Evening star., 1948-11-01
By Alice Eyersmon


a recital by Patrice Munsel yester-
day afternoon. The young colora-
tura soprano of the Metropolitan
Opera planned her program as
commemoration Of the Jenny Lind
centennial, featuring many Of the
Swedish singers favorite concert
numbers and appearing in a gown
of the period when Lind sang in
this country. Miss Munsel might
have gone a bit further and dressed
her hair more nearly in the style
Of that era for although the beau
tiful white satin dress she wore
was made in the design Of another
century (not too far from present
day fashion trends at that from
the shoulders up. she was modern
American girl.
AS such, she is representative of
the talent Of this country; the OPP
portunities offered 1t and what can
be accomplished by serious at
|titude toward q career. Each time
she sings here, Miss Munsel shows
advancement in all the appurten-
ances of her art. Her stage deport-
ment is poised, If still a little too
hammered, she has gained greatly in
artistic feeling and her voice Is
handled in more secure way. With
all she is modest, young and charm
ing. Yet it was not to these char
acteristics that her appeal was con-
fined. She Is an artist, although
not with the final polish. and pos
sesses a lovely voice that can be
acrohatical, lyrical and tender with
equal ease.
Some faults, however, have crept
in to her singing or have become
more apparent this year. Her voice
retains too much of its white"
quality which should have been
eradicated by now. There Is faint
unsteadiness in her tones and these
are beginning to drop q little from
the niche where they should rest
securely. The slight underplacement
while not yet producing more than
an occasional DETECTION from pitch.
marrs the bell-like pure quality that
belongs to her type Of voice. 1t is
something that should be looked
after at once for its effect can be
very insidious.
Such defects may have hampered
Jenny hind also whose memory Miss
Munsel honored yesterday. As re-
CARDS the purely technical delivery
Of the arias from the Lind reper-
toire. 20 Luce di quest anima"
from Donizetti's Linda di Cham
ounix." Mon giunge" from Bellini's
La Sonnambula," Roberto, o tu'
che adora" from Meyerbeers 'Ro-
berto II Diavolo," and such songs rs
Thrane's Norwegian Echo Song" 1t
was always smooth and easy. She
has a feeling for style and a grace
full polished manner Of phrasing.
The bravura passages were sung
f1eetly and clearly and with q. more
mature effect than in former re-
citals.
Miss Munsel is particularly
blessed in possessing a full, strong
middle and lower register. The
brilliant high notes match the lower
voice in q way not often found in
coloraturas. It is a pleasure to hear
her evenness Of range and to be able
to appreciate a simple song be-
cause Of the quality and carrying
poWef OF the register where naost.
sonss lie, Thus her singing of
ESenIl1aazas der Nussbasafn
Brahns' 20 liebliche Wangen" and
several simple encores WIS @ dis-s
ftpctiyesasathat OF the more iioffdI
Hde encores were many for
the enthusiasm of the audience
called continually for more. One
OF the finest was the repitition 81
the Norwegian Echo Song" IN re-
sponse to stormy applause.
In some numbers Miss Munsel had
the assistance Of Betty Wood, fiutist.
who will be heard In recital tonight
in the Phillips Gallery. Miss Wood
played the flute obligato to Och
vieni, non tardar" from Mozart,s
The Marriage Of Figaro" . Lind
number, and to la Flute enchan-
tee" from Ravelis "Sheherazade. :"
Stuart Ross was the sympathetic
accompanist and was heard also as
piano soloist after the intermission.
The audiences pleasure In his per-
Torrance Of Debussy's Prelude I'M
A minor" and the Strauss -Tausig
waltz, Mann lebt nur einmal" was
rewarded by the gay "Juba Dance"
by Dett as encore.
Mezart Festival Ends.
The Mozart Festival In the Ma
tional Gallery Of Art closed last
night with q song program byI
Therese Nye, soprano; John Collins
and John Yard, baritones, who are
known as the Mozart Trio. Another
record crowd heard the concert with
the same eagerness as has been
shown at all the other programs of
the festival. The interest that has
been manifested in the five evenings
devoted exclusively to Mozart's music
has astonished Richard Bales, mu-
sical director Of the gallery, and
many others. A Mozart number or
two on concert programs Is fire.
quently heard but the festival,
where almost every department of
his writings was represented, is the
first in many years to be given here.
It has been great success.
Finishing the Festival with the
composers vocal works left the de-
lightful remembrance that belongs
to the spirit of Mozart. As a COM
poser Of songs, he earned less fame
yet he had the gift of catching the
exact temper Of the text and to|
embellish 1t with appropriate music.
Had he applied himself to the writ
ing of short vocal numbers with
the same zeal he showed in the
opera field, his name might have
been linked to the other immortal
Lieder composers.
The selections on last nights pro-
gram were the triOs he wrote for q