AMUSEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 90, 12 May 1909, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS.

MADAME iIELBA. It is practically undeniable that since Patti, there has been no soprano who has held the public in all parts of the world in Her thrall by her faschating voice and the pure artlessness of her use of it as has the great Australian diva. iladaiiie ilelba at the present moment stands absolutely amongst the world's great ones. l'-rcsh from her triumphs in the cities of the Old World, Madame Melba comes to siug to the people of New Jt'lymoutii on Friday. The other members of her present concert company have all made names for themselves in the world of music; but .Melba, of course, is the sun around which tiiese planets revolve. Her present tour -of Australasia is uot one such as would be undertaken by artists who are at the zenith of their powers, especially if tliey could command such sums as she can for smgiug in tile great cities of tile Old World. Melba, however, is not so greatly concerned with financial considerations as with the knowledge that she will hate given so much pleasure to the thousands of people in the dominions over the seas who will have heard her. Volumes nave been written by the greatest critics about Melba's wonderful voice and her incomparable art. Writing of Madame Melbas matinee in aid ot the London] Hospital at the Covcnt Garden, Air. Findon said:—"For two decades 1 have seen her in each of the roles she has undertaken, and throughout that period my admiration for her superb qualities as an artist ims never diminished—if anything it has increased—for Alellia still thrills me as no other singer on the operatic stage is capable of doing, ami her voice so far from showing any deterioration has ripened vvitii years, even as a choice vintage of wine

improves; to-day, after twenty years' ( strenuous service in the cause ot art, 1 she remains incomparable, the possessor I of the most glorious soprano voice that this generation knows, and from her i singing during the present season it < seems as though it would retain its 1 freshness and wonderful charm for ' many years to come. ' It is this great i artist who has now come to give us a. taste of Jier quality. There is another' fact in connection with this brilliant concert company which is perhaps not nearly so well known. Mr. John Lennnone (another Australian), who is the managing director of the Melba tour, is regarded bv critics of the highest capacity as the greatest flautist living. Some of us are old enough to remember the line .performances of that line llute-playcr, Cliamona, when he passed through New Zealand some thirty years ago in companv with lima di Murska (a splendid soprano), Susini (a magnificent basso), and llosnati (a line dramatic tenor), and there are still left some pleasant recollections of Giamona's beautiful worli. His performance, in Wellington the Other evening convinced the critics that Giamona's art, line as it undoubtedlv was, could be bettered. " Madame Melba has yet another Australian artist in her company—Mr Harold Whittle, a young gentleman who, when here but a little while ago with Miss Ada Ci'Qssley, showed that M « accompanist, he is an accomplisned pianist. The Box Plan is now open at I Colliers.