Grand Concerts.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2996, 21 September 1878, Page 2

Grand Concerts.

We have much pleasure iu,calling attention to the advertisement appearing in another column which announce! ike fact tbat Mdlle. Alice Charbonnet, the celebrated young F.ench piauiste, wil give two grand concerts on the Thames. Mdlle. Charbonnet will be assisted by. Miss F # . Neville, who possesses a splendid soprano voice, and sbo has been fortunate r\ scouring as her manager Mr H. Neville Montagu, a well kaown Australian journalist and cri.ic. Mdlle. Charbonnet is under 20 years of age, and is stated to be of Very', prepossessing apr pearanoe, has a lithe and graceful figure, and possessing great facial expression. Though of French parentage, Mdlle.' Charbonnet U by birth; American, having been born in Cincinnati, U.S.A., in October, 1858. Her father held a high judicial appointment under the French Government, • and ? as , % his daughter ,ia her, very readiest years gave evidence of high, musical, genius, Mdlle. Alice received the very highest musical instruction from M. Le Couppey, the principal professor of the Paris Conservatoire, and Mdlle. Buchey, renowned as teacher who prepared pupils for admission, into the celebrated; French Academy of Music-,- Subsequently M. Charbonnet was appointed Chief Justi«w at New Caledonia} and. whilst'there his' talented daughter paid frequent visits to Sydney where her. wonderfrl; musical abilities even: at that, early age creat d quite a furore amongst the.musical dilettante. Her iatheri however, being in bad health, some.two or three years ago he obtained leave of absence, and whilst; on his way to Paris he died! at Chic "go'in July 1875. Mdlle. Charbonnet, with the consent of her, mother, s then. determined to-carry out the idea 1 which, had frequently floated in her b pin like a vision of making practical use of the talents with which she was - gittedL and of adopting the musical profession. In Paris |he at once placed heiself under the guidance of her old teachers, M. Le Couppey and Mdlle. Buchey, who soon prepared her to enter the, Conservatoire, and she carried .the " entry prize " out of about 390 competitors,.Oct, 20th, 1876. Her future career .was considered to be unequivocal. She made rapid progresp and obtained three bronze medals.., for great proficiency in.various branches* of the arc,in addition to thehighept.hoapur the Conservatoire bestows on its pupils, a " billeted invitation •' t to ,play at the Conservatoire concerts ;•' and in theory and harmony she gained the encomiums of her tutor in this.branch, M. SavaVd. A few months agoi Mdlle. Charbonnet, now one of the greatest stars of the musical profesacn, returned to Sydney with her mother anol gave a series of xtojeeris, which met with an unparjlleled success, they being .enthusiastically >pxaued by the. press. Several of her latter concerts in Sydney were • glvea jn aid of the victims of the massacre in New Caledonia, and at the last one a handsome presentation: was made her, accompanied by a highly complimentary . ■ address.; a' ; Mdle; Charbonnet's exquisite, facility of execution and delicacy of touch are-said to be the most picturesque colouring of musical imagery, the result of her. practicrl and/ivid imagination, and it is in expression that she is said, to inthral the souls of her listeners. ' Miss Florence Neville; comes highly recommended, she having received many tokens of popular favor in Sydney , and Melbourne. She was a pupil of Elsapar and Signor: Steffani, and from them she has obtained a classical and clever musical training; Speaking of one of her . appearances, a Sydney exchange says:—*' Miss Neville sang .the well • knowa cavatina, from ' Eraani.' Her manner is very \ pleasing, and her : singing . generally is sweet.. She was encored, and then gave ' Sing Sweet Bird,' which was one of the gems of, the evening. It was very nicely sung, and elicited signs of marked approval from the audience. 'Sing. Sweet Bird' gave so much pleasure than an encore was insisted' upon, and the spy may 3 b,e said of ' Scenes that- are ba&htest.'" Mr K. N. Montagu, the manager of the . company is a - gentleman thoroughly well known as a journalist and/britic,'for many years connected with education, literature, and the press in New South Wales, and who in the Sydney ..Empire, and subsequently in the Town and Country Journal; ' under the nom' . de yj>lujM; of "Biron,' 1 made the art of, oriticism respected by his impartiality even by, those against whom the shafts from the , quiver had occasionally to: be levelled, Altogether this company will afford a ; rich treat to lovers "of music on the ahdas we nptice'the scale of charges is reasonable, we expect! to see overflowing houses. The firat: concert will be given on the 30th inst. J ' . , *•'.'■''