THE DUFAULT RECITALS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2797, 15 June 1916, Page 3

THE DUFAULT RECITALS

MORE ENTHUSIASM. ' No concert ai'tist of recent times has aroused so much genuine enthusiasm in Wellington as I'aul Dut'nult, the FrenchCanadian tenor. Ilu'is a singer to take | sheet'. delight in; Ins peerless art puts the critical mind to sleep, leaving alive and vital only the capacity for perfect anjoyment. Last eveuing the tenor began his assault on a large and sympathetic audience in the beautiful aria, "She Ne'er Believed It True," from Thomas's "Mignon." To hear such arias interpreted by such a singer sorves lo show tho severe limitations of our musical environment, and whets the appetite for a. larger experience. As encores, Mr. Dufault sang once more the dainty "Boat Song" of Harriet- Ware, and "Dinon, Mignon," another favourite of othordays.' His oecond' bracket included an old seventeenth century love ballad, "Love Me or Not" (Secchi). "Lb Sais Tu" (Massenet), and a glorious tribute to the joy of song by tho Amorican composer Horner, entitled "Sing to Me, ;Sing." Three encores followed—"Caddie," "Au Kfiys 1 ' (which caused a storm of enthusiastic applause), and "Crow's Egg," a comic ditty that caused roars of laughter, and showed the versatility of the tenor. Finally he revived the song, "Lorraine, Lorraine, Loree" (Spross), which embodies a world of tragic pathoa, "J.'ai Pleure en Reve" (Hue), and MacFadyen's fine song, "Inter Nos," marked by somo wonderful tone colouring. As encores he sang "La"Vivandiere""(G<)dnrd), and once more created a furore by ■'his splendid declamation of "La Marseillaise." , One of the most charming numbers on the programme was the sweet and tender duet between .Don" Jose and Micaela, from the first ■ act of "Carmen" (Bizet). Miss Pauline Bindley, although obviously suffering from a cold, sang Micaela's music very well indeed, and Mr. Dufault was admirably subdued as Don Jose. The encore was "Nearest and Dearest," empnasising the humourous side of love. Miss' Bindley sang the well-known "Ono Fine Day" aria from Puccini's "Madame Butterfly," but was prevented from doing the number full justice owing to hoarseness in the lower notes. Her encore wm the pretty ITttlo song, "In My Garden.' She also sang tliat sweet old-time song of Haydn's ','My Mother Bids Me Bind My Hair," "One Golden Day," and "Dawn." Miss Florence Scapini, tho viplijiisc of the company, pleased the audience immensely in a Beethoven "Minuet," a difficult set of variations on a Corelli' theme, adapted by Tartini, and embellished by the difficulties of which were made li(fht if by young lady. She also played the finale of the Max Bruch "Concerto in G Minor" in a manner that surprised her admirers. Other soli were: "Simple Aven" (Thome), "Joys of Love" (Kresiler), "Poem" (Fibicli), "La Precieuse" (Kreisler), and "Le Cygne" (St. Saens). . The company is fortunate in the possession of an artist like Mr. Harold "Wnittle, whose finished work Mr. Dufault makes a point of acknowledging before the public. Among those, present last evening wero the. Countess. of Liverpool and a party from Government House and the Countess of Glasgow. . / FOURTH CONCERT. The fourth concert of .Tse season will take place to-night, when another complete change of programme will be presented. Mr. Djiilault's operatic, number will be an aria from "Joseph in Egypt." He will introduce several new songs, including "At "Twilight," and "If Thou Wert' Blind," • and will close his pro- - gramme with' another new number, entitled "Peace Triumphal." This is, as the name indicates, a prayer for peace, but peace after victory. It is stilted to have caused a furore in Dunedin, where Mr, Dufault sang it for the • first' time. The duet of tho evening will be "The Passage-Bird's Farewell." The box plans for to-nisht and the final concert on Saturday are at tho Bristol. Day sales at tho ,Grand Opera House sweet shop.