's', sbngg that she.'sang^Madampy , Calve replied" enthusiastically '.that ; . they were all his, .'and .that':'the :poet,was;'a:very,/great friend of Jiers. , Only-last year she 'had crossed: over ■ from'- Amoricafto the town. 'in which he lived;.iirPrbvonce .to;sing ' at; the festival which 'wasUjeirig' held, in .celebration' of .his ,eightieth '. birthday.. .He:had , done , a-tremendous and most valuable .work.for the,language, reyivi.fying it and.bringing back its old purity of-form; as well as' bringing: into tho light of. day much of its .wealth 'of •poetry, of'.trd'(litioii r and,o'f folk lore. So, ardent is ho-ih the '.work , - , thai; although .lie' writes and: speaks, ordinary French' '.perfectly,, : he utterly;; refuses to;,use. it, keeping; always tor : his .beloved Provencal language. .'He is adored; , by ■everyone; »-.,'; . . ■-;■. ' '■'•' '-.■' " v . . ,■■■■'ln a"question p .aaVt'o the status' of an; appearance in grand ..opera sea- ■ ■sons at Nice, Madamo Calve said that ■it: was ,a very good' thing for ;, a.de- ; butante,;for the. reason that there are of .people visiting the town'tit .that time of the year, .arid .sho becomes jkiiow.ii' to ithem.■:: In that :way it is most .'useful,'■.:'•;•'• '-■'■ ; ■ -■■ :: -;' ' .::■ .'':'■■■■::■ :.'■':<"■ -v. As. she- travelled down from- 'Auck--of the- scenery struck, .MtyJame' Calve as;beirig "very .similar in; ;oliaractei;l : t'6.,tnat' of Provence, especV ;ally (Where", the.; three . volcaiibesy. came iinto sight.;:; The Maoris interested :her' '■■greatly,.'-especially'-'what .she'.had heard ■of their, music. It: was. among van old. people' that! 1 individualistic traits were to , ; bo .found—not amonga new .people,, as a : 'rule.' On- her return '■■': from the South Island tour'-Madame. Calve.hopes , to"'see' something of them when l ; slie goes'to Wanga'n'ui. .