THE WIRELESS LINK.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1548, 18 September 1912, Page 8

THE WIRELESS LINK.

■•■■—: —♦- — . . OUR .SYSTEM NEAR COMPLETION. IBj 'Talegraiili.—Special CorrciDonaent.l '■':'' '' Auckland, September 17.

'■ In a'fevr weeks' long depeiids a good deal upon weather conditions—the wireless station at Awanui'Bay, North Auc-kland, will bo in operation. This installation is so far the best thing in wireless which New Zealand has got, and it compares very favourably with the Pennant Hills Station in Sydney, and thb high power one at Fromantle. The installation at Awanuiis a 30 kilowatt one, and will -be. able to : "speak"■ to Sydney all.day''an<l all nigh't. u

This station, then, is the northern link in the Australasian chain. Tho southern link, which will complete tho- circuit, will bo nt the Bluff, and this is now under construction. It Wilt lake some six months to complete,'and will bo built on almost identical plans with the northern station. ; It will also be of the samo power. ■

At the cnd_ of this week experiments will be made with tho plant, which is nowbeing erected on the top of the new Chief Post Office. ~ This is a low-power station,-but good results, are expected from it under good working conditions on n. still night. For- instance, it is quits within the bounds of possibility that the Pennant Hills Station will be heard and replied to quite distinctly. For ordinary shippins , purpos3s, however, the local station will no doubt prove quite powerful enough.

Tho work of linking up the islands lying out from New Zealand, by means of a system of low-power wireless stations, has not, a<! many suppose, been lost siglit of by tho Government, There was an agitation some time ago for the establishment of a wireless station at the Chathams, and it was also suggested tlwt the Cook Islands should be similarly connected. The plans and estimates of this scheme are now being prepared, and tho preliminary surveys made. When the Bluff, Awanui, and Tinakon Hill Station.i ar» in operation, tho plant at New Bnehton, near Christchurch; will' be installed, and this will be the station which will be used for .direct communication with the Chathams plant when that is instn'led. • ■ . ,

Tho necessity of wireless.communication being set up between these island groups and New Zealand, is accentuated by tho fact that they havo no cable connection, and also that-the mail services are both irrpunlav and infrequent.

With the approaching completion of the several wireless stations in the Dominion it has been suggested that the Telegraph Department w-oiild have to face a problem in the finding of suitable operators for the vnrious stations. The problem, however, has been automatically solved l>y the officers of the Department themselves. Wireless arid its study has been such an interesting subject that already there aro quite a large nmhber of men in the- service who have become efficient— if not in practice, at least in the theory— oF the ethereal science. Frotn these nien tli't. Department Hs now enabled to draw a gonjl supply "of capable operators, their nractical experience hnving been gained .by a short course of.-study at'the Wellington Post Office, as opportunity occured. • -. '. '

In nil-probability. tn.e operators for Hie Auckland Post Office station will bo Wellington men, andan opportunity will be Riven to'several Auckland nffiwTs who have an inclination to enter the,field of the latest telegraphic . science to gain practical experience within the next fewmonths. ■. .

FINE CONCERT. -$ ELEONORA DF, CISXEROS' AND A. TEN OK. ■ Ever since nous of tho Melba Opera Company of last year began to drift across tho ocean spaces tho name of Eleonora do Cisneros has been known to those, who keep iu touch with matters uiusieal in this part of the world. It was in Saint Saens's great opera "Hamsun and Delilah" that this singer camo into favour, giving a highly picturesque and temperamentally exotic delineation of the role, which had previously not been played in Australia. The new singer also made a signal success in an elaborate production of Bizet's "Carmen."

