A WELLINGTON SINGER

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 305, 18 September 1920, Page 8

A WELLINGTON SINGER

MISS ADELAIDE VAN STAVEREtf RETURNS.

Miss Adelaide Van Staveren, of Wellington, who has made n special. mcho for herself in tho fields of artistic endeavour overseas, returned to New Zealand on Thursday. Miss Van Staveren is a daughter of the Rev. H. Van Staveren. of Wellington Terrace, and received hor earlier education in'thiacity. _ She developed a voice of singular power and beauty, and it was decided that a good training would havo results. Miss Van Staveren went to Milan-the homo of opera-and there studied voice production nnd languages under Madam Teresa Arkell for some three and a half years, absorbing all the while the musical atmospliera of that great music centre. Sim commenced her public career modestly by accepting concert engagements, and tlie impression created was such that she was advised to go in for opera. After careful coaching and much hard study, she at length mndo. her debut in the part of Azucena, the highly-dramatic role in Verdi's "II Trovatore." This took place at Fossano, and such was the admiration her performance evoked tnnt the audience carried her shoulder high, which was Quite an unusual compliment to be paid a foreigner by a people whoso lives are simply permeated ■ with ho opera spirit. Later she went to London ■and sang the role of Mercedes in Carmen " and became acknowledged as n singer with a future. Bicordi's tlieii en. ga«cd her to return to Milan, and there sho appeared with much success at Da Yermi (the famous opera house), and further studied repertoire. A. visit to Germany was also Wagnerian operas had always fascinated Miss Van Staveren, nnd now she is an able exponent of most of the all-demand-ing roles, which Wagner's operas abound in On her return to England again she scored a success in "Carmen' nt Liverpool, and had just signed a contract with the Quinlan Opera Co. when the war broke out. That event cancelled all contracts. Curing the war period she raided in London, accepting only occasional engagements in concert and oratorio Since the war Mies Van bta\eron 'has been anxious to return home and see her people ,nnd she has been aide, to do so under happy auspices, as Messrs J. and N. Tait at once engaged her fnr a concert tour of r>ew Zealand and Australia. Miss Van Staveren's repertoire now includes the big roles in the Verdi operas, Delilah in "Samson and Delilah," "Carmen." Suzuki in "Butterfly," nearly Hie whole of the Wagnerian operas, and such oratorio roles as are incidental to Parry s "King Paul." Mendelssohn's "Elijah, and Handel's "Messiah." Her ballad repertoire is also extensive. Miss VanStaveren returns to Wellington proficient in the Italian and German languages, which, with English as >her native language, gives her catholic taste in vocal music full play. The returned singer find? Wellington greatlv changed and enormously advanced. Matters already in train for Miss Van Staveren's appearance in Wellington. These will take place at tho Town Fall on September 28 nnd 30.

The Mayor and Mayoress nro civjriß Miss Van Staveren a reception at the Concert Chamber at 3.30 p.m. on Monday. All friends, past, present, and prospective, aro invited to attend.