GILBERT AND SULLIVAN COMPANY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 115, 15 May 1906, Page 3

GILBERT AND SULLIVAN COMPANY.

-THE 6OXDOUEBS."

' .Qe Gondoliers- is of the things cannot stale: and the old 2? tO "uS-£-lliar through thronah pianos, through the whistling of street f m ,nd the" grinding of piano organs *S Sill as fresh, as melodious, as ""£*>■ ferritins as ever. Perhaps none s?£S?«rf the great partnership sudden and striking leap ffene sud fortune as -The Gondol largely because it has the ~fL elements in the music without "Stfce business manager may pray =uch numbers a≤ -In Enterfifefrf EB 4'" " T StOle , v fae 'Take a Pair of Sparkling £~7? "There lived a King," and the Fras "0 Tk c Glorious Thing, I £*L» ar e sunk deep in the musical "Oneness of the vast majority 01 ♦he EnsJlsh-speakinz race. But there •- fcrffiore in the music than eatcbirLs- and sock items as the exq-uisite Lot "There Was a Time." the novel enl'" aefightiol orchestration o-f the beginning "Try We life-long," tiie otacefal phrasing of "In a Contemelsifre Fashion." and the fine accomto ~1 Am a Courtier. , ' to-g~£kej-sviih two of the prettiest dances erereonqicsed- afford a musical satisfaction, that in modern comic opera can on lr be foand hi the fellow-operas of the" same composer. For ths libretto, g fe Gilbert at his best, whimsical, satirical, and, be it never forgotten, poetical. For the last, is not '"List Learn Ye- Dainty" Roses," the «rweetest of poetry? and who has not felt the simple charm of the lines which jadade

"Worry S melodious mink. Grief is joy in masquerade 2'

But, whimsical first. That the story &as a whole, with its quaint inveraan of things; but in its details, too. White Shall Equal Be" is a iejnote to one of the most delicious of Gilbertkn plots (and it is a satirical wit besides): equally the epigrams and jests mate The Gondoliers" a mine c£ humorous quotation. The Duke, who cceasJanally led his troops into action and invariably led them out of it; the toaeheior who is "a mere nothing —he's a elirysalis —he ean"t be said io live, he exists": and "it's extraordinary ■what unprepossessing people one can lore if one gives one's mind io it." are a few ef these delightful jeux d'esprit. Last ngflfs performance was in most respects excellent: not ideal., of course. jar tMt no representation of Gilbert and SuQrvan can erer be. but reflecting fnrnigfi of the spirit of both, book and music to prove thoroughly fascinating and admirable. The eitoruses of gondbSers and eontadine, though the latter were on the whole the stronger, were well up to the difficult (jjrired of them, ■while, if anything, the principals are stronger than ever. Mareo and Giuseppe were most admiriSy played by Mr Chas. Kenningham «ai 3fr Wilson, and the fine humour «f the dual sovereignty -was capitally realised. Mr Kenningham (who plaveitae same part at the Savoy in 1395) iras at some disadvantage through a eoH. and after showing much of tie old sweetness of his voice in the first verse of Take a Pair of Sparkling Eves." TO3 rfj]%ed to desist. But his work m. the-jlnets and the larger combined movements suffered little, and throug-h-Oα^ fie showed real artistic method. His *rfmg sas also most admirable. Mr Wilsaa was never better heard —or as Giuseppe: and his sing- %' of the rapid and difficult ir ßising Early in the Morning" was most iappy? while in the duets and other mnnbeis, he always held the stage by Ik vim as well as by his full possession «f t&e- spirit of Gilbert's book. Both Ktm were at their very best in the wfinpsdeal <=Arter SaHrng to this IsW." Tie Grand Inquisitor of Mr Hrcrard Ternon was not as subtle as tt might have been, "but it was neverMfites a thoron2i l well-eon eeived as it stood. U I Stole the nnus 2 and "There Lived a King" were ftry pod and distinct. Hiss Agsie ■Bora'sTessawas one of the best sueees«s oi the evening. Her "When a Merry tauten ifames" and several other solos «aowed at once a musical voice and a fanning personality in the singer Eanetta had less to do, but Miss Dolly tables was excellent in "-Rind Sir. You Have the Heart." and else«HKre. As the Duke of Plaza Toro. Mr WaUaee aid not attempt as much as he flngta have done, but the Duke was .|Jsiat enough, and did very well with _la Enterprise of Martial "Kind,"' and "f *»t, "Small Titles and Orders," Withe Duchess. As the latter. Miss Wntaa was the splendid actress she aKpivs.is, and her rich, expressive IJfflK was finely heard in "'On the Day w-iea I Was Wedded." Mr Arthur Uana and Miss Vinia de Loitte as Luiz 3na Casilda were responsible for peraaps the best •musiea.l event of the Tfflmg in the beautiful duet, "0 Rap- «*«■ Hγ Crane, who has a musical he knows how to employ is a decided acquisition to r:? 1 ™? Miss de Loitte is a most fflajied singer, and her work was es- |«*% praiseworthy. Mr Walter S* iad Httle t0 do - Du t tha t little t* ow with complete success. The ytos* were a notable feature of the perrad the orchestra, under Mr was unusually strong and Irf 6 ™: A novelty was introduced in fiadurm Ballet." eommendablv jg tin after the fall of the curtain, i^^. performance consists of a most J*™* series of dances, in which a W* oi girls, dressed as pierrots. flit showing up with a sort of pLos*™»»ttnt light against a black ground effect. Altogether the £& house last night had every reaie satisfied with their entirtain-