Musical.

Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 19, 4 August 1894, Page 12

Musical.

NEWBURY- SPADA CONCERTS. The Newbury-Spada Concert Company occupied the Theatre on Thursday evening'. The advance reports had been so highly eulogistic that a great treat was anticipated by the local lovers of vocal music, and it was refreshing to note the absence from the programme published of those hackneyed items which have been so often furnished for our delectation. The two parts of the programme were opened by a youthful pianiste, Miss Lottie Aldred, whose brilliant execution ensured a recall in each item. Mr Harry Smith, whose face is ever welcome in Invercargill, and who was in capital voice, sang most sympathetically Adams’ “ The Valley by the Sea,” and in response to an encore The Yeoman’s Wedding Song.” In the second part he undertook the cavatina “ See Ton Rose,,’ with, such taste that the audience would not be denied another item, and he sang Tosti’s “ Eor Ever and for Ever.” Miss Clara Mongredien is the contralto of the company, and her rich, mellow voice, clear enunciation, and sympathetic feeling, so commended her to the audience that she was encored and recalled after each item, contributing “ Will He come ” (Sullivan), “We’d better bide a wee,” tl There is a green Hill far away ” (Gounod), and “ Daddy.” Expectation was high when Mr Philip Newbury made his appearance, nor were the audience disappointed, and the fact was soon established that they were privileged to listen to the finest tenor voice that has ever been heard in Invercargill. Clear, strong, of lovely tone, and under perfect control, Mr Newbury uses it to perfection. His first air was Handel’s “ Where’er Tou Walk,” from “ Semele,” and in response to the inevitable encore he gang “ Let Me like a Soldier fall,” and being again recalled “ Sally in Our Alley.” In the second part his printed item. was the Siciliana from Mascagni’s opera “ Cavalliera Rusticana,” and in response to vociferous demands for encores “ The Bay of Biscay ” and “ Oft in the Stilly Night.” The whole of these items served to display the comprehensive qualities of his voice and the true artistic ability he has to use it, bringing out alike its strength and the beauty of its tone. The honours of the evening were shared with Mr Newbury by Miss Emily Spada. Her rendering of her premier item, the scena “ Roberto tu Che Adora ” (Meyerbeer) showed her to be possessed of vocal powers cultivated to the highest degree of artistic training, and although the words were of course in the I talian, the motif of the scena could be readily traced from the vocalist’s artistic execution. Of another order but equally successful was the encore item “ Cornin’ thro’ the Rye.” In the second part the audience suffered a keen disappointment at hearing the announcement made that the music having been left behind in Dunedin, Miss Spada could not sing “ Angels ever bright and fair.” She sang instead the beautiful lullaby by Beviznani,| “ Hush, My Little One,” with infinite taste and expression. The endeavour to secure an encore was not responded to, the lady being content to bow her acknowledgments. The duet “Mia Notte a Venezia” (Arditi) Miss Spada* and Mr Newbury, and the quartette, “ Mezza Notte,” completed what was pronounced a most enjoyable concert of high-class music. The accompaniments were played throughout in a most unobtrusive and sympathetic manner by Mr William A. Nott.

The company gave a second concert yesterday evening.