Last evening the Wellington public wero all'otded an opportunity to assess the diva's worth as a concertartist without having seen her in opera, which circumstance—it may be remarked—was regrettable. To those who have had the opportunity of seeing her in. both, there can l>e but ono conclusion —that she is, beforo . all, an operatic artist, in which phase of her work her pru-• sence, and the dramatic element in voice and temperameut are given full opportunity. It was borne in on :the audience last evening that Madame Cisneros would have to sing the operatic numbers much better than was the case could she have made the soug a scene. • Madame is a mezzo-soprano, splendidly equipped in the- upper register, where the notes have a sensitive dramatic ring. Whether tho long train journey from Auckland had tired her- or not, there, was not nearly so much steadiness or colour in., her middle register, and the lower register was not quite secure. Her first number was Santuzza's emotional song anenfc her luckless love, from Mnscagni's "Cavalleria Eusticana," which was interpreted with a due regard for. the waves of love and hate that obsess the girl. In response to a hearty encore, Madame do Cisneros sang the "Amour viens aider" aria from "Samson and Delilah" (Saint-Saens), a soft flow of impassioned melody, distinguished and classic in character. This was sung somewhat defiantly, and the last three bars found her intonation faulty. Her next contribution was a-bracket>of three songs—"A Dream" (Bartlett), Frank- Tours' song, "Mother o' Mine" {to Rudyhrd Kipling's words), and "Will o'. tho Wisp," a sprightly song full of character ami originality, by Charles G. Sprqss, which w;as sung with dainty spirit. Encored, she sang "The Birth of Morn" (Leoni). Instead of • Schubert's "Serenade,", the "Largo", of Handel was given, without vocal inipressiveness, Mr. James Liebling: furnishing a 'cello bbbligato. Madame's best number last evening was the seductive "Habanera" from "Carmen," which the artist gave in its original, French, ' with a rather subdued idea of .the lure that exists .in the spirit of the song.. Still it. was quite a good reading of the number, and was clamorously received. As an encore, "Come Back to Erin" Was sung. Madame was also associated with Mr. Paul Dufault in the pretty "Barcarolle" from Offenbach's "Tales of Hoffmann," which also had to be repeated; ". ' : . In Mr. Paul 'Dufault, a'..tenor of golden attributes was welcomed with nno enthusiasm that was quite; justified.' Mr. Dufault hns a lyric voice with a satin sheen in its-texture, produced easily aud evenly throughout the register, and, where tho' occasion arises,' the dramatic touch is there. Mr. Dufault is an admirable interpreter, and the : electric sympathy in his voice nt once ' completed a circuit with the audience. , His first number was "Champs Patoruol," from Mehul's "Joseph jri Egypt, , ' a, flowing nun)ber, whiqh displayed the singer's superior technique'arid quality at once. His encore, 7A Bowl of Roses,", was very prettily sung. It was in ,his'final bracket that the tenor came into his own. The sohes, admirably contrasted, worn -"Mornins" (Otey Speaks), a distractingly pretty "Boat Song," by Harriet Ware, with a bewitching accompaniment, and Bruno Huhn's striking song, "lnvictns," composed to W. E. Henley's verses, which were said to have been written when tho poet was snfforing. from .thn effects .of a serious street accident. "'The melody is curiously luslifnl, and hardly embodies the nower of a great sonl at bay, but the finale is exceedingly impressive, and was snng by Mr. Dufault with sweeping conviction and dramatic -force, whioh roused the audience to enthusiasm. As an encore, the singer produced "Philosophy," which was better suited to Miss Margaret Cooper. ■

Another fino artist, of unquestionable ability, is Mr.' .'James Liebling, tho 'cellist of the company, who is certainly the finest heard in Wellington since Hattenbnch played here. Whilst the stranger has not that player's equipment in regard to sympathy in tone, his technical equipment is of a high order, and ho plays everything carefplly, reservedly, and with good feeling. Tn Goltermann's "Concerto in A Minor" he at once showed his quality. The andante movement produced full round tones,'and appealing quality, whilst the vivace passage saw tho 'cellist get the trickiest of effects cleanly and confidently. In tjie second half of the programme, Mr. Lieblin-,' played Caesar Cui's "C'antabile" arid Popper's "Tarantelle," capitally played at a hiph rate of speed. As an encore, Mr.. Liehling played Schumann's "Traumcrie" exquisitely! Mr. Harold Whittle is a most delightful accompanist He. has the gift of just Ixnng able to give cither voice or instrument just, the support required. Many of the numbers were largely aided to success by Mr. Whittle.

SECOND CONCERT. „' The second concert of the season will be given in the Opera House to-morrow evening, when a very attractive programme will bo submitted—Madame do Cisneros will sing the great aria "Softly Awakes My Heart," from "Samson and Delilah," in which onora she made so pronounced a success in Australia. She will also sing the impressive "O Don i'atale," from Verdi's' "Don Carlos," Gounod's "Ave Maria," with 'cello obbligato by Mr. Liebling, and a number of songs and ballads, including "The Cry of ltachcl," "-La Danza," "The Rosary,"

"from the Land of the Sky Blue AVater," "The Birth of "In My Uttla Garden," and "Ma Curly-headed Babby." .Mr. Diifault, the tenor, will sin?-. "Lend Me Tour Aid," from.Gounod's "Queen of Sheba." "Entreaty," "How Many Thousand Years Ago," "The Trumpeter," etc. Mr. Liebling, the 'cellist, will play "Melody in !•'" (Jlubinstein), "Scherzo" (Van Goens), "Nocturne" (Chopin), "The Swan" (Saint Saens), "Spinning Sonn" (Popper). .Mr. Whittle.will again be the accompanist. The plans for this concert and for tho farewell appearance of the company on Friday evening at. the Town Hall are at the Dresden. Thres shilling tickets may be purchased at Christeson's. ■