AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15158, 23 December 1914, Page 9

AMUSEMENTS.

.MUSICAL SOCIETY

Last at tbo Opera House tho Chrls.cburch .Musical Society com- ** pleted their season, with the assistance of tho Orchestral Society. Tbo wogramme consisted of Mendelssohn's well-known "Hymn of Praise," and iho same composer's fanciful totting of Goethe's "first Walpiirsis Nisht." ' I't.der ->Jr W. 11. ThorJcy's vigorous di- - rection the choruses of hoth were faith- • fully ami effectively rendered, as tar .. as the present writer could judse. For -'being pla.cd near tho wins of the basses, anions wiiom were found gomo very force! ul bingers. it was imj visible to form any definite opinion regarding balance and blending of the choir's • voices, or any of tho finer features, tho altos beinc: wholly extinguished, and -. only in tha lovely serai-chorus. "Praise " Thou tho Lord/ of tho "Walpurgis XighL' , could their tasteful singing, in . conjunction with tho sopranos, bo clearly heard and appreciated. Tho "best effort was produced by the choir .''iv the openinjr chorus. "All Men,' , the splcitd'd "Ye Nations" of the "Hymn of PnMae." and in "Now 3iay Again'" , .find "Unclouded Now" of tho "Walpurgis Xifrht.' , An<] Mendelssohn's wonderful tikill in choral work, wilJi orchestral embellishment, is ever :i source of delight, mingled with admiration. Tho ~ orchestra did excellent service, and the first introduction of tho famous then-i- ---■•• ."'"Watchman, "Will tho Night Soon . Puss, , '.as .well as their playing of the Overtures is deserving of special praise. At times the bras* grew too powerful in accompaniment. tho soloists appeared for the first time Mrs Humes. Suffering from groat nervousness ehe is therefore not to subjected.to adefinite -critical opinion in regard to licr capabilities, but : If ft in tho main a favourable invpies- :• Mon. The aria, "Praise Thou the ■ Lonl, ; .scpuied to be too liigh for her voice-. Miss Lczard sanjr very well and reliable indeed in both duets, excoptl: perhaps for an occasional too-im-pctuoiiji skip, and Miss Claridgo ae--*n.uittwl herself with tasto. if not quite - <-onfj(l'tjtlv. of lior task in tlie alto solo ','Knmv Not." Mr R. Vincent was ■■"■ fully ;it lioino in hie important parts. particularly in the "Hymn of Praise," ;. and iris clear and telling * enunciation entitle him to tho first place. Mr J. Hawker had carefully studied the'eoli of tho Druid Priest, and were it not ' for liis rreati'o2: at. times vowel-eounda ; peculiarkv his own,-would have been ; wholly satisfactory. But church siuccrs ar3 always inclined to be just a liitle ten uniform in the mode- of defivery. TIIO audience was large, and as ; reticent with applause as the audiences 91" Lho Musical Society are wont to bo. .- PIOrUHE ENTERTAINMENTS. "Tcss of tho Storm Country," a remarkably fine picture, in which Mi&3 ■ Mary. P.ckford takes the -leading part, was screened, before a crowded bouse atHis Majesty's Theatre last night. The "■ame programme will bo given this evening. There was a largo attendance of pa- • irons at the Colosseum last night, when '.= iho noiv programme of Fuller's Pictures, which included an unusually cood \ detective drama, ''The Woman With ihb iled Hair," was repeated. . The '.. e.im« films will be screened to-night. .The new pictxires at tho Queen's ' Theatre enjoyed a bis popularity yesterday, all sessions being crowded. The programme will bo repeated at the usual '-. hours io-day. Extra films are adver- '. tised for to-morrow. . , The Grand Theatre was thronged at , all sessions yesteiday, and the new se1. lecf ioji of piotiires shown . met - with 'hearty approval. Tho theatre will bu ~ open ufc -the usual hours to-day. ITio Globe Theatre received its qqota - of publio patronage and iho programme submitted' was much en- ' joyed. To-day the same films will ho KCrO'UltKl. The Sydenham Picture Theatre was .i.rn!7) well attended last night, when - "the new programme, presented for the first time iho previous evening, wad' repeated. Tho same pictures will bo • : shomf to-night. FLOREXCE YOUNG COMPANY, ■-■ "Tho Climax" musical comedy comPany'fe sesson. whicli opens at the Opera House on Saturday evening, under the, direction of Messis George• Stephonson and Alfred Linloy, is boms looked" for- ■ Trard to with a great deal of interest by the music-logins public. "'The Climax," ivhich has had Iouj: and successful runs " hi England, America, «-»nd Australi:;, . is ciodited with being a splendid musical production. Miss Florence-Youn-i is will remembered in connexion with tho J. C. WilliaMsou opera companies for many \eai's past, and she is t>ut>- . port«x! by";; ccr.ipai-.y which includes ■Mr Reginald Roberts," Mr Claude Ban- : twk, and 31r Edward Sherras. Iα the ./•e\'elopment«- of the three-act- play anir ■ pie opportunities are offered these /<''- lists to display thoir best «ork: New, nnd i'.pprojiiiato scenery will be .intVcu'i'.ioed. tin.- aciion of the play taking i.laco in ;t New York studio. Mirs rril! contribute a numbei' »•»■ vocal k.-iiYiA .during tl'.e various 1 cents. The box plan i« at. tho Drcs- , den, and day sulci at the Toy Cave. '-THE SILENCE OF DEAN MAITLAND." Quite n. t:oveltv in picture productions will ho shown at the Theatre Royal, tor' a shor- commencing on Boxing i!Jn;!i J ., when Mr Charles MacMahon will present "The Silence of Dean Maiilaiul" a-s a photo, play. Thoi story is wi.-H-known * and popular, and it lends H'mU particularly to ronde;i6ation into picture iorm. A feature of tho production will be the recital of tho salient joints

of tlio jpean\s Jast- magneflc <scr- j nion, during tho [irogrod of tho i picture. A special programme of high- j class pictures •will accompany this novelty. Later in tho week Mr MacMahon will produce '•The Lights o' j London," -»vi;h another specially-select- j ed iupnorting programme. Mr Sims's j drama would probably bo returned afc j tho, head of the no.i in a. nlebisci'lo as i to what is the most popular play in tho world, and for a long -ime ho refused to allow it to be translated into picture form. Ho consented ultimately only on condition that ho himself "should stage-manage tho nisturo production, i and this ho did. Mr MacMahon, who j was in London at the tune, aw xtio I initial production, and at once stepped in and purchased tho exclusive rights for Australasia. Tho box plan is now open at the Dresden,