AMUSEMENTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10023, 20 April 1910, Page 5

AMUSEMENTS.

MISS AMY MURPHY. S Miss Amy Murply, now a resident of Sydney, has leen visiting her native Dunedin, and, en passant, will give a recital in Masterton on the 26th inst. An exchange, speaking of her recital in Wellington Town Hall, says—' 'The overflowing audience last evening testified that she has not lost her power to attract audiences and hold them by her vocal charm. She was' in splendid voice last evening, and sang, inter alia, the mad scene from Ambrosie ThomaV "Handel/' which is really one of the tests for the best of grand onera artists. It is an eerie composition, teeming with tricks for the vocalist, and demands a perfect command over the voice and an unimpeachable production. Miss Murphy interpreted'the number with an abandon and vocal breadth that delighted her admirers. The many trying cadenzas and trillings were 9ung with a truth and clarity that were admirable, and sbe overcame the technical difficulties with the ease of an artist. Perhaps Miss Murphy was at her best, however, in Liza Lehmann's bird songs—"The Wood Pigeon," "The Wren," and "The Owl," three prettily-written songs, which the singer interpreted charmingly. As an encore she gave Alfred Hill's "Poi Song." In the second half of the programme Miss Murphy sang Prank Tour's ballad "Mother o' Mine" and Jenny Lind's "Echo Song," written to display the glorious upper register of that incomparable singer. The singer excelled herself in this expusition of florid, vocal ism, showirg in the quick changes, from double fortD to the whispering echo, the fine control which she has over r.er voice. The inevitable encore produced that pretty tritie "If No One Ever Mar- ... ries Me." As a finale Miss Murphy sang Tosti's "Good-bye," when has haunted every concert programme since Melba gave the song a fresh I fillip." »