WILLIAM HEUGHAN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 711, 10 July 1929, Page 16

WILLIAM HEUGHAN

TOWN HALL TOMORROW William lleughan, the great British bass and actor-singer, has on previous occasions demonstrated to the public here his remarkable power in sore and drama, and has displayed that marked versatility which has made him world-famous. On account of his nationality, mamno doubt believe that his programmes are confined to the songs of his native land. They are not. His extensive repertoir© embraces the songs of aii nations—English. Irish. Scottish, Ru« sian, French, Italian, etc., as well many of the greatest bass arias from Grand Opera. As an artist who has won his laurels on the operatic stage, both in London and on the Continent of Europe, he i s well able to convey the message in a voice susceptible to every phase o? human emotions. It has thrilled music lovers the world over. The role of Mephistopheles in Faust is considered to be his masterpiece This he has played in English and Italian over 170 times, and has earned for himself the distinction of being considered Britain’s foremost interpreter of this exciting role. Vocally he has been acclaimed the possessor of the finest bass voice In the world. In this respect Edward Moore, the well-known critic of the Chicago “Times” wrote of him: “Heughan appeared in full control of what I honestly believe is the finest bass voice in the world. What is more to the point, he will be singing again tonight. To hear him do folk songs of the British Isles was sheer delight, just because of his voice, but when he moved out into something more vocally ambitious—the cardinal’s aria from the first act of ‘La Juive* was one—he was amazing. Here was quality, colour, power, depth and all of the kind that one dreams about as an ideal and seldom meets. “He has the Chaliapin method of programme arrangement, that is, he announces his numbers one by one out of a list of some 150, and those that he selects are nothing short of gorgeous. Unlike the famous Russian, he generally sings in English, and it is firstclass English ” He will give four complete recitals in the Town Hall, commencing tomorrow.