AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 299, 16 December 1911, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS.

"THE CHOCOLATE SOLDIER." *-Tiie Chocolate Soldier'! will be produced at His Majesty's Theatre on Monday next at eight o'clock sharp. It is'sald that Mr Leslie Gaze, who plays "Bumerli," has a splendid idea of what is a supremely difficult part. '•Bumerli" is ''iiluntschll'' in Bernard Shaw's "Arms and the Man," from' which brilliant comedy "The Chocolate Soldier" is adapted. Pumerli, -The Chocolate Soldier," makes his way through the window of Nadiua's huaduir, a fugitive, early in the iirst act, and fe concealed behind the curtains when the amusing Masaar-' fcroil . and his. caricature detachment, of troops invade the house in search -of- him. Here the coni»K)ser, the wizard Oscar Straus, has designed one of the most attract tive of themes in the ensemble, "Seek. the Spy," in which the vivacious melody Is sustained by principals and the chorus of mud-begrlmed and bearded warriors, against the spirited figures for strings and .reeds and high bravura runs for the piccolos. The trio lor the three ladies of the Popoff household, as the exhausted ,- Bumerli" drops off to sleep, is equally charming In. its-, treatment. It is introduced by the 'cornet anglais; then the clarionet joins in the theme, and solos allotted to the three voices in turn are daintily supported by the harp and violins, with beautiful effect. •The Chocolate Soldier" is described as being an entirely different order of entertainment to the usual light comic opens. ••A continuous stream of tneiody," "Oscar Straus at his very best," "Straus in- his most melodious mood," are some of the opiuious expressed by leading Australian contemporaries- Songs, trios, quartets, and choruses, ull of a high musical order, abound- -laugurous, exilarating, and romantic in turu, but invariably tuneful. In these Oscar Straus has run the gamut of sound in no uncertain manner, and "has, according to reliable oplirfba. succeeded In accomplishing something like a magnum opus in genuine comic opera. It may beof interest to know that the melodies of "The Chocolate Soldier" are being played and sung in thirty countries and more than 200 cities of the world to-day. It is promised that the libretto is of a distinctly high literary cahracier, the which may be reasonably expected, seeing that the opera is a dramatisation of the famous Beruaro Shaw's much debated play, "Arms and the Man." . HTJDDESSFIELD BELLRTNXIERS. The Huddersfleld BeUringers Band will be the first professional company to perform in the new Town Hall, commencing on Boxing Night. Champions in their art, the band have had the honour of winning 13 contests out of 11, and now hold the title of cham-pions of Great Britain. The hand had the honour of appearing before the late King Edward on two occasions, aud he expressed his ax»preciaition of the magnificent manner iu which these Huddersfield working men had revived the oldest .form of music the world knows. Besides playing popular airs, the baud's repertoire includes marches, hymn tunes, and selections from the famous operas. After a remarkable run at the Lpndon Hippodrome, the band were engaged by Messrs. J. and X. Tait to tour 'Australia and X.-w Zealand. They opened their tour at Cbrrstehurch, and so far, it is said, are meeting with great success. Assisting the band are several well-known English artists, including Tiiss Ella Airlle, pisniste, mimic, and xylophonlsi; Miss Lilian Bennett, soprano; and Mr Geo Campbell, humourist and xylophouist. Box plan and day sales are as usual. CHRISTMAS CONCERT.

