AFTER FIVE YEARS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1882, 16 October 1913, Page 8

AFTER FIVE YEARS.

WELLINGTON SINGER'S SUCCESS,

RETURN OF MISS MINA CALDOW

FROM LONDON.

About five years ago Miss Mina. Calclow, daughter of Mr. It. T. Caldow, of Wellington, wont to London, to pursue her studies in.the art of singing. Yes- ! terday, Miss Caldow, who was very well known here as a contralto singer, returned to Wellington on a visit to her relatives and friends in this part of the world, strengthened with the knowledge that she has a place in the vocal circle in England, that there is much joy in tho widening experience that London offers, and that, tJiough_ the game is hard and unrelenting, it is "worth the candle." She has learned to love London, to glory in her work, and is still glowing with ambition to go farther than she lias gone. Testing the Teachers. "When I first reached London I went to Mr. Montague Borwell to learn voice production—this on the recommendation of,-Mr. Charles Saunders," "said Miss Caldow, "but lie wanted me to adopt a different method of breathing than I had been used to—ono that was pot natural to me, at all events. Realising that, I only had a few lessons from Mr. Borwell. After that 1 went to Madamo Trcmelli, who was a well-known teachcr of voice production in Xondon, and a fine dramatic singer, who has since returned to the operatic stage in Germany. She is a dear, and taught me ever so much —much that my instinct told ■ 1 me was essential. After* she left London, I had a couple of lessons with Lucy Johnson (the composer of "Nearer My God To Thee"), and subsequently took a long'course of lessons in production and ballad-sing-ing from Madame Guy d'Hardelot, the ominerit teacher and composer. She is a wondorful woman, and I think she' managed to increase ray power 100 per cent. by her splendid methods and pationt drilling. As -I wanted to do something more than sing ballads, I then went to Madam 3 Amy Sherwin, and she opened a' new world to me in her teaching of the big arias in oratorio, and somo of the best ballads. She specialises in interpretation, and from her I learnt much affecting the treatment (and language) of French, Italian, and German songs." Making Her' Way. "Naturally, evoryono is anxious to sing in public, and in less than a year I got a chance to sing in London m a small way, and as I went on improving under tuition. I got occasional engagements. and then worked into 'tho profession, by accepting engagements at 'at homes.' lodge dinners, banquets, and all sorts of Eocial functions. There mav'not be much honour or glory in such engagements, but they were very welcome. While they helped to keep the pot boiling they gave mo the chances I wanted to 'stow-my paces. There are many very good singers doing that of work year in and out in the season in London. Tho fees paid are a guinea or a guinea and ahalf for 'two songs, so that if you can get i three or four engagements a girl is,able to scratch along fairly comfortably. I consider I liavo been lucky. I have never paid to appear in a programme, as many do, and have managed to secure a fair share of the engagements going without the • assistance of the agents. Apart from many appearances at the Steinway_ and Aeolian Halls, I have been associated with such j artists as Charles Sanders, Kate 800- j ney, Ada Crosslev. and Watkin Mills at the Albert Hall—fancy three Australian contraltos in tho ono programme. Madamo Crosslev has improved wonderfully since she was last in New Zealand—her voice seems to ' have awakened again, and lier stylo is always so perfect. I have also sung at tlie Queen's Hall, at the National Sunday League's (afternoon) _ concerts at the Palladium, where nothing but good music is sung. The Sunday evening concerts are lighter in character, and the semi-humorous son? is not regarded as out of dace. I went on a provincial tour with Meka. the young Russian Polo. Who is a wonderful violinist, much better. I think, than Kubelik. His technique is very fine, and ho is extraordinarily sympathetic. Found In the Street. , "Another tour which lasted five monthß —England, Scotland, and Wales was made under the Amy Sherwin management with Eva Carol as the star. Ihis piri was discovered in the streets singing a- carol one Christmas Eve by Madame Sherwin, who taught her for a time and then took her on tour, giving her the name" of Carol as one akin to tho episode which brought her before the public. She was only 15 years of ago wlien we toured and was a very sweet singer, and extremely popular with audiences. . "Before I left London I took lessons from Herr Greunebaum, the famous operatic coach, who put mp tlirougn 'Carmen' and Delilah (in Saint-Saens s 'Samson and Delilah'). I am going to go in seriously for operatic work when I go back to London next year. 1 am going to stay out here for about eight ■months. I have already had offers of engagements at Melbourno and Sydney, and, of course, there will be something doing in New Zealand." Whilo at Homo Miss Caldow met many New Zoalandors. Mr. Arthur Ballance was in the chorus of "The Girl in the Taxi," Miss Leonore Pulsford she met in tho provinces sin.cr.ing_ in tho cliovus of "The Chocolate Soldier,' and Mr. Beck, father of the clever Wanganui boy (who is studying in Belgium) she met at Yarmouth, where he was teaching music. Mr. Bowron, of Christchurch. formerly a baritone, had developed into a tenor, and was promising very well indeed. "The Rosary" and Mrs. Barclay. Miss Caldow has had many delightful oxperionces during her ramblings in England. She had the pleasure of singing "The Rosary" before Mrs. Barclay, the author of the book, at a concert. Mrs. Barclay afterwards personally congratulated her and asked her to accept an autographed copy Of tho book, stating complimentarily that the song had been sung just as she loved it to bo sung. On another occasion in a Dorset town sho was about to respond to an encore to a/song, when a gentleman in evening dress walked up to tho platform and Teouested her to ropeat "Tho Rosary," which sho had sung earlier in tho evening. Among other songs Miss Caldow mentions as charming are "Until 1 ' (Sanderson), "Oliver's Song" (Lohr), "If" (Novello), and "Maggio." Miss Caldow is to sing the contralto .solos in "Tho Messiah" with tho Royal Choral Society in December.