Round the Shows

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 418, 1 September 1928, Page 16

Round the Shows

WILLIAM HEUGHAN CONCERT TO-NIGHT In the Town Ilall to-night, William Heughan, the world-famous actorI singer, will give the first of the two j concerts which will comprise his farewell season in this city. The programme to be given will include ballads and art songs, operatic arias and folk songs, all given in that inimitable style which is a feature of the art of this famous song interpreter. There is never a dull moment in a Heughan programme, and as he ranges from comedy to drama, historic to just richly characteristic, and presents each with an interpretative technique that is as enthrallingly admirable as the song its-elf is enjoyable, one realises why he is so popular throughout the world, for he never fails to appeal. It is indeed seldom that any artist receives the unanimous acclaim that has been accorded Heughan as he has gone from city to city, country to country, continent to continent in the course of his extensive world tours. London, Xew York, Chicago, Montreal. Toronto, Sydney, Melbourne, Johannesburg—to name but a few beyond Xew Zealand—have all acclaimed him. His voice, his dramatic and mimetic powers, his unfailing magnetism—each has received the highest praise from the Press and public throughout the world, and given him an enviable position in the very fore-rank of recital artists. The public of Xew Zealand heard him before, and has been flocking to hear him again. It says well for Heughan’s powers that the unanimous opinion is that he is “singing better than ever.” He came to Xew Zealand direct from recital successes in Europe, and a third tour of Canada and the United States of America, where ho again scored the successes which nave marked his many appearances throughout the continent of Xorth America. The following extract from a review of one of his recent appearances in Massey Hall, Toronto, by Dr. Lawrence Mason, the eminent critic of the “Globe,” is ap example of the many tributes paid him by the leading critics:

“William Heughan gave a superb display of vocal and histrionic art last night in Massey Hall. It was the kind of gloriously thrilling recital which one hates to have friends and music-lovers miss, for this man it unquestionably a genius. To a magnificent bass voice Heughan adds extraordinary mimetic and dramatic powers, a delightful gift for happy expository comment, artistic feeling and understanding of the highest order, and a brilliantly attractive stage presence. All is so fresh and vivid and appealing in his masterly delivery of these stirring songs that one despairs of making others realise the intensity of the delight afforded by his performance.” He -will again be assisted by Maud Bell, the celebrated English cellist, and Gladys Sayer, the well-knovh pianiste from the Brussels Conservatoire.

The second and final concert will be given next Tuesday night. Box plans are open at Lewis Eady, Ltd.