An opportunity of hearing a programme of exceptional excellence will be afforded on Xmas night (December 25th) in the new Town Hall. Some of Auckland's best artists have been engaged to take part, inclnding Mesdames Chambers, SlgnoHna Domenlca Martinengo. Miss Ina Bosworth, ML' Hamilton Hodges, J. VF. Bya.n. W. Asplnall, Alan McElwan, W. T. Sharp, and the Lyric Four—synonymous with all that is pood in vocal and instrumental music. The programm* will consist of songs, carols, part song*, orgaD and other instrumental items. The patronage has been secured of his Worship the Mayor (Mr C. J. Parr), and Councillors, Auckland Liedertafel and Auckland Savage and Orphans' Clubs. ROWING CLUB CONCERT. A highly successful concert was held in. the Choral Hail last night under the anapices of the Auckland Bowing Club, end in aid of funds for the erection of a new shed. There was a. large attendance, and. appieciation of tho' meritorious programme was so heartily expressed that all with the ' exception of. one or two' items wcro <m- ■ cored-. The entertainment was successfully directed by Mr F. S. Gardner. Those oon-' tHbtrchvr ttems were:—Quartet, "Musketeers" (Atkinson), The Lyric Four; bass solo, -The Vulcan Song" (Gounod), •Mr. O. E. Farrow; contralto solo, two bracketed songs, Mrs 11. Cooke;' numoronfi recital. "The Twa Texts," Miss B. Purdom; reveries on the Fairy Bells, Mr E. J. Brombie; dramatic recital, "Old Man and Jim," Mr T. Harris; quartet, "Tom, Tom, Piper's Sou" (Kendall), The Lyric Four; tenor solo, "My Dreams" (Tostl), Mr Eserton Pegg: song. "My Old Shako," Mr _ Farrow; flute solo, "Cavatina" (Clinton), Mr F. L. Moodje; humorous recital, Mr Alan Mcßlwatn:-vbntralto solo, "The Worker" (Gounod), (Miss B. Carter; song, ""Ron of Mine." Mr T. Harris; bass solo, "The "Little Irish Girl" t'Lohr), TH«"" 3. W. Ryan:. A pleasing feature of the entertainment was the presentation of handsome..bonquptß to Mrs Cooke, Miss Purdom, and Miss Carter. Mr Leo Whittaker' acteo, as' accompanist. . OPEBA. HOCSEs-To-night wfll be the last opportunity that Auckland people will have to bear Miss Millie Doris ("She of the Hot X Bun"), and the rest of the vaudevlllfi party at tjj«_ Opera House. On Monday vaudeville wm be replaced with Klnemacolor pictures. ". PICTURE ENTERTAINMENTS. West's new programme at" rte "Royai Albert' Hall highly delighted a large audience last evening. The eubjecta .presented are varied and interesting, "The Light Brigade Survivors," and "Scenes in Norway," being favonAes. *„_ 4 i ■ , • The- current programme of Fuller's pictures were repeated at the King's Theatre last night, topical views of the troubles In China and Tripoli being particularly popular. Tsie programme will he shown for the last time to-hight-To-day -and to-night the current programme at the Queen's Theatre will be shown for the last time. A new programme of Star pictures will be shown at the Adelphi Theatre this afternoon aiwl aaain in the evening. The Newton Picture Palace has several good attractions in the series now on view. The current prograjnme of -Hay-ward's pictures is doing good business at the Lyric. At the Empire Theatre. Dominion-road, the inaugural programme was repeated last night to a big attendance. At the Windsor Theatre, Three Lamps, the pictorial representation of " Hamlet " is still the big draw in a strong nrogramine. " BEAUTY AND THE BEAST." The musical fal;-y play, " Beauty.and the Beast," was produced at a matinee performance this afternoon, and will be present for the last lime to-night in His Majesty's Theatre. "IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST." The "Importance-of Being Earnest," successful performances of which were given in St. Benedict's Hall some few weeks hack is to be repeated at the Parish Hall, Devonport, on Monday evening aid of Chriteti-ua-m College -tennis, cetrrt. Seats may be reserved at Woollams . Devonport. ST. BENEDICT'S BAZAAR. St Benedict's Hall, East-street, presented j a briiuSnt sWtaele' this afternoon when „. Mvers MJP.. in the presence of Mgr. OUto«3" Rev. 'Fathers Caixan and FordU Znd la very large gathering of people, declared the Christmas-tree and Bazaar In <*«- nertk.it: with St. Benedict's Convent for■orally opened. ... . , The i>n.pils of St. Benedict's, in order to smtw their apprechition of M.r. and Mrs. CtX* to add to ae fftiry-like. i scene of their t>6wer. presented Mr.. Myers •wteh an address and a girt suited to. the oeca-sion, whilst Mrs. Myers was the reel .pient of .a .beautifui bouquet, presented by Miss Audrey Dickenson. The following todies are In charge of thestalls:—'Mrs. Fernandez, Newton stall; Miss Children -of Mary stan; r tfxs. Hyocttoa, Mi'. Bosk ill stall; Miss Taytor and ■Mrs. A'btridgfl. Grafton stall. The Ctetafc. inas-tree is in charge of Mrs- • McVeash. The hnaaar win Temaln open this evening ■rind three evenings next week, attractive" series of entertainment* having been devised to araoae visitor*.

KBfEMiACOLOB. Kinemacolor, said to be the only process of reproducing-actual Borates In natural colours, will be presented at the Opera House on Monday evening next by Messrs John Puller and Sons, who hold the sole New Zealand rights. The real tints and hues of an object are secured at the moment ' of' photographing." In other processes the colours are laboriously applied by hand afterwards. The Dew method is said to b* remarkably effective and realistic