Mr Robson’s Recitals.

Patea Mail, 27 February 1882, Page 3

Mr Robson’s Recitals.

A reception more worthy of the occasion was accorded on Saturday evening to Mr Robson, the accomplished elocutionist who had given one entertainment in the previous week, thereby inducing much regret amongst many who woro not thc*n present. He was met on this second visit by a numerous and not less critical audience. Some went to hear his phenomenal soprano voice, ranging, as he says, over four and a half octaves ; and his singing of the the difficult “ Shadow Song ” with its fanciful mountain echos, followed as an encore by “ The Last Rose of Summer,” were striking examples of his marvellous high register and the purity of his notes in altissimo. His middle notes were less clear on this occasion, as he appeared to have a cold ; yet how exquisitely he has cultivated the delicacies of accentuation when warbling hird-liko in the higher register of a soprano voice, springing without sadden break from ordinary baritone register. Mr Lorenz travels with Mr Robson, and is an accomplished pianist. Mr Robson’s recitals wore all good, in varying degrees. It seems incongruous, yet his delivery of that excellent advice which Hamlet gives to the players was less natural, less suitably marked with cadence and gesture, than all his other pieces. But it is the rarest thing to find a well graced actor who has risen above all mannerism. Mr Robson’s nice culture is unmistakable, and some characters he impersonates to the life; yet among roles that seemed least natural to him on this occasion were the parts of Hamlet and Macbeth. His tragic manner is lugubrious rather than majestic. In the dungeon dialogue between Hubert and Arthur, the eloquent boyish pleading of the latter was very touching; while Hubert’s hard relenting was less true to the situation. The incantation scene Irom Macbeth, and the strange unearthly chanting by the weird hags who say charms of horrid mystery, round the cauldron, would be a new revelation to most listeners; and even those familiar with the play could not esenj e a pleased surprise at the wonderful poetic witchery of the language used by the conjuring hags. The wealth of weird imagination in those uncanny passages explains the secret of Shakespeare’s undying fame in this as in other plays. The witches had each a distinct character in voice and uncouth gesture ; and Mr Robson elevated this scene to its proper rank as a masterpiece. ■ The recital of this one scene should suffice to make him famous. His readings are an intellectual luxury.