MDLLE. OLGA DUBOIN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5768, 24 September 1879, Page 2

MDLLE. OLGA DUBOIN.

It will be seen from our advertising columns that this talented lady will appear iu this city on October 3, when she will give one of those magnificent pianoforte recitals for which her name is already famous. Mdlle. Duboin is only able to give one recital in each place that she visits, and she is now an route for Sydney, whence she will proceed to Brisbane, and ultimately return Home via America. Tile lady is a native of Moscow, and was born of French parents. For many years (says an exchange) she occupied the position of French teacher at the Imperial Institute, Moscow, established for the education of the daughters of the llussian nobility, and on retiring from this office came into the receipt of an annual pension. Her musical talent soon became known at the Russian Court, and she was sent to the Conservatoire de Mnsique, at Leipsic, founded by Mendelssohn in 184-1. Here she completed her musical studies under the famous Maestro Moscheles. In 1868 she started on her travels. She visited iu succession Dresden, Berlin, Moscow, the chief towns of Eastern Siberia, the Caucasus, and Crimea. She was four times at the Court—twice in St. Petersburg, once at the Winter Palace at Moscow-, and once at the Summer Palace at Livadia. At Archangel she appeared before the Grand Duka Alexis, the third son of the present Emperor. She next visited European and Asiatic Turkey, Egypt, and India. On the 20th of June, IS7B, she arrived at Melbourne per mail steamer Assam, and has since visited South Australia and Tasmania, coming thence to New Zealand. She has appeared at the Southern cities, and is now proceeding northwards. The Australasian thus speaks of Mdlle. Duboin’s performances “ She is undoubtedly a great pianiste. She impresses you by her power and her intensity, and yet there is nothing savoring of excess in anything she does. She sits at the instrument as if she wore a magioieune, compelling it to yield grand music. And at her touch there comes forth a voice as if speaking from the spheres. It penetrates you, surrounds you, iuvests you, occupies you, thrills you, fills you, takes possession of you ; especially, it makes you fee). When she plays you do not judge, you do not weigh and estimate what you hear, you surrender yourself to the mastery of its influence. And this, I take it, is the true purpose of music, as it is the test and measure of its value. Music, lo be real music, must hold you in its grasp, and bear you away from grossness. And this is exactly what Mademoiselle Dnboin does. She makes you forget her and the instrument, and the present time and yourself, and you are lifted into irridesoeut dreams. You do not care to inquire how it is done. You do not want to know by what technical cunning this glamour of sound is brought about. You surrender yourself to its effect, and you are therefore happy. Mademoiselle Duboin can play all the pieces she does play entirely from memory. Never a note she puts before her. It would impair the perfect poetry of her performance if she were to compel herself to the mechanical infliction of looking at aprintedbook while she is striking the notes. She enjoys the passionate plasure of discharging her own brain-ether at once into the world of sounds, and sharing the delight it occasions with the listeners who dwell upon her utterances.”