The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-01-10
ROBERT WEEDE
 HEARD LAST NIGHT
Baritone of the MetrOpli- tan Caves Excellent
 Concert

It was an unexpected pleasure to hear last night Robert Weede, baritone of the Metropolitan Opera Association in New York city, in the third concert of the Fine Arts series at the Waterbury Women's Club MT. Weede, familiar to many through his radio presentations, did an unprecedented thing in hurry ing to Waterbury on short notice, in view of his many professional engagements elsewhere. His except ional vocal equipment met all the requirements of those particularly nice arias and simple songs sung by him last night so agreeably, so in- formally, and so artiStically
 MT. Weede had program, in part, and he followed the printed schedule to a certain point. He then introduced, himself, those numbers not printed on the pro gram. Likewise he gave bit of introductory description to his "Rigoletto'' number which is one of the roles he frequently sings when performing in opera. Likewise he was generous with encores, giv- ing the famous Largo al Facto- tum" from RosSinls Barber Of Seville" We might say here that the splendid support of his inter- ested and capable accompanist, Alexander AleXay was appreciated by a responsive audience who gave both artists fine reception.
 MT. Weede began on an informal (but decidedly on the pitch) note by viewing his stage equipment, he and the pianist doing bit of shifting, and revising the hall lighting. After that both were of to very good start in four at tractive Fair" songs by EaSthope Martin, as follows: Earrings, Lang ley Fair, Jock. the Fiddler and The Ballad Monger. MT Weede's warm tones took care of these pleasing songs in nice style after which he proceeded to the singing of his four outstanding selections; first the "Invoeazione ali Orfeo' from Jaco- DO Peris muSic-drama, "Euridice, followed by "Visione Veneziana' by Renato Brogi, "Aprile" by F. Paulo Tosti and last in this excellent assembly the lovely Mozart aria, Non piu andral" from The Mar riage of Figaro" In all these MT. Weedes rich baritone voice handled the fine phrases and took.care oi the dramatic effects, at which he seems past master This group alone was enough to reward those who came out on cold night and travelled - the hard way by bus to the concert hall. MT. Weede threatened to repeat "Aprile' be- cause of split phrase that momentarily "unvoiced' him. We wish he had because it was a beautiful song beautifully sung.
 From here MT. Weede proceeded to the business of singing and acting out his "Rigoletto" aria, the dramatic "Cortigiani, vii razza dan nata." Here he was in rare vocal form and gave a fine performance. The rest of MT. Weedes program was more or less "as you like it, that is to say he announced as he sang, first giving several simple songs in English including among them Alicia Scott's The Jasmine Door," and brought his program to close with three Negro spirituals among them Weary Road,' and City of Heaven
 MT. Alexay, his partner at the piano, also played a piano group of three chopin pieces, "Berceuse, and ScherZo in B-flat Minor, and Valse in A-flat. His solo perfor- nance was a pleasing addition to the fine effects in his accompani- ment to MT. Weede's program.
 The happy occasion Of MT. Weede's appearance in Waterbury last night was the result of the cancellation of the Nine o'clock Opera Company in "The Merry Wives of Windsor" for reasons ufl- avoidable. The Mattatuck Musical Art Society sponsored last nights concert, the third of the present series. M. M.