OPERA HOUES.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 148, 25 June 1887, Page 5

OPERA HOUES.

."-The Pirates of-Penzance" was repeated to a crowded house last night, and was received with all the marks,,of favour which greeted it on its. initial .presentation , the previous evening, n We append our critique of the performers, unavoidably held over from our last issue :—Miss Elsa;May carried off the musical honours, and Miss Alice Barnett and Mr Benham kept the audience in roars,,of uncontrollable laughter. The little and^vivacious prima, donna was"at her very best,-singing,' with,,an ease, taste and flexibility of voice that fairly excelled all her previous, efforts. In the pretty waltz song, " Poor Wandering One," with its florid vocal embellishments, she .watfjicard to signal1 advantage, her intonation beingV faultless and'-'the' execution generally most artistic; Mr, Innes played the .flute' obligato iti first-class style. The audience of course promptly, encored the number. Her ballad," ''.Ohj- Leave Me Not to ■Pine," was very- tastefully \ sung, and the ■ rest of'''her - muMc^'was performed with equal, . effect, vyhile her acting was als6 marked-by conspicuous ability.: 'In. . every ■;, respect"-! • 'the 'role suited her, and she acquitted herself most successfully. Miss Alice Barnett, the original; Ruth, must really be Cfiee'nj. 'BothS-aS buffo actress and as cantatrice.she earns unqualified praise. Her opening Song,1 "When Frederic.^yas-a,.Little.Xiad,'' was ably, reu-. dered, and, her acting and-singing1 invthe duet'with. Frederic, "You Told- Me You Were Fair as Gold, "were the elements that conduced most* largely, to the .'success of that number. • -A similar remark applies to the " Paradox"' trio ' (Ruth, :ICing' arid Frederic).,.in second-act.;.. It was in. jbhe; last scene. that she gave' .the i greatest proof of her'buffo'talent.1 The-ambrotis iby-play therein between,.herself and 1 a.>'s^r-; geant of police (Mr Benham) was'the drollest and most diverting piece of stage " busi-; ;ness " that the present company, have yet given us.,: As .Sergeant Murphy, Hi'.H.; Benham was- quite in his element. > Corpulent in figure, mobile of, feature, and f thoroughly easy,' ''and, .self possessed ,|'in* manner, he played and-, sang with ' a zest that: must, have ■ caused-'the audience -to have actually r' ached;. Ayith heal-ty ,laughter.;, ; For his ; .song"_'■'«' When; the Foeman Bares His Steel," an encore was thoroughly ■ enforced^ Avhile' the. siibse-.' song and chorus,- "When ,a 'Felon's noti Engaged in his Employment;"-, .tickled theiaudiencc to such'purpose that th'e-burly Sergeant;, 'in | ■ cbmpliance, with 'aVdou^leencore,added two stanzas not in'the libretto, and even- then'the storm of •applause showed no sign of ■ abatement. Had he '.riot firmly, shaken his head to the demand for more, the 'encoring, ". of , item might have jgone on for half-an^hbiir.,longer. ,^jv •HOTWdVerrion'appeared in his old rolc"6i the Major-General, and renewed the success which he .had jpreviouslyJa'cHieved with it. ■ His.,..well-known . patter song -was- cxcIcuted, in first-rate,' style, and provoked the inevitable encore, while his ballad,.. I Sighing..'Sdftly to tlief,River," ;with its pretty .'orchestral accompaniment, ,Avas sung with great taste; and feeling. %\ Mr,Wood^. Ifield. svistaihed the, part1 of Frederic, 'but was not in good voice': ''*His singing was, therefore, unequal. Mr Albert Brennir was too, spiritless and ".impassive yin ■. action., to make a very .decided '' hit '.'• in the role of [the Pirate King,; ; but' his song, f' Oh, Better . Far ,*to - Live and i Die,", "'was ivery effectively:, sung. r.Mr^ F. Ridsjdalej.iasi; Samuel; 'the .Pirate Lieutenant," acquitted himself • very' creditably, and MissldaOsborhe/as Ka'te,vperformed vvith her. customary' taste and ability all that, was; assigned Her to.do. ; TliGjchoruses were nicely: sung, j that: for sopranosV and^altos, ;" Climbing Over Rocky Mountains," evokjing_the.first encore of the evening. -There |wai some degree of unsteadiness in the ;" Chattering Chorus." The invocation to jPoetry by the full chorus fairly brought down-the "hjoiise," and the JensembleAvhich follows the' " Tdraritara " chorus "formed* another capital display of concerted singing. So, too,^yas,the.ensemble "Oh, f , here .is' Love." ' The1 'concluding tableau,' with Miss Katie Potter as Britannia, and Misses Maggie Melrose arid 'Louie Woods as attendant nymphs, was loudly and most cordially applaudea.. The-.pieoe-,will ibe f - repeated again to-ni^rlit. ~