MADAME KIRKBY LUNN.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1618, 9 December 1912, Page 8

MADAME KIRKBY LUNN.

SATURDAY'S CONCERT. To hear Madame Kirkby Lunn'a magnificent voice, to study her interpretative powers, and experience the spell of her dramatic personality, is to conceive the desire to hear the great contralto in grand opera—as Delilah in Saint-Snen's Biblical work, for preference—and relish to the full the art of a famous prima donna. Madame's third concert in Wellington .was given in the Town Hall on Saturday cveDing, before a large and thoroughly appreciative Her programme was altogether delightful, and consisted of an excerpt from opera, a bracket' of German lieder, and a bracket of English songs. Of hor operatic number, the fine aria, "Che Faro," from Gluck's "Orfeo," one cannot do more than reiterate previous impressions of the singer's interpretative insight—the apt conception of the composer's intention, which so expressively interprets the music, and enables lier listeners to attune themselves to the sentiment of a song even when the words are in a foreign tongue. This observation is especially applicable to her singing of the German lieder—"liu Herbst" (Franz), "Yergbliche's Staridchen" (Brahms), the splendid "Sapphisclio Ode" (Brahms); and "Der Schuiied" (also from Brahms), obviously a great favourite of Madame's. The two last-mention-ed were 1 encore numbers. It is, however, in "The Three Fishers," a welcome contribution as an encore number to the English bracket—"Poppies for Forgetting" (Coningsby Clark), and "Morning, and You" (Florence Aylward)—that Madamo's power of expression is so picturesquely and convincingly presented. '.Qhis tragedy of the sea has been sung at each of the contralto's concerts in Wellington, and the murmur of appreciation which greeted the opening bars of the song on Saturday was au earnest of the public's acknowledgment of the well—unapproachable standard 6he has set for aspiring contralti in local musical circles. Madame also sang the fine old Scotch Ballad "Jock o' Haseldenn" with charming expression, and a fine "bravura" in the climax, where "Jock" elopes with his "ladye," and Landon Ronald's "Lovely Night." It should be remarked, of these concerts in particular, that the lighting of the hall does not permit of those in the circle upstairs (except quite near the platform), or in the rear division downstairs, appreciating' to the full— if at all —the kaleidoscopic changes of expression in Madame's face, which,, as' seen by those who are advantageously situated to study them, reveal the .dramatic fire which burns within her. The writer, dissatisfied with the accoustics of the gallery—which are still 'unsatisfactory—and with the lighting of the platform, changed his seat during tho interval, and for the remainder of the concert sat about five rows back from tho platform. He was astonished, and a little chagrined, to discover how-much ho had missed from his seat in the circle. This point, is mado in the interest of the public, and by way of suggestion to the City Council. Mr. William Murdoch, the clever and ■ versatile pianist of.Madame's concert party, contributed Chopin's beautiful "Ballade" in A Flat, an excerpt from Mendelssohn's lieder for. the pianoforte, "Songs Without' Words" (his encore number), a bracket from Schubert-Liszt,. Rachmaninoff, ■ and Debussy—"Hark! Hark! The Lark," "Prelude in G Minor," and the beautiful "Cathedral" number played at the previous concert, and added on Saturday as an encore item. Mr. Andrew Shanks sang tho "Toreador's Song" (from "Carmen"), in which- he was not altogether suited), a Scottish ballad "Hame," by -Walfcrd Davies (a "pasty" and uninspiring composition), F. H. Cowen's fine "Border Ballad," in which ibe singer was at "his best, a fact duly noted and readily appreciated By. the audience, and, as an encore number, Lohr's rollicking "Messmates." . M. Andre de Ribaupierre, the violinist of the party, contributed' the second movement of Beethoven's "Sonata in A Major," a "Romance" from Wagner's album, tho Paganini-Gorski "Caprice," a "Poeme" from Fibich's collection (an encore number), and Sarasate's showy "Zigeunerweisen" (much beloved of amateurs conscious of a little "technique." Madame's accompaniments were played by Mr. Murdoch—.'lis artistic accompaniment to "Three Fishers," was a particularly instructive performance, and for the others, Herr Johan Wielaert was at the piano.'

MADAME KIKKBY LUNN'S TOUR. So successful has the concert tour of Madame Kirkby Lunn proved that Messrs. J. and is 1 . Tait have decided to extend it slightly to bring-in a few towns which were not included in the original itinerary. This has been made all the easier because of Madame Lunn's desire to seo Eotorua. "It would be like going to Rome withing seeing St. Peter's, or to Venice without seeing the Bridge of Sighs," said Madame, "to leave New Zealand without visiting Eotorua, so we are coming back this way, and are going to Eotorua for three whole days. • It must bo a fascinating place. I read all about it lone: ago in London, never dreaming that I would ever be so near it, and I feel that I would not be doing myself justice if I did not visit your wonderland after being so near it." The tour of Madame Lunn and her concert party is as follows:—Palmerston North, December 9 (to-day); Wanganui, December 11; Christchurch, December 14, 16, and IS; Wellington, December 20 ("The Messiah"); Oamaru, December 23; Invercargill, December 25; Dunedin, December 26 and 28; Tiraara, December 30; Wellington. January 2 and 4 (farewell concerts); Napier, January 8; Gisborne, January 10;.Eotorua; Auckland (return), January 16 and 18; leave for Sydney, January 20.