AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11872, 20 April 1904, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS.

THEATRE ROYAL.

The success of "A Country Girl" increases with each succeeding production, aim last night's performance at the Theatre itoyul was witnessed liy un audience that taxt'tTall tho available .stating accommoda-1 tioii. Last night's production was received with unmistakable evidences of appreciation, and the principals were frequently recalled. To-night "A Country uni" will be repeated for the last time, ani to-morrow night "My Lady Molly" will be staged. I'his piece will be continued on Friday and Saturday. It is the work of Mr K. Jessop and Air Sydney Jones, who have given life to "The Geisha" and other works. It was staged in Melbourne, before its initial production in London was witnessed, the composer having agreed to the production ot the opera in the first instance in the provinces, etc., where it instantly became a success. When, however, it was presented in the big city it became one of the principal attractions of the season, was very highly s*poken of as being a work of exceptional musical merit, and ran the best part of two years at Terry's Theatre. So gratified was Mr j Williamson with the Melbourne production j of "My Lady Molly" that he choee it for I the opening attraction of his new His Majesty's Theatre in Sydney, where it was played to crowded houses for eight weeks. The many fine solos and concerted items in the play are said to afford exceptional opportunities to all the members of this talented company. The distinction between comic opera and musical comedy is not a clear cut one, but it is generally agreed that "My Lady Molly" can well lay claim to the title of opera. MISS MENKMEYER'S RECITAL. Miss Florence Menkmeyer, a pianist c who brought with her the highest European credentials, gare & recital last night at the Canterbury Hall. Miss Menkmeyer not only possesses great executant power, enabling her to overcome with the greatest ease difficulties with which an ordinary pianiste could not grapple, ,but she has also the rare gift of interpreting the particular master whose works she is playing. Take, for instance, to compare two number*, her wonderfully artistic performance of Rubinstein's "Spanish Dance," with all its sensuotianees and abandon, and the severely claasicnl' "Funeral .March" of Chopin, with its wailing melody, suggestive of desolation. These two entirely different styles of composition were interpreted with a wonderful power of delineation. Perhaps the "Study in E flat" of Chopin and the "Polonaise in A flat" by the same composer were entitled to the greatest praise from a fctrictly artistic point of view, though Schnbert't* " Serenade" was charmingly played. - Mi's Menkmeyer shone also as a composer. A lovely barcarolle and a characteristic descriptive piece, "Wanderings in the. Black Forest," were excellent, and were played with much success and descriptive power. In the Liszt arrangement of MendelßPolra's ''Midsummer Night'e Dream " Miss Menfaneyer showed considerable power of execution and dramatic ability in pourtraying the dances of elves. It is asking too much of any one artist to play the exacting solos Mis» Menkmeyer gave so successfully laM night, and undertake vocal items as well, and therefore it was-hardly to be expected that she would be as successful vocally as instrumentaJly. But in the pretty ballad, "Hope Sweetly Smiles." Miss Menkmeyer was heard to great advantage. Miss Tivienne Curktt played tho accompaniments to the vocal numbers most artistically, evincing rare gift in an accompanist of sell-ttfacement for the benefit of tlie soloist. OPERA~HOUSE. The Fuller Entertainers repeated their programme last night at the Opera Hou>« very successfully. All th3-items on the programme wtnt excellently. To-night the Company will again appear. MR CLEMENT WRAGGE. , To-morrow night, in the Choral Hall, Mr Clement L. Wragge will make his first appearance as an entertainer in this city. Th« subjects he- is about to place before the public are said to be popular, comprising , the marvels of astronomy and the won- j ders of meteorology. The first of the series will be "A Voyage Through the Universe," the Great Paris Telescope and the Moon. The lecture will be illustrated by views of the heavens, sun, moon, and planets, specially sent to Mr WrajKfe from the Lick and other leading observatories of the world.