FISK JUBILEE SINGERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 865, 14 July 1910, Page 3

FISK JUBILEE SINGERS.

It is always pleasing to have an opportunity of giving publicity to the advent to Foxton of touring organisations with a metropolitan reputation. The Fisk Jubilee Singers certainly come under this category. They are to give one of their unique and highly enjoyable musical entertainments at the Public Hall, Foxton, on Saturday evening next. The Fisks stand alone as exponents of choral singing. They are a school unto themselves, and have for over three decades sung their way to the hearts of the people in nearly all portions of the globe. They enter into their “work” as may not inaptly be termed in such a whole-hearted manner as to prove quite refreshing. ‘'A musical banquet” and “a feast of melody and harmony,” such is the managerial assertion as regards the entertainment to be given here next Saturday. The present organisation is headed by Miss Belle F. Gibbons, the remarkable lady baritone and Jubilee chorus singer. Other leading members are:—Mrs Hamilton Hodges, a fine dramatic soprano; Miss Cecile Stephano, a rich contralto of great range, who does full justice to such compositions as ‘‘The Mighty Deep Miss Bertha Haynes-Miller, another pleasing soprano, who invariably brings down the house with her rendition of ‘‘Maggie, the Cows are in the Clover Miss Alice Baptist, a sweet mezzosoprano. On the male side Mr R. H. Collins, who is generally admitted to be the finest singer of coon songs who has ever visited Australasia, is a prime favourite everywhere and he rarely, if ever, escapes paying the penalty of popularity by being compelled to respond to a double encore; Mr Sydney Haynes, the tenor, is another who is very highly spoken of. There are two bassos in Messrs Arthur Haynes and E. R. Martin, the latter being also master of the guitar. Professor White, a gold medalist of the Boston Conservatoire of Music, is still musical director and accompanist, in which capacity he has acted for some twenty years. Seats may be reserved at Mrs Nye's.