FRANCES ALDA

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 156, 22 September 1927, Page 17

FRANCES ALDA

CONCERTS NEXT WEEK

Madame Alda, the New Zealand-born prima donna, who will be heard in the Town Hall on Tuesday and Thursday next under the direction of Mr. D. D. O’Connor, made her operatic debut in Paris with such success that she was shortly afterwards engaged for the Metropolitan Opera Company, New York. She made her debut at the Metropolitan in the role of Gilcla in “Rigolet.to,” and created a decided impression by her remarkable portrayal of the role, her excellent voice, and unusual beauty. Since then the gifted artist has more than maintained the high position she instantly created for herself on a stage identified with the most distinguished operatic stars of the world.

Among the many successes Madame Alda has gained in America, lone stand out more prominently than her charming creations of the three American operas, “Madeleine,” by Victor Herbert, in which she sang the title rule; “Cleopatra’s Night,” by Hadley; and “Cyrano de Bergerac,” by Damroscli. As Roxane in the latter opera she scored a signal success. All New York enthused over her rendition of this role. Experts who are chary in their praise declared her vocal and historical interpretation of this character was one of the most finished demonstrations of artistry revealed during the past decade. That portion of the public which is musical, without the possession of a profound knowledge of the art, extended greetings to Madame Alda at the conclusion of her every appearance, such as are bestowed alone upon the great. It was the consensus of opinion that she made this rc-le vocally superb, visually delightful, and dramatically convincing. Such a verdict may be applied similarly to any operatic endeavour that Madame Alda has made since she joined the Metropolitan. In point of fact, her Desdemona, in Verdi’s masterpiece, “Otello,” is believed to be an achievement worthy to be ranked with the remarkable operatic character interpretations of the present generation. In all, Madame Alda has created no less than 13 leading roles, one of the latest being “Ginevra,” in Giordano’s opera “La Cena del Befx'e,* in which she scored enormous success both in .New York and Buenos Aires. Besides these. Madame Alda has sung the leading feminine role in over 40 different operas,, in New York, South America, and in Europe. The box plans for the two Auckland concerts will be opened at Lewis R. Eady and Son, Ltd., to-morrow morning.

Warner Brothers will star Monte Blue in a production to be called “Across the Atlantic.” The picture will be number three of the series of four Monte Blue starring pictures for release during the coming season. The star is now at work on “The Bush Leaguer, ’ a baseball story which will be finished shortly. Within a short time he will begin work on "OneRound Hogan,” and upon the completion of this prize-fighting story will make “Across the Atlantic,”