ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA CONCERT COMPANY.

Waikato Times, Volume XI, Issue 894, 16 March 1878, Page 2

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA CONCERT COMPANY.

The Opera Concert Company made their debut before a Waikato audience on Thursday evening, m the large room of the Commercial Hotel, Hamilton. The concert was decidedly a success. The room was nearly filled, but it is unnecessary to say that the performers appeared under many difficulties. There was no stage, and the various stage accessories were wanting. The space was too small for powerful voices to be heard with advantage. In looking at a picture, it is expected that one should not smell the oil, and the same rule holds good with singing. More especially was this tho case with tlie concerted pieces. The space was too small for the full volume of sound, and the audience were too near the performers to allow of that proper blending of the voices which produces true harmony. Nevertheless, tho concert was a success. It conld not, indeed, be otherwise. The performers are finished artists, and some enjoy voices of special power and beauty. Tho rich contralto voice of Signora Venosta — sofs, full, and melodious — waa a treat to listen to. So, too, was the elastic and rich tenor voice of Signor Paladini, whoso notes wero uttered with an caso and absence of effort. His voice has a flexibility capable

of definite graduation, and ho possesses a I precision of execution which entitles him to high merit as a singer. Of the other tenor— Signor Camero— wo can scarcely say so much ; his voice seemed somewhat strained and slightly harsh at times, bnt his execution was brilliant, and his rendering of the beautiful aria 'Romano Espanolo,' m the second part of tho entertainment, fully atoned for the less favorable impression derivable from his rendering of the cavatina from ' II Barbiere.' Signor Thessada— an excellent bass, or rather buffo— was, perhaps, the favorite with the audience. His expression was good, and his powers of simulation so great as to convey to an audience, which could not understand tho words, much of the meaning of the text. Signora Caranti Vita has an exquisitely modulated voice, but lacks expression and animation, and hor gendering of the ballad "Bread and Cheese and Kisses," though very prettily executed, and encored by the audience, as all false sentiment is almost sure to be, was not so well sun"- as we have recently heard it given m Waikato, though the effect was rendered I exceedingly pleasing by the slight Italian accent which characterised it. We must not forget the instrumentalists : Mr Caron showed himself a master of the violin, and especially m the " Souvenir de I Amerique," m which the interesting I American air of " Yankee Doodle" was given with a vigour and perfect frenzy of floid instrumentation that m America would have brought down the gods with a vengeance. Mr Caron was loudly encored, and responded with the " astL Rose of Summer," so exquisitely and beautifully played that the fantisia into which he immediately afterwards broke seemed to jar upon the ear. Of all the pieces rendered, however, the " chef d'eeuvre " was the duo and scena from the comic opera of Pipele, m which parts were taken by Signora Venosta and Signor Thessada, and the lady was loudly and enthusiastically cheered. Altogether the performance was a really excellent one, a rare treat to the music loving portion of the Waikato residents. In the Cambridge Hall to-nighl, with larger space and other advantages the company cannot but fail to receive the commendation which as a highly trained body association of artists, possessed of great vocal power,t it undoubtedly deserves. It appears for the last time m Waikato to-night.