ENGLISH OPERA COMPANY.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1887, 10 August 1874, Page 3

ENGLISH OPERA COMPANY.

!'hh talented Corapany,dnring the spasou which they hare performed in Auckland, hivo elicited the warmest encomiums from the presi and the public, and as the Thames is shortly to be favoured with a visit from thetrimpeiiniprfavonrablecircumstances, ' we have no doubt they will be as successful at t'le 'Plumes as they have been elsew throusjhoiittheivil-inies.' Prom the Auckland Evening Star of Monday, we take t he following: -"Comparisons ■ luve been nude in our hearing between the present company and the (tilianOpera Oompiny which visited Auckland seme ■' yearn back. Taking an average of the results arrived at, the balance of opinion is in favour of the exponents of the national school. This verdict is indisputably due to the claim upon our admiration which the pre-eminent talents of ' the accomplished prima donna, whose •'benefit takes place to-night, have established. We care not what standard of merit Miss Alice May's power are judged by. It is impossible to compare her with '* any one in New Zealand, she is as far above any lellow-colonial operatic artiste as the congregation of artistes at Drury Lane or at the old Opera house in the Haywarket are beyond the deserving - company of which she is the 'bright particular star.' Vliss May we understand only began her operatic career in Australia after her arrival from Kngland. We do not know whether it is her intention to continue in her present profession after her return to the old country, which is likely to take place, according to report, at no distant date; but if she does we venture to predict for her a oireer of unqualified success. She would not be the . „ first lady who, having received the first • germs of genius at home, has developed, "> them abroad, and has returned to reap •- the fruition of her talents. A further ' ' claim which this lady has to be considered in the very first rank of prima donnas consists in her utter freedom from mannerism. What more common than artistes who are great in one particular /, line and mediocre in the others. iNo . nore c-jnclusive argument can be adduced to show that Miss vLay ia not one of ; .. these, than the tact that of '.ne various roles we have seen her perform. 1, it is difficult to decide whether.' wan lia 'or the' Grand Ouo-iesa of Oerolsfcein' is her most artistic impersonation. '• I ere'are. two characters—the onb demanding' theportraiture of intense 1 passiorn;e emotion ■tnd an intimate acquaintance wi li the in- ... most workings of the heart; the other -~• calling for a very bubbling-bver of anioial' spirits, and aro t irrenVwi: jollity. . Of Alias > lice Way's voice only one, and that a very favourable; opinioti can be , . sjiven. It is a pure soprano, of migiii.ficent quality. Its notes are round aud - , fresh anl mellow. By training, it has ,i 1 acquired great flexibility, enaoling :thei: J fortunate possessor to makeber transitions -•' ■• in the octave with remarkable clearness ; and ease. Miss May came to Auckland ; with a great reputation, and she goes' away with it enhanced, Mr Allen, the ' musical conductor of the cjmpany, deserves high praise for his musical ability, and his effrtive wielding >f the. , oaton. ile has his small. but efficient , • •rcnestra entire y uader control, and uaifes up in a great measure by his own . extra exertions for tneir limited. .vlr rlalkto has excited more criticism : nan perhaps auy member ofcueOoinpany, u his merits doctors appear to differ, fidely. Our own opinion is that,' alt far ueueath the >taudard of diss vLay, vlr lallam would be an exij ■■ tingly valuable aequisition, to any vra .0 ; il<s voice a pure tenor , i iivli n. m> iipii< ihougiiat-pOrVerf u, u .if v.:lt ■■ ty -softness, and his oa : lein)'< arc managed wituatre-ise and-eveu.ie-B that oespeak gtvat pliability in the twl organ. But Mr tlallam's great.point is:! nis beautiful intonation. Kvery word in , his ringing comes out boldly and dig- . unuily. This is a grand recommendation.., ■ ■■, and we congratulate this gentleman upon .. possessing so exceptional a qualification, vlr Hailam's acting is at present unfiaished; bat it has improved considerably during his sojourn in Auckland. His gestures have lately showed greater 1 variety. Mr daiuford, Mr leinpletoa ; and Mr Vernon, each, and all possess talent. The first-named gentleman has a fine powerful bass voice of good quality wtiichhe knows how to use. Mr Ternpiston's voice, a baritone,' is. of excellent; calibre and range. It is more musical than that of any member of tne' Ooinpauy with the exception of Miss May. Mr .Vernon, as the buffo, is a good, honest, hard-working aooession to the group. Mis actiug is good, and his voice far above mediocrity. Miss Lambert as ' second lady has attractions of a special 1 class, ihe has an average contralto voioe ' wtiici, in union witu anengigiug address, commend tier in tne esteem of all. tier ' two b st cuarauters we take to be iiaza- ~ ' rillo m " iliii.aua,' and .nuein ''i)er 1 bVeiscnutz." Of vhe other members and 1 the cnoruies we may say with truth, that tne, are as good if not better man coull be expecied. If they would, wuen on the , 1 stage, only look a little less as if they ' were pail simply to stand still anl mi, 1 it would be au improvement. Mr Willis, tne company's aeeoe-painter, is an artiste of no mean reputation. He has succeeded in mounting the speotaclar operas-in a style to wuicu -lucahud has hitherto been 1 a stranger.