PAUL DEFAULT, TENOR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1982, 12 February 1914, Page 6

PAUL DEFAULT, TENOR

BRILLIANT CONCERT, . Mr. Paul Dufault,' the' French-Cana-dian tenor, returned to the Town Hall last, evening 'to delight everyone present with his masterly. Toealism. _ It has. been the good fortune of concert lovers to enjoy' tho singing of many fine artists during the past tew months, but without infringing on the decilato domains of prejudice,-: it can bo frankly and sincerely stated that-' no singer lias given the • solid satisfaction that Mr. Dufault has. " His robust and resonant tenor,. so perfectly-balanced and so even in quality throughout the registers, has the golden attribute of the purest music s and added to those technical virtues without which no singer may mount the heights, ho has an attistie arid temperamental equipment which must at once be the hope and despair of strugglers along tho vocal way. It is rarely the lot of tho critic to Bo able to thrust analysis of an artist's powers, and to sit back and thoroughly enjoy,, but that pleasure comes naturally in"; the ease of Mr. Dufault. Sure in. his art, delicate, sincere, and super-intelligent in his interpretations, hb covers a wide range.of song, dramatic aad lyric, with the strength and nerve of "an .artist. It was uplifting to hear him sing,, with fervent exaltation, the "Prayer" from Massenet's "Le Cid," a gloriously'-melodious aria thai embodies at-'once the poignancy of earthly regrets, with the devout spirit born of the hope eternal. The number was rapturously received, ■; and tho ensuing "bis" induced him to add the tender little sbitglet "In a. Garden" (C, B. Holley), which was sung With indefinable, delicacy, In the second part of the programme . Mr, Dufault w«s ogually triumphant in, tho treat* meiit of a number of ballads grave and tender in character. : .These included "At the Midnight Hour" (Cowen), "Dost Thou Know?" "The "Secret" ■ (Scott), and the' enthusiastic audience bein'g> still unsatisfied, • "Thy Beaming Eyes," a'charming song by M'Dowoll, the American compeser. It was, however, in the final bracket that the tepor exacted the greatest measure of enthusiasm. The first of the series was that striking- French military scena, entitled "Au Pays" (Holmes), vhe singing of which Mr. Dufault prefaced with -a brief description, delivered in a Quaint and simple, manner that was delieiously' amusing', • ' In his tatfen of the' song, ho infused a fine spirit of military ardour, and acted the part of the soldier'who returns to find his financed tho wife of another, with appealing emotional force. This wh.s followed/by./'Sylvelin;" a'strain of the purest posey, illuminated by an exquisitely beautiful acconipa'iumoirt. "Im-ictus" (Bruno Huhn), O. Henry's verse depicting tho bold defiance of a soul distraught, was "finely declaimed, and induced a storm of applause that Was, only appeased by the' singer coming forward with Tour's song, '"Mother «'■ Mine," sumr-with marked expression. With Miss Pauline Bindley, Mr. Dufault sang dofightfttllj;'a 'new' setting of the /Shakespearean song, ",lt 'Was a Lever and Hi's'Lass/,.'.' by.Wa'lthew'. Mr. • Dufault is very adequately supported. Miss--Paulina Bihdlo'y,'another vocal graduate' from Beiidigo, proved herself possessed ol,a fulUbodied sunny soj)raho." 'produced withmi't restraint or effort. ThereVas a sfepieioVi of stridency in her notes above the' elef, but her facility and -elan were delightful in so young a singer..' Miss lliiidley sank the familiar "Carp Nome" aria, very well indeed, and was raVotired with, a recall, which produwd.Guy D'Hardelqt's "I Know a Garden." Her other songs wero: "I Hid My Love" {D'Hardclot), "The Lass with tho Delicate Air" (Ante), "L&ve, I Have Woii You" (Ronald),'and "In My Garden" (Liddle). Mr. Ernest Toy'is'fairly, wj>U kiiowii -in Npw Zealand as a .violinist of outstanding ability. : His tone is not robust, b«t it is. invested with a measure of sympathy which serves to grace his fine tecllhujUOi /'He played last evening the alWomanding "Souvenir de Moscow" of Wieniawski in a finished manner, and supplemented it witJi Drdla's charming "Souvenir." Ho was iilso heftrd with pleasure in his- own "Madrigal," Bohm's conceit - "The' Butterfly," a '/Mawirba" hy Zarycki,' and the "Sieilienno" of Fergetee. The accompaniments of Mr. Harold Whittle left nothing to be desired. Ho was minutely conscientious and artistie throughout in his work, . , : ; , ' The sceand. concert of tho Paul Dufault season will tHk.6 place at tho Opera Hauso to'iiight,' arid there will ha, a conjptete ehaiige of programme from that of last night. Mri Dttfault's operatic,number wili.be the well-known Jour Aid I .' from the "Q.ueen of. Sheba." ,Ilis other, nuinbers will ecm.prise many beautiful ballads, including . the' dramatic' classic' "How's My J?qy.?" on which, an Adelaide ..crit'c says: "Dufautt lias'' given, us many sangs,'.but ho has' giyeii us..riotlri.n^ 1 m.o) , e wdfldei'ful than the mother's ..imperative) -ifti-' passioiied, .and .insistent ■ 'questioning, ,'How's' My. Boy?' . /itgot Adelnide dn . its feet, ■ and that tfilsjes'/sonie -doing.". Miss Biiidley's numbers .will-be all-in English, The, ..principal'item will be tho, great ;aqa ''."One'iFhio. Day" from the secoh.d'act of "Madanic JButterfly." Mr! .Ernest Toy's numbers will'include the popular "Faust Fantasia." ' • The two • remMniiig cancerts of: the 'Dufault season will bigiven/attlieOpera House to-morrow .and Saturday/nights. .■