ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 278, 15 April 1911, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS

OSSIPOFF. Read what the Wellington paper thinks of M. Ossipoff and his company, who appear in the Theatre Royal next Thursday and Friday:— The concerts of Eugene Ossipoff, the Russian baritone, have been the purple patch in our musical annals since last week, lie came upon us without any flourish of trumpets, accompanied by a small concert party, and gave three concerts in the Opera House on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. His remarkable animation and emotional powers are altogether unconventional. In all his singing he lets himself go, so to speak, and by that means impresses his audience. He has great volume and compass of voice—two octaves and five notes, 'tis said—and is exceedingly fine in the upper register, but his notes are uneven in tone-quality. He has given the public an insight into Russian music, and introduced them to 'Russian composers that were unknown to them before, and in that way has widened their horizon. Eugene Ossipoff is an adventurous spirit. Last year lie set out from Moscow with an opera company of twelve to give operatic performances through Siberia, The company disbanded in Manchuria, and, Ossipoff', the contralto and a pianist, went 011 to Shanghai, where they found an agent to take them on a concert tour. So much success was met with that Ossipoff sang his way to Colombo, where the Russian Consul suggested "Australia." Ossipoff caught on, and landed in Melbourne with hardly a word of English in his vocabulary. He appeared in concerts there, and wlien he came to New Zealand he was able to add some English songs to his repertoire. From that you will perceive how versatile and adaptable he is. M. Ossipoff was assisted by Miss Renee Lees, a very fine accompanist, who played entirely from memory, and joined the baritone in vocal duets. Miss Ina flow, an 1 excellent pianist, Miss Lilian Edmonds, 1 a soprano singer, and Mr. Chas. Nbr- [ man, the only oboe soloist in the South- | ern Hemisphere. The box plan is now open at Hoffmann's.