Berkeley Institute Centenary Spring Concert -- Gary Burgess and Lloyd Matthew -- City Hall, Hamilton -- Saturday, April 26 International-class tenor and former Berkeley pupil Gary Burgess may have sung some light opera in a special concert for his old school -- but he has a heavyweight talent.

Mr. Burgess, professor of voice and opera at the State University of New York, swung effortlessly from Purcell, Brahms and Liszt through spirituals to the musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

The programme, split into five acts, began with Purcell's Harmonia Sacra (An Evening Hymn).

And, despite being in the unenviable position of standing alone on a stage with just a pianist for company, Mr. Burgess was relaxed and in command.

He set the City Hall audience at ease by asking for the auditorium lights to be brought up so he could see his audience.

Mr. Burgess raised a laugh when he said: "I thought I was singing to an empty space -- hi.'' And his superbly-rendered Brahms selection, Wie Melodien zieht es mir (Like melodies coming to me), O wusst ich doch den Weg Zuruck (Would I knew where lies the way) and Die Mainacht (The May night) completed a bond between voice and ears which had the audience eating out of his hand.

One regret is that the concert lasted little more than an hour -- but it would have been asking too much for one voice to take the strain alone for any longer.

But Mr. Burgess didn't tire as he moved from the classics to classic pop with a programme from the smash musicals Chess, Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera.

And his obvious love of his Island came through when he sang the intensely patriotic Anthem from Chess -- about love of one's birthplace.

His finale, however -- a selection of spirituals -- brought out the passion of Mr. Burgess' near-angelic voice as well as demonstrating his unarguable grasp of the technical.

Burleigh's arrangements of Wade in De Water and Deep River, as well Bonds' I got a Home in that Rock and the superbly-sung He's got the Whole World in His Hand provided an inspirational climax to the show.

And Mr. Burgess' well-deserved encore of a little-known Burleigh spiritual, Weeping Mary, merely confirmed his command of his voice and his audience.

But Mr. Burgess' resume does read like a Who's Who of the international opera circuit.

The Doctor of Musical Arts is also founder and director of the Greater Buffalo Opera Company, staging four major operas a year in the 3,000-seat Buffalo auditorium.

He has sung major roles at the world famous New York Metropolitan Opera and form more than a decade spent time at the Greek National Opera in Athens as principal guest singer, as well as spending time as principal singer with the SAan Francisco Opera.

Mr. Burgess is a multiple award-winner, being the holder of the coveted French Prix de Claude Debussy.

But all of that counted for nothing when he failed to get an interview for the job of Bermuda's Cutural Affairs Officer.

Introducing Lloyd-Webber's patriotic Anthem, Mr. Burgess mentioned the controversy and admitted he would "love to come home and settle here.'' After the concert, he said: "I have job offers every month -- I never take them, but at my age it would be nice to come home.

Mr. Burgess admitted he was disappointed at the Public Services Commission decision -- but more disappointed that he did not appear even to rate an interview.

A Government spokesman said that applications are matched with the applicants' attributes -and that qualified personnel already in the Civil Service are given preferential consideration over outsiders.

But Mr. Burgess said: "I understand them bringing someone up through the ranks -- but they can't just advertise and forget about it. In the States, they would be in trouble for doing something like that.'' RAYMOND HAINEY REVIEW REV