Evening star., 1944-12-09
Lillian Evanti
Hailed by 'Throng
At Church Recital
Bx ALICE EYERSMAN.

Lillian Evanti, lyric coloratura,
with the assistance of Arturo Papa
lardo at the piano. gave a recital
last night in the Metropolitan Bap-
tist Church. Friends and admirers
of the artist filled the church to
overflowing. responding to each
number of her weIl-chosen program
with generously expressed apprecia-
ton and giving more tangible evil
dence of their esteem with bouquets
of flowers.
Attractively gowned, Nine. Evanti
opened her program with Handel's
Care Selve," which she has adopted
as Introductory number of all her
concerts. Following this with Charles
Horns Cherry Ripe" she concluded
this group with the great aria "Qui
la voce," from Bellini's Il Puritani.
This aria, together with "Ah, fors
lui," from Verdi's "Traviata," and
Strauss Tales from the Vienna
Woods" served to show the fiexibil-
ity of her voice in fioretura passages
the clarity of her high tones and her
understanding of the broad line OF
operate style.
While the quality of her voice has
not the same carrying power or bril-
liancy in the presentation of songs
as in the operatic selections. she has
a fine interpretive sense that grasps
the mood and sentiment Of these
lesser dramatic numbers. Two OF
her own compositions were pro-
grammed, MY Little Prayer" being
a charming setting of poem by her
mother, Mrs. Bruce Evans, and
High Flight" sung by request.
White Hours Like Snow" by Balm
bridge Crist, was delivered with q
softly modulated tone we'll suited to
the text and Grieg's "A Dream" and
Chadwick's "The Rose Leans Over
the Pool" were other well presented
numbers listed with Hagemans
Animal Crackers" Bridges Love
Went a Riding" and Sibella's La
Girometta." A group of Negro spirit
,uals, including where Shall I Go to
Ease My Trembalin' Mind?" "Oh,
Didn't 1t Rain?" "I1l Never Turn
Back No More" and listen to de
Lambs" rounded out the program, to
which was added several encores. Mr.
Papalardo provided fluent and COM
pretending accompaniments for the
singer.
Pruth McFarlin
Gives Song Recital.
Pruth McFarlin's singing Of Ma
lofts 1.-THE Lords Prayer" as an un-
programmed beginning to his song
recital in Asbury M. E. Church last
night created an artistic mood
which the Negro tenor maintained
throughout the evening. Stricken
with infantile paralysis when q
child, he has been able to overcome
his handicap and win renown
throughout this country and Can
ada on his concert tours and over
the radio. After winning his bache-
lor of arts degree from Southern
University, he completed special
course of study at the Eastman
School Of Music and is at present
working with Frank La Forge.
A group Of German lieder, includ-
ing Franz's .'Widmung" and I'm
Herbst" and Brahms "Mein Madel
hat einen Rosemund," disclosed the
unusually appealing quality of Mr..
McFarlin's lyric voice. Sweet Of tone
and unforced in his use of it,. its
timbre is an~ideal medium for ex-
pressing the sentiments of song, as
was further to be appreciated in
Handel's sRend II Serene al Ciglio,
Greig's with Water Lily" Pala-
dilhe's Psyche" and the aria lie
Reve," from 'Massenets ...Manon,' y
which, with Una furtiva lagrima, .
from Donizetti's "Elisir d,Amore,' 2
were the only operatic numbers Mr..
McFarlin esSayed. The recital fin
ished with q group of spirituals.
Mr.. McFarlin remained seated
during his program and the inter-
walls between the groups were filled
In by piano numbers by his able and
accomplished accompanist, Hazel
McFarlin. The concert was sponsored
BY the Le Droit Nursery School.