MADAME ARABELLA GODDARD’S CONCERT.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 156, 3 December 1874, Page 2

MADAME ARABELLA GODDARD’S CONCERT.

The second of these concerts took place last night, and the attendance, as was expected, was as large as on the first night, in fact, there were numerous applications for seats long after all available space had been filled. The programme for the evening contained something to please every description of visitor, from the admirers of the classical order of music, down to those whose appreciation of Madame Goddard’s wonderful pianoforte playing, is only at its height when they can recognize some old familiar air running throughout the piece she is performing. To say that one and all went awaythoroughly satisfied with the evening’s entertainment is hardly enough ; on every side the general verdict seemed to be that no audience in Christchurch had ever heard anything like it before, and that we were not likely to hear anything like it again, unless Madame Goddard should pay New Zealand another visit, an event that we fear there is not much chance of happening. Madame Goddard during the evening played the following selected compositions ; major,” (Mozart). Three pieces from the ‘ ‘ Lieder ohne worte,” (Mendelsohn), responding to a vehemently demanded encore with a “raise” (Chopin), and the last solo on the programme was the Grand Fantasia “ Erin,” composed by Sir Julius Benedict expressly for Madamme Goddard. In this case too the audience would not rest satisfied until Madamme Goddard had returned, and she finished the evening with the performance of the “The last rose of summer” with variations by Thalberg, a piece that must always remain unseparably connected with the name of the great English pianiste. Concerning the rest of the company—Mrs Smythe appeared to be in great favor with the audience, and in response to an encore demanded after her singing of “ Thee, only I love.” She gave with great,

spirit the well-known “ Merrily, merrily over the snow.” Herr Doehler gave the Tarantella ; and in the second part, a selection from “ Anna Bolena,” and was well received in both. Mr Rainford was in very good voice, and had no reason to complain of coldness on his re-appearauce before a Christchurch audience. In response to an encore, after “ Thus goes the world,” he sung “ The wolf,” and earned a well-merited meed of applause. Mr Skinner was not very successful in “ There is’a flower that bloometh;” but he sung his share in the trios with success. Altogether the concert was one of the most enjoyable that we have had in Christchurch for a very long time, and from present indications we cannot doubt hut that the remainder of the series will be equally successful.