ALFRED O’SHEA

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 377, 11 June 1928, Page 15

ALFRED O’SHEA

ILLUSTRIOUS IRISH TENOR Just 34 years ago Alfred O’Shea, the famous Irish tenor, was born of Irish parents in Sydney, so with Dame Nellie Melba he has brought lustre to the musical history of the Commonwealth. As a mere youth O’Shea, distinguished himself in the cathedral in the city, and later on the concert platform of Sydney’s Town Hal. He immediately found recognition from the musical critics, and wisely left for Europe for intense study in Italy and France. Following a startling success in opera in Milan he was offered contracts by all the great European impressarios and chose a lengthy and lucrative engagement as principal tenor of the opera in Paris. A highly successful tour of Great Britain followed, and his season at Queen’s Hall, London, is recognised as the most successful on record. On the outbreak of the Great War he immediately enlisted and served with the colours- till the Armistice, when he was chosen by Dame Nellie Melba as principal tenor of the MelbaWilliamson Grand Opera Company, which made musical history in Australia; his first appearance in Melbourne as Rodolfo to Melba’s Mimi in “La Boheme” created a furore, as did his appearance as the duke in “Rigoletto,” in the recent season of the Gonsalez Grand Opera Company in Sydney. He is now en route to America to fulfil important opera and concert engagements, and it is only after months of negotiations that he lias been induced to come to New Zealand for a biref tour under the direction of Henry Hayward and management of Leo Du Chateau and Scott Colville. Alfred O’Shea is the possessor of a pure tenor voice, robust and pure tonal quality; there is a mystifying charm in the voice described by a great musical critic as

“The sweetest voice the world knows.” He is equally grand in operatic numbers or Irish ballads and folk songs, in which the London Press says “he has no equal.” Four concerts will be given in the big Town Hall, Auckland, on Tuesday, 26th, Thursday, 28th, and Saturday, June 30, and Monday July 2. The box plan arrangements are advertised in this issue.