MISS ELSA MAY.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7345, 25 June 1889, Page 2

MISS ELSA MAY.

I had the pleasure of an interview with Miss Elsa May on Tuesday and during the course of conversation gathered some particulars concerning her past career, which will doubtless be found of interest just now, when the charming little prima donna is among us. Miss May, who is a colonial bred and born, made her first appearance as leading lady in India when she was only seventeen, and during a long tour through the principal cities of the East, was remarkably successful. Returning to Melbourne* she was engaged by the late William S. Lyster for a season of legitimate opera, when she and Miss Rose Hersee played alternately in " Maritana," " Martha," "Satanella," and other pieces. She achieved great success in the last named opera, and was the subject of most flatter ing press notices, prominent among them being that in the Argus, which ran as follows :—" Her voice is a pure soprano of a round and flute-like quality, and produced in fine volume, and apparently with perfect ease as far as we heard—namely, to the very high note D in alt, which she sang in the duet between Ahrimanes and Satanella in the third act. Miss Elsa May is fortuate in the possession of au organ of rare quality and one which is well equalised throughout the whole register. A profound silence fell upon the a_dience» as she commenced in the "Demon's Tower " the recitative " Myself once more, the page I cease to play," and the admirable quality of her pure tones made itself felt in every ear." She was also much praised for her rendering of her song "The Power of Love" in the same opera. The charm of this performance was complete, and the young singer was enthusiastically applauded. Amid cheers and bravos, she was literally pelted with bouquets and wreaths. Miss May repeated her successes in the same capacity in Lyster's Opera Troupe both in Sydney and Adelaide, and was afterwards engaged by Mr C. W. Williamson to take tne part of Mabel in " The Pirates of Penzance " on its first production in Sydney and Melbourne, in which She added to her laurels during the engthyrun of over three months. The title rdle in "Olivette followed this performance, on its first production in Melbourne by Musgroves company. This opera had the phenomenal run of thirteen weeks, to good houses all the time. Since then Miss May has been several times a prominent member of Messrs Williamson, Garner, and Muigrove's opera companies, and will be remembered by all as having appeared here about two years ago in a round of the principal parts in several of Gilbert and Sullivan's operas, such as Yum Yum in "The Mikado," Phyllis in "lolanthe," Mabel in "The Pirates of Penzance," and Patience in the piece of that name, in all of which she created a most favourable impression and was a first favourite with her audience. Previous to this, which was her second appearance in Christehurch, Miss May had paid New Zealand a visit as ope of the principal members of Vernon and McOallum's company. Among the repertoire was " The Tambour Major" and Miss May as Stella took the popular taste with an introduced song, "Love and Hope." But although some of the popular prima donna's greatest successes have been achieved in comic opera, that is not the line in which she wishes to be remembered, but rather as an exponent of legitimate opera,and she much prefers singing In the latter, to which indeed, as her "performance in " Maritana" on Monday night proved, her voice is well suited. She has done" good work, too, on the concert Slatform, and for this also received most tudatory press notices ; la " Der Fretsohutz" the Argus, speaking of her performance of the part of Agatha, said that she charmed every hearer with the sweetness and purity of her voice and her artistic rendering of the music. -The scena " Softly Sighs," and the cavatlna "Though Clouds of Sunset." were also distinctly succaastul. Miss May Is also not by any means unknown in oratorio, and sometime ago gave a beautiful rendering of "Angels Ever Bright and Fair," which was characterised as one of the truest gems of solo singing that had ever been heard in Sydney, and it was said that she showed her greatest power in that direction. At a sacred concert given while she was last here on Good Friday, she sang tbe same number and brought down the house. Shakespeare's heroines have ere this been represented by the lady under notice, and her acting as Desdemona, Ophelia, and Juliet has been highly spoken of. She was at one time engaged to support her husband, the well-known actor, .Mr Boothroyd Fairclough, in a starring engagement. Miss May is a singer of undoubted ability, and always makes herself a great favourite wherever she sings. She ls a charmingly vivacious actress, and we hope that the present Christehurch season will add fresh laurels to her wreaths. One remark she made Led mc to think that it was not altogether unlikely that she would eventually go home ana pursue her Srofession in where she would aye greater opportunities of distinguishing herself m the parts she likes best, than she has-out here. If she does go we shall watch for her appearance on the London stage with interest. In the meantime she carries with her the best wishes of all who have seen her, for her f utureprosperlty.