MISSION OF SONG

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12621, 4 December 1926, Page 14

MISSION OF SONG

“AMBASSADOR OF EMPIRE” WORLD-WIDE TOUR. William Heughan, Scotland’s noted actor-singer, has arrived in Montreal, fresh from successes in Newfoundland and the Maritime Provinces, making a return visit to this city in his world tour, undertaken under the auspices of the Burns Federation of London (says the Montreal “Daily Star”). With Mr Heughan is Miss Gladys Sayer, pianist from the Brussels Conservatoire. Heughan is on artist who has a record of achievement that would indeed be hard to beat. Apart from his reputation in tho United Kingdom and in Europe he has scored success upon success throughout the principal cities of South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, India, and the Orient, including Japan. To these he has lately added a scries of appearances in Canada and Newfoundland, while his recitals in the principal concert halls in New York and Chicago have added yet further to his world-wide successes. Ho lyelongs to that rare and remarkable guild, tho song interpreter. With all the aboriginal force of tho Celtic Scot, supplemented by tho subtle training of Italy, he is actor, singer and storyteller all in one. His first appearance in Montreal was in March ol' this year By his regular wearing of “tho garb of Anld Gaul.” William Heughan has associated with the tartan a iiersoiinlity with a jiowor of interpretation in song, and a superbness of dramatic

I suggestion in story and action which | should go far to demonstrate that | Scotsmen can be cosmopolitan not i merely in their pioneering work ami | in their ideals in relation to humam- | tarian principles and practices, but can. to say the least, riral any other nationals in intellectual treatment of musical and dramatic numbers. A Scot he undoubtedly is, a Scot with all the temperament of a Bruce and a Burns -—a Gael and a Jacobite. When lie sings of a Bruce or a Bonnie Prince Charlie, ‘‘his face, my lord, is like a book, where men may read of the devotion of the patriot.” He must love Burns. He gets all the tears and teasings, and the sighs and smiles, all the love and laughter out of the beloved Scottish bard. And yet Hcuglinn’s versatility ,s amazing. Therein lies much of tho greatness of his art. He will sing you an Knglish West Country that would delight Thomas Hard; in 'ts rendering. He will sing an lri>h song to charm the ear of any colleen. And no doubt he can sing a song of Wales well enough to thrill the Celtic heart of Lloyd George himself. And there is a good deal more 43 oraise of Heughan. who is duo New Zealand in 1928 for a DomiuMit tour.