An American who sang and conquered

OF THE leading American baritone Thomas Hampson, who appeared before an Irish audience for the first time last night, it might be said he came, he sang and he conquered.

It was, however, by no means a straightforward conquest. Hampson, who was ably partnered at the piano by Craig Rutenberg, opened with songs in German by Schubert (An die Leier, Memnon and Die Gotter Griechenlands), Mahler (five songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn) and Grieg, and he devoted the whole, of the second half to a selection of songs in English by Samuel Barber, mainly to texts by James Joyce.

In the first half, it was in the songs by Mahler that Hampson's particular dynamic flexibility and word pointing communicated most successfully. His Mahler sounded at all times aptly Mahlerian.

There were tendencies towards over-dramatisation in the Schubert and a not-quite-at-oneness with the directness of the Grieg.

Barber is something of a speciality for Hampson and the subtlety of his acting skills was as well evidenced as the range of his vocal talent in the highlight of this group, the setting of Joyce's Solitary Hotel, one of Barber's finest songs.

The full extent of his conquest, however, was not to be revealed until the encores, the first of which, Copland's Long time ago, unveiled warmer aspects of the performer's art and a sweeter tone in his voice than he had called on earlier in the evening.

From there on (Cole Porter, "Haydn Wood, Stephen Foster) it was triumph all the way, triumph even through the adversity of misremembered words (entailing a restart) and a sustained note that lost its grip and was duly given its due in a short retake.

The audience loved every moment of this, as well they might. Hampson openly declared his gra for sentimental songs and he offered greater pleasure as he indulged hi love than he had through anything he sang in the programme proper.