ENGLISH OPERA COMPANY.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1397, 3 August 1874, Page 2

ENGLISH OPERA COMPANY.

On the eve of the English Opera Company's departure from Auckland it naturally occurs to U3 at the close of the season to say a fewwords expressive of our opinion of the merits of tho Company as a whole and of individual members of it in particular. We cannot well at starting refrain from tendering to the Company our warmest thanks for the entertainment they have afforded us during their short stay among us. While wishing to avoid anything approaching hyberbole in the praise we pronounce to be their due, it is impossible to conceal our belief that it will be a long time before the citizens of our northern capital are again favored by the visit of a company which comprises so much talent as that of which we are shortly to take a regretful farewell. If the success which the troupe has met with here has not come up to the expectations of its leading members we can only express our regret that the large number of entertainments that preceded the opera and the counter-attrac-tions during their stay, should have g,iven the people almost a surfeit of amusements, and left to the appreciative alone the task of supporting the Company during the season. Judged by a colonial standard the Company is a first-class one. It would be ridiculous to submit a set of artistes like thesa to the crucial test of a European comparison. Art is of slow growth in a new colony, and if we wish to encourage it we must rather take pride in each sign of its progress than be ready to cavil at its distance from perfection. Acting, then, upon this principle, we hasten to record our acknowledgment of the local impetus which tho art of music has reoeived by the series of performances which the English Opera Company has given in Auokland. Comparisons have been made in our hearing between the present company and the Italian Opera Company which visited Auckland some years 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 powers are judged by. Itis impossible to comparo her with any one in New Zealand. She is as far above any fellow- colonial operatic artiste as the congregation of artistes at Drury Lane or at the old Opera house in the Haymarket are beyond the deserving company of whioh ahe is the "bright particular star." Miss May we understand only began her operatic career in Australia after her arrival from England. We do not know whether it is her intention to continue in ker present profession after her return to the old country, which is likely to take place, according to reperfc, at no distant date ; but if she does W8 venture to predict for her a career of unqualified success. She would not ba 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. Operatic excellence is only arrived at by a combination of favorable conditions such as it does not fall to the lot ofjone artistein a thousand to be able to t.tke advantage of. Grand vocal ability id of course the first requisite, but this has to be supplemented;jby recognised histrionic powers in which ajfaculty of individualising each char,

acter may be said to be included. The aid of nature is likewise indispensable. A. p« % possessing exterior is necessary. Art i n p er ] fection is essentially beautiful, and opera arf appeals to the senses of seeing and hearim, equally. Unless there is complete harmony in all these particulars success may be looked for in vain And it is because Miss Alice May unites in herself all these advantage that we are able to cay of her .what we $$ A further claim which this la'iy has to be co£ sidered in the very first rank of prima donnaa consists in her utter freedom from manner, ism. What more common than artistes who are great in one particular line and mediocre in others. No more conchr •"-» argument can be adduced to show th M« y < Zt one of these, than. thej*£££ : Y& various roles we nave seei. it is difficult to decide whether "Satanella" or the "Grand Duchess of Ger. olstein" is her most artistic impersonation. Here are two characters —the one demanding the portraiture of intense passionate emotion ! and an intimate acquaintance with the in. most workings of the hearfc; the belief caty ing for a very bubbling-over of animal spirits, and a rollicking torrent of jollity. We should, if a selection had to be made, assign the palm for finished execution to the Grand Duchess, and for this reason : —The delineation is like a, perfect picture. No trace can be detected of the labour which the production haa absorbed. In. " Satanella" there is the sign 0 { study. That concealment of art which ig «aid to be the acme of art is attained in the one character but not in the: other. Set against this that" it would be humanly speaking impossible to avoid the appearance of effort in such a subtle conception as f " Satanella," and the doubt of preference still remains. Of Mips Alice May's voice only one, and that a very favour, able, opinion can be given. It is a pure soprano of magnificent quality. Itg notes are round and fresh and mellow.- By > training it has acquired great flexibility, enabling the fortunate possessor to make her transitions in the octave with remarkable clearness and ease. Miss May has, like the ' best of singers, her faults. We will take the , liberty of mentioning what we hold to be her greatest. She inspires with too great aii 1 effort while rendering allegro or presto pas; siges. This is at times very noticeable, and attention directed to its prevention would be well repaid. Miss May came to Auckland with a great reputation, and3hegoes away with , it enhanced. Mr|Al!en, the musical conductor of the company, deserves high praise for his musical ability, and his effective wielding of the baton. It is not often that we see a con. ductor who works as hard as Mr Allen. Nb ; one but a consummate master of his art could accomplish the task which that gentleman nightly sets himself. He has his small ■•-'* but efficient orchestra entirely under control, and makes up in a great measure by Ms own extra exertions for their limited power. Mr Hallam haa excited more criticism than perhaps any member of the Company. On his merits doctors appear to differ widely. ■ Our>wn opinion is that, although far 'beneath, the standard of Miss May, Mr HaUam would ba an exceedingly valuable acquisition to any , opera company. He is young at the business, having only adopted his present profession about eight months ago, and with his natural advantages should shine at no distant date. His voice a pure tenor of excellent compass though not powerful, ia of '. velvety softness, and his cadencea are managed with an ease and evenness that bespeak great pliability in the vocal organ. He can take a falsetto octave with remarkable readiness, and the break between the false and true notes ia never allowed to obtrude itself. But Mr Hallam's great point is his beautiful intonation. Every word in bis singing comes out boldly and distinctly. This is a grand recommendation, and we congratulate this gentleman upon possessing so exceptional a qualification. Mr Hallam's . acting is at present unfinished; but it has improved considerably during hia sojourn in Auckland. He is fast acquiring an easier deportment, while the conscious air which pervaded his demeanour a month ago ia gradually disappearing. His gestures have lately showed greater variety. Mr Eainford, Mr Templeton and Mr Vernon, each and all possess talent. The first-named gentleman has a tine powerful bass voice of good quality which he knows how to use. In hia acting he ia prone to attempt too much, in which respect he contrahts very strongly with Mr Hallam. Mr Templeton 8 voice, a baritone, is of excellent calibre and rango. Tt is more musical than that of any •; member of the Company with the exception of Miss May. Mr Vernon, as the buffo, is a good, honest, hard-working acoession to thu group. His acting is good, and his voice far | above mediocrity. He haa made himself a;--./i general favorite, and his benefit, which is to take place shortly, will we anticipate be a bumper. Miss Lambert as second lady has attractions of a special claaa. Without any claim to transcendant merits she has an average contralto voice which, in union with an engaging address, commend her in the esteem of all. Her two best characters we take to be Lazarillo in " Maritana, " and Anne jn $aj[ "Der Freisohutz." Of the atbormembeg and the choruses we may say with truth,,", that they are as good if not better than;.! could be expected. If they would, when on the stage, only look a little less as if they were paid simply to Btaad still and sing, it would be an improvement. Mr Willis, the company's scenepainter, ia an artiste of no mean reputation.- I He has succeeded in mounting tho speotao- | lar operas in a style to which Auckland has hitherto been a stranger. Messrs JRaphael and Evans, the agent and business manager of the company, have made many friends by their courteous and obliging deameanour. We \ are sorry to lose our visitors, and on bidding them good-bye we record our hope, that they will allow us another opportunity of .J< witnessing their performances.