SECOND CONCERT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 69

SECOND CONCERT.

The second concert of the Clara Butt season, given at His Majesty's Theatre on the 7th, flttracted an audience of overflowing dimensions, seats on the stage being freely utilised. The enthusiasm of the immense gathering was even more marked than on Wednesday evening, and this fact, together with the notable quality of the programme forthcoming, made the ooncert one of the most memorable musical events this city has witnessed. Madame Clara Butt's selection of numbers is felicitous. Her first programme contribution was Gluck's great aria from " Alceste." " Divinites dv St3 - x," which proved in every respect a magnificent effort The tone of the voice was modulated with notable skill, ar.d the passion of the later mood was expressed most convincingly, working up to a climax of startling dramatic power in the utterance " Mon coeur est aninie." The fineness of the interpretation aroused intense enthusiasm. After numerous recalls Mad?me Butt delighted expectation by a more than satisfying rendering of "II Legreto," the famous air from " Lucretia Borgia," and the^, enthusiasm of the audience renewing itself with unwearied vehemence, she gave as a second encore number Liddle's taking composition "In my garden." The musical setting, which Lewis Carey has attached to Tennyson's verses, " Break, break, break," is effective and interesting, though a less eminent sirger than Madame Butt might fail to make it appeal on a first hearing to an audience. Madame Butt sang the number, however, with great feeling and a restrained power that left her hearers in no doubt as to their verdict, and the absolute clearness of her enunciation in such music — every word carrying its full foree — is a source of peculiar pleasure to her listeners. Her reappearance was, of course, inevitable, and Sullivan's popular " Lost chord " followed, rendered by the- great contralto as, perhaps, never before •to a local audience, its interpretation being characterised by a fine breadth of dignity and generous fullness of tone. Once again Her insatiable admirers constrained Madame Butt to appear, and they derived immense Ba>Usj{iotjon fiftffi a, very, ajnrpatketic lender-

ing of " Kathleen Mavoumeen," in every nofi of which their attention hung lingeringly Mr Kennerley Rumford was again in fin« voice, and had a most appreciative reception. His initial contributions to the prograi>me were three songs by Brahms — to wit, " Wie bist dv meine Konigin," " Standchen," and! " O death," — all most acceptable numbers in themselves, and well calculated to display, the singer's versatility of treatment. " O death " was a particularly fine effort. In response to imperative recalls, Air Rumfor<f gave Schumann's famous '' Two grenadiers," the rendering of this taxing composition being highly stirring and dramatic antl marked by an unusual share of that vocal expressiveness which is one 1 of the singer's moat notable possessions. Subsequently Mr Rumford was heard in " Thy beaming eyes,'*' a taking composition by Edward M'Dowell, very daintily sung, and in Edward German's " Four jolly sfiilorirten," a fin© rollicking numbar, which, given with an irresistible bieeziness. roused the audience to enthusiasm. As an additional contribution the vocalist) gave that very fine composition " Shepherd see thy horse's foaming mane," the Hungarian national song, as arranged by Karbay. To conclude the programme Madame Butt and Mt Rumford sang with great acceptance the duot " Dear love of mine " ('Nadeshda), and, in response to a perfect furore of applause which lasted several minutes, re» appeared once again, and gave the popular duet " The keys of heaven," after which a very reluctant audience dispersed. The instrumentalists of the company again contributed materially to the pleasure of thosa present. Mr Carl Barre confitmed the high opinion previously formed of his ability as a violinist. His programme lmnibera wer« "Garten melodic " (Schumann), Popper't " Elfentany "' and Sarasuti's " Zigenner*. weisen," all admirably interpreted, with «in unaccompanied gavotte by Bach as a verj» skilfully executed encore number. Mr Frank Merrick, the pianist of the company, in Cbopin's " Ballsde in G minor ' and Schuman's " Novelette* in E " gave wortl^ contributions to the programme. Mr Arthur Godfrey as accompanist, and Mr Sykes aa organist, likewise doing their share of ttir evening's work.