CISNEROS CONCERT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1550, 20 September 1912, Page 6

CISNEROS CONCERT.

THE DIVA IN GOOD VOICE. The concert company headed by-Madame Elconora do Cisneros attracted a large audience to tho Opera House last evening, who were repaid with a programme admirably calculated to sntisly tne most ta-i.Kliuus tiiitos. Madame de Cisneros on the occasion ol her initial concert on Tuesday evening was suffering from a slight nervous strain occasioned by the hurried racketing by railroad over tile North Island, and iiankly did not do liersclf justice—slk.was plainly not the Cisneros which had Sydney and Melbourne at her feet, so to speak, last year. Last evening she came into her own once more, and her rich ringing dramatic voice asserted its dominating qualities in a manner which thrilled and delighted the fortunate people present. To sing in opera, supported ):y an orchestra and aided by an appealing inise en scene is one thing, and to sing the same music on a bare stago with a background of the cheapest wailpaper of tho tamest 'of hues and only a pianoforte lor support is altogether anotlicr, anil a much mora dillicult and arduous task, as all singers with the double experience admit. To go farther, numbers li-om the lyric operas lend themselves more to concert treatment than do excerpts from tho highly dramatic works with which Madame de Cis"eros has been associated. Calve, i-ir remem bored, go% over tho difficulty by acting her numbers straight out, finding it impossible to convey tho correct atmosphere by other means.' Cisneros eschews that stage device, and depends solely on her vocal powers to carry conviction to her audience. This she certainly did to a very great extent iast evening. She excelled iierJ®jf in the deliriously melodious aria, Softly Awakes My Heart," from SaintSaens's "Samson aud Delilah," tho celebrated number where the Jezebel is seeking to cajolo tho shaggy giant at the behest of the High Priest, against whom Samson is beading revolt. The number is flowingly voluptuous in character, and tho pleading appeal has more than a suggestion of the sensuous, though invested with dignity by tho exalted form of Saint-Sacns's beautiful music. In response to enthusiastic bis, Madame electrified her audience with Brunhilde's weird call from "Tho Valkyrie" (Wagner), which gave her a fine opportunity of displaying her powerful and vibrant upper, register. The brief number.' is i. bizarre and declamatory to a degree, and thrills by reason of its strange wildness and daring departure from the orthodox in music. Madame de Cisneros displayed her dramatic equipment admirably *in the seldom-heard aria, "O Don Fatale," from Verdi's opera, "Don Carlos," a work that is being .revived frequently on tho Continent after a long sleep. With splendid verve aud passion she enunciated tho harrowing distress of the tortured lilioli, and worked up to a grand climax in a highly artistic manner. Madame is hardly so happy in ballads as a rule, but "ill that curiously impassioned song, "The Cry of liachel" (Mary Turner Salter), emotionally clamant as it is, she wns distinctly impressive.. On the other hand,' Clutsaui's "Jla Curly-Headed Baby" was not ail in Madame's style, and'she flattened perceptibly at the end of each verse, She also sang the seductive "Habanera" lilt from "Carmen," "La Dnnza," 1 a waltz song by G. \V. Chadwick, "Tho Rosary" (Ncvin). "Will o' the Wisp" (Spross), and Gounod's "Ave Maria" (with "cello obbligato by Mr. James Liebling).

Mr. Paul Dufault must take rank as one of the finest concert tenors we have heard in . Wellington. . Added to a technical and artistic equipment of tlie highest order is a rare tonal sympathy im which is embodied an irresistible appeal,. His is perfect, his production impeccable, and he interprets every item with profound intelligence. He surprised many last evening with a new and delightful reading of the recitative, "How Frail and Weak a Thing is Man," and the aria "Lend Me Your Aid," from Gounod's "Queen of Sheba." Usually this is: sung with fiery forco and every stop out, but 'Mr: Dufault read into the fine number a world of humility, at' once' expressive and .Impressive.; .Bisirecitativo..work t .was good to hear and profit by. an encore ho crooned. Harriet Ware's distractingly pretty . "Boat Song."' His well-tutored mezzo voce was used effectively in the charming song, "Entreaty" (Wilson Smith). Mr. Dufault deserves special thanks for introducing the songs of Bruno Hulin. His "Invictus" is a very fine song, and his "How Many Thousand Ycara Ago?" sung last evening, is even better. Both that and "Tho Trumpeter" (Dix) were most admirably sung, and earned tho singer an ovation. Mr. .Tames piebling's line- 'cello-playing has earned him many admirers in Wellington. His tone is rich, full, and vibrant, through he does not induce a full measure of sympathy always. He flayed i as t evening Rubinstein's "Melody in F," a Scherzo by Van Goens, tho berceuse "Jocelyn" (Godard), "Minuet" (Popper), Chopin s "Nocturne," Saint-Saen's "Tho Swan," and Popper's "Spinning Song." Mr. Harold Whittle's accompaniments were respousively artistic m overy case.

TO-NIGHT'S CONCERT. At-the farewell concert by the Countess do Cisneros at the Town Hall this evening, his ExccHency the Governor, Lord Islington, and will be present. Ail unusually attractive programme will be presented. The great mezzo will sing the impressive aria "0 Don Fatnlo," from 'Verdi's "Don Carlos." This fine opera was neglected by impressarios for several years, until liicordi decided to produce it at San Carjo, about three years ago, with de Cisneros as Eboli. Its success was electrical, and it is now included in the repertoires of all-the leading Italian opera houses. Next year it will bo presented at ■ the classic La Scola, Milan, and will also be sung at the Verdi Centenary at l'arma, with de Cisneros in the leading role and Campanini,. of Covent Garden, as conductor. The Countess will also sing this evening: "Stephano's Serenade," from Gounod's "Eomeo and .Tuliet," "Calm as the Night" (Bohm), "Tho Seguidilln," from "Carmen," two old Irish Folk Songs—"Sweet Babe a Golden Cradle Holds Tiiee" and "Pasthoen Fiona" and Moore's "Believe Me if all those Endearing Young Charms." She will also join with the tenor in the lovely Barcarolle from the "Tales of Holfmaii." Sir. Dufault will sing tho great tenor aria from "Joan of Arc," "My Desire" (Kevin), ,"Maytimo" (Speaks), and that thrilling song "Invictus." Mr. Liebling will play Godard's "Sur le Lac,'' Davidoff's "At the Fountain," and Popper's "Hungarian Uhapsody." Popular prices will be changed, and a large number of seats will be set apart at one shilling each. The plans are at the Dresden, and the three shilling tickets at Christeon's.