MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1330, 6 January 1912, Page 9

MUSIC.

(By Treble Ci.ef.)

John M'Cormack. John M'Cormaek, tenor, who is duo.to give n concert at tho Town Hall 011 Friday next, was born at Athlone, Westmeath, on Juno 11, 1884. While still a youngstor ho entered as a competitor in the National Irish Festival, and (to his own immense surprise, it is said) won tho Denzn Gold Medal for tenor singing. This was 111 1!I0">, and it naturally decided him to take up singing seriously as a profession. Ho made a concert debut in Dublin during tho same year, joined the Catholic Cathedral choir, and 'later went, to Milan, where he studied with Sebastian to such excellent, purpose that in 1905 he made his first operatic appearanco before the always-critical Italian audience, singing in "L'Amico Frit/," at. Savona. In 1!)07 he mr.de a highly successful first appearanco at Covent Garden during the autumn season in "(,'avalloria Kusticana." Mr. M'Cormack's voico has been said by a well-known critical writer to resemble that of Sims lieeves in quality, a likeness that will probably become increasingly remarkable as the years roil by, bringing in their train improvement in vocal and dramatic method.

As matters stand at tho present, Ireland has every reason to be proud of tho young tenor who, beginning his stago career five years ago, is now able .to count his third season at the leading opera house in' Europe, while still at the age of twenty-six years.

Mr. and Mrs. M'Cormack (the two'little baby M'Connacks have teen packed oil' to Ireland by the Suez route in care of their aunt) intend to take a peep at Rotorua; a concert at Auckland follows, then (he Pacific, and eastward ho! Tn America John (everyone calls him "John") gives a series of Irish ballad concerts with Miss Marie Narelle, and subsequently fulfils 'an operatic engagement with the Chicago-Philadelphia grand opera management. Miss Rosina Buckmaii. Accompanying Mr. John M'C'ormack to New' Zealand is Miss Rosina Buckman, the Mastcrton soprano of brilliant promise. The public of New Zealand have never appraised this' young lady's talent at its real value. As long ago as "The Moorish Maid" (Alfred Hill's opera), Miss Buckman showed that she was made of the shift' that goes far, but she was then a "star" in the rough, ller gestures were crude, she knew very little about deportment 011 the stage, and less of the many little subtleties which go to make up a performance. She still has the .same glorious, virile, full-bodied, and big-range soprano, backed up by a temperament which has all the -warmth of the Latin. Hut she has more. Miss ISuckman served a valuable apprenticeship wilh the Grand Opera Company of I'JIO (the .Bel SorelAiny Castles organisation), when she did such delightful work as Suzuki. Willi tho Mclba Grand Opera Company she lias advanced in her art by leaps and bounds. She has been able to measure herself, against half-a-dozen grand opera sopranos who hold. positions in Europe and America, and tho result has given her confidence and an incentive, to work. That she has worked during tho past two years is proved by tho fact that she has added half-a-dozen operas to her repertoire. Mclba was struck with Miss Buckmau's ability from tho first, and recently prophesied greatness for her if opportunity went her way. Sho advised Sydney to give her a big concert to help her along. Wellington, Auckland, and Masterton might do 110 less—perhaps John M'Cormack would help her. I wonder! Saint-Sacns's New Opera. The fact that "Samson and Delilah" proved to be one 01' the most popular operas in the repertory of tile Melki Company in Sydney and Melbourne gives added interest in these cities to '.he induction in Paris last month of the ntw opera by Saint-Sams, "Dejanire." A Greek classic in this instance furnishes, the basis of the story; and the music is highly praised in a review written by the Paris'correspondent of the "Tf-le-graph," who, with a sly hit at Xiiehard Strauss and the others, describes it as

"a. glorious change front the ..'hincso «=iii. tho perpetual caeophanies, the jumble of unsolved dissonants and '! ; scj"."l.", of cor lain modern schools." lit goes on in this strain:—"The first few rs oi '!c! miniature ovcrtu-o, and tlio iiiV; tscssn;cs of the 'chorus and solos,' .ilrar the cu'Um goes up, with the harmonious 'low or tho orchestra, bring us back at once to the ideal simple, fascinating music v.lnch we call classic, and which will rtmaiii classic for ever. There is .10 straining ai'ier weird, frantic ellccls from escruc'.iliiig discords, as we have sometimes heard in our lives. The music of 'Dejanirc' is what a Gluc.lt or a Palestrina might have composed. It is modern, and ancient, and original. It never offends the ear by any untoward dissonancc. It moves over the discords merely to glide on to the appropriate rich and harmonious concords, and we listen to its strains without being at all distracted by the well-meaning but ineifectual strides, movements, gestures, and clamours of the actors on the stage." The opera is named after the wife of Hercules, though Hercules is himself the central figure. He enters in the first act as a triumphant conqueror, and proposes to take lole, the beautiful daughter of Eurytos. away with him. and. to repudiate his hitherto lawful wife, Dejauire. In Greek legend, if one may believe the libretto, a divorce was accomplished with a very simple formality, rii-rcules just snvs to JJcianire, "I will have you no more," and the repudiated wife answers,

"i curse you with nil my heart." She sends a pythoness t<i announce tl- malediction tirsf. and then a;>pr.n>'s herself, lole does lid! wish fi< yo with Hercules, as she is in love with Philocleto, ami finally the destruction of Hercules is com-pa-s-od by securing tlt.it lie plmll wear :i certain tunic, v.'liiclj brings disaster to anynnn who nuts it on.

Tiio original libretto was wiitten by M. Louis Gallet in tlie l'nnn of a declamatory tragedy on the occasion of Hi? reopening »!' the ancient arena of Dczlers in IS!IS. Jl. Sainl-Saeus then compn-cd appropriate uiiinie lor it. and then' wer> two performances, at which some 10.Ma or .Vi.lion people attended. After M. Gullel died. M. Saint-Saen- rut down the libretti) himself to make if suit, a lyric drama, for which he al-o reca-l part of tho 111 iibic, and i! was in this funn that it wiw presented at Monte Carlo ou March U of this yen,