SUCCESS IN GRAND OPERA.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1339, 17 January 1912, Page 4

SUCCESS IN GRAND OPERA.

MISS ADELAIDE VAN STAVEREN. Residents of Wellington will be pleased to learn that Miss Adelaide Van Stavcreu, daughter of the Kev. 11. Vim Staveren, of this city, who has. been studying singing in London and Italy for the past three years, has made what n private cablegram describes as "a sensational success" at her debut ill grand opera on Saturday night. In what opera slic appeared was not cabled, and the message was dispatched from Dreseno, a city of nbout 50,000 or 60,000 people, about io miles to the south of Milan. and it is supposed. that she sang thorc prior to making an appearance in Milan, the famous testing-ground for operatic singe) s. ' In response to'inquiries from tho family in Wellington, it was learned that they were under the impression that the opera which Miss Van Stivercn was to appear in would bo "Lohengrin," but that is hardly likely, as the leading part in Wagner's opera is Elsa—a role written for ~a ,floriJ soprano voice, whereas Mips Van "Staveren '-is -a l ' l pure contralto. It is a wonderful voice with a range of three octaves—remarkable in a contralto. When she sang at the Bechstein Ilnll in London, Mr. Beecham, the London impresario and oonduetor, offered her an engagement at once, but she had already decided to continue her studies in Milan, where tho conditions are so favourable to tho study of a repertoire in Italian. Since then she has had several oifers from managers—on.;, about four months ago, for a. season in Sicily. , • Miss Adelaido Van Staveren, who was educated at the Terrace School and Wellington Girls' College, is accompanied by her sister, Miss Minnie Van Staveren. The Wellington vocalist was brought out by RiiorJi, the well-Known Milan impresario, who has taken an interest in her career for some time' past.