RICHARD CROOKS

Evening Star, Issue 22461, 5 October 1936, Page 2

RICHARD CROOKS

FAMOUS TENOR SINGS TO-NIGHT This evening, at the Town Hall, Messrs J. and N. Tait will present the world-famous tenor Mr Richard Crooks, who on Tuesday and Thursday last repeated his Australian triumphs by singing before two capacity audiences at the Town Hall, Wellington, where he was acclaimed as the best and* most entertaining artist for some years. Through the radio the rare beauty of Richard Crooks’s voice has become familiar to every nation in the world, but no matter how excellent a recording might be, nothing can_ compare with hearing a great artist at first hand. Air Crooks is one of the few artists equally at home in the very divergent fields of opera, lieder, sacred music, and popular ballads, and, as his public is found in every walk of life, so do his programmes cater for every branch of musical taete. He realises that not everyone is a student of music and that the great majority are just lovers of music. He sings _ in French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and English, and considers that opera should be sung ip English in English-speaking countries. His brilliancy of tone, his facility of expression, sympathy, and sincerity, coupled with his charm of manner, make his concerts exhilarating experiences. It is claimed that during his Australian tour Richard Crooks was heard by 220,000 people. In Alelbourne, after having given 13 record concerts, the musically-minded people of that city paid him the final tribute at his final performance of packing the great exhibition building, which holds 15,000 persons. The programme for to-night’s concert will include such popular numbers as ‘lf Thou Be Near’ (Bach), ‘Serenade’ (Haydn), ‘I Love Thee’ (Beethoven!, ‘Per Pieta ’ (Stradrlla), aria ‘ Le Reve ’ from ‘ Alanon ’ (Alassenet), ‘ Ti Vi Eta’ from ‘Fedora’ (Giordana), ‘ Where’er You Walk ’ (Handel), ‘Tell My Beloved’ (Handel). ‘Alma Mia’ from ‘ Floridante ’ (Handel), aria ‘Flower Song’ from ‘ Carmen ’ (Bizet), ‘ Bomanza ’ from ‘ Linda Li Charaonnix.’ He will select songs from the following:— ‘ I’ll Sail Upon the Dog Star,’ ‘ Sweet Alystery of Life,’ ‘ The Bell Alan,’ ‘ Retreat,’ ‘Absent,’ ‘Yours Is Aly Heart Alone,’ ‘ Then You’ll Remember Ale.’ ‘ Beloved, it is Morn,’ ‘ Life and Death,’ ‘ I Know of Two Bright Eyes,’

* Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal,’ ‘ Song of Songs,’ ‘ L’Amour toujours, L’Amour,’ ‘ Vienna, City of My Dreams.’ Frederick Schauwecker (solo pianist) will play the following numbers: — ‘ Intermezzo ’ (Brahms), ‘ Prelude ’ (Rachmaninoff), ‘La Fileuse ’ Sibelius), ‘Romance’ (Brahms), ‘La Fille aux Cheveus ’ (Debussy), ‘En Route’ (Orstein), ‘Nocturne’ (Glazouno.w), ‘lmpressions’ (Schmidt). ‘Piece Rococo’ (Taylor), ‘Nocturne* (Chopin), and ‘Poem Triste ’ (Sibelius). Seats for to-night’s performance can be booked at the Regent Theatre until 6.45 p.m., and then the Town Hall. A limited number of 3s tickets will be on sale.