PAUL DUFAULT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1985, 16 February 1914, Page 6

PAUL DUFAULT.

' ■-■'' '', ♦ TENOR RECEIVES AN OVATION. No singer, on. earth cou,ld have complained of such'a reception arid farewell as were accorded Mr. Paul Dufault, the eminent tenor, on the occasion of his; final concert at/then Opera,; House on Saturday evening. Tho theatre l was comfortably hlled in all parts, and frdm tho storm of applause that succeeded each number it was easily discerned that it was an audience of enthusiasts, happily enslaved,oy the art of the gifted visitor.- There is no shadow of aoulft that Dufault is , the most ■brilliant and deeply,' artietic concert 'tenor who has ever been heard in Wellington, and> many in Wellington will watch his career abroad with uncommon interest, sure in the belief that greatness awaits him in those older lands where mastery in thwarts is more readily recognised and honoured than may be the case in the baby countries of the South Pacific. At -the conclusion of Saturday's concert there was a veritable storm of applause and billows of cheering, enough to assure the tenor that Wellington . has appreciated him. He was in glorious, voice, and sang himself clean into the heart of his audience unaided by anything 3ave what is legitimate in art. His numbers . included a very fine and richly melodious aria from theopera "Joseph in Egypt," by Etienne Mehul, a French compo.ser who flourished towards tho end of the eighteenth century.' "Joseph" was produced for'the first time on February 17, ' 1807, when the 'composer was, at the height of his powers. The 'aria was nobly declaimed, and, taken in conjunction with the Handelian song "Where'er You Walk," sung with stately breadth, gave the;,public- an idea.of Mr. Dufault's quality'in oratorio. -.' Then followed a succession of newly-established favourites, including "When Song is Sweot" (Sans Souci), "Mignon," "Au Pays," "I Know," "Sylveiinej" and the ennobling/sdng "Inter Nos" (M'Fayden). £fis' final bracket, Which created a furore of applause, embraced Goetz' poetical Bonk "Melisando in the .Wood;" Chamlnade's "Silver Ring," -the .'poig-nantly-dramatic song "How's My, Boy (Homer), and , "'finally, with irresistible art, was .sung "The Trumpeter" and "Invietus." JS'ot content with cheering tho tenor, ai fairly large crowd waited outside the theatre to watch tho artist take his departure, emphasising in' ah unusual manner the profound impression''Mr. Dufault made in Wellington. . Miss Pauliuc-Bindley, the talented! soprano, of the company, who has a sunny voice of great possibilities, was scarcely up to true pitch in tho florid waltz song from "Romeo and Juliet:" There was a lack of piquancy and sparkle in consequence. Sho was distinctly good-in "Philosophy," and sang the duets "A Night in Venice" (Lucatani) and "It Was a Lover and His .Lass" (Matthew), .charmingly'with Mr. Dufault. Later Miss Bindley sang "I Know a Lovely Garden" (d'Hardelot), an. American-made Irish folk song, ■• by A. Foote, and "If No One Ever Marries Me." Miss Bindley, who has _ made many friends and admirers in Wellington, received several floral tributes during the/ evening; Mr. E. Toy played Wieniawski's "Polonaise in A," Schubert's "Ave Maria," ElEar's""La Capriceuso, y Sarasato's "Zigeunerweisen," and Drdla's ''Souvenir." Mr. Harold Whittle accompanied artistically throughout the concert. .• '