FRANK CLIFF This recital at the John Innes Centre commemorated the late Paul Cross, once chairman of the Norfolk and Norwich Novi Sad Association.

FRANK CLIFF

Saturday's recital at the John Innes Centre was given by the soprano Patricia Rozario and pianist Mark Troop commemorated the late Paul Cross, once chairman of the Norfolk and Norwich Novi Sad Association. As well as providing links between Norwich and its twin town, the association is instrumental in raising funds for aid; in this case for the Milan Petrovic Special School.

Shared equally between voice and piano, their programme ranged from Schubert to Tavener in a well-balanced mix of familiar and unfamiliar.

Miss Rozario's excellent vocal technique and musicianship were evidenced in four of Schubert's best-known songs, although it was not until the more dramatic contrasts required in a piece by Tchaikovsky that the true potential of her voice – effortless and even throughout its range – was revealed. John Tavener has written much for Patricia Rozario and her superb interpretation of two of his works, especially the hauntingly beautiful Epistle Of Love was very much the high point of the evening. After this, to finish with Bernstein and Gershwin seemed something of an anti-climax.

Mark Troop accompanied sensitively enough, though his mannered and by no means

flawless performance of some of the most familiar works of Chopin and Schubert was in an altogether different category.