ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 227, 18 June 1908, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

THEATRE ROYAL. There was a full house at the Theatre Royal last evening, when the popular comedy artists, Miss Nellie Dent and Mr. Fred ■ Graham, mado their farewell appearance before tho public before leaving" for London, on a visit extending over a considerable period. As public entertainers, these versatile artists aro very popular, and, if further testimony were needed to emphasise this, it was given in the splendid reception which greeted their appearance in their pioce do resistance, " The Bachelor's Dream.Tho artists wcro subsequently made the recipients of a presentation by Mr. Ben Bnltcr (reported elsewhere), and enthusiastically farewelled by the audience. For the vest of the programme, it need hardly be said that the company, in its individual efforts," excelled itself, and the curtain finally rang down on. a most successful performance. This evening's programme contains n flavour of variety, which should draw a big house, as there will be' no fewer ihan nine new artists on the boards. RICKARDS'S VAUDEVILLE COMPANY, To-night at-the Opera Houso Mr. Harry Rickards's Mammoth Vaudeville Company will open a brief Wellington season. In this caso the word "Mammoth" can bo used with .overy justification, for the public will witness one of ,the finest combinations of vaudeville artists' that havo ever appeared in any Nov.' Zealand theatre. The Sisters Kilos, in their wonderful aerial performances, havo caused quite a furore everywhere, and are described as a trio of handsome, refined, and daring lady athletes. • Acrobats of an as"founding nature are tho Brothers Artois. Still another remarkable "turn" is thij Miles-Stayordalo Quintet of Musicians. Theso artists, who havo never visited New Zealand before, scored a conspicuous success with Mr. Rickards in Australia about five years ago, and wcro re-engaged direct from Now York for tho present New Zealand tour.' Tho_ remaining artists, all of exceptional ability, go to make up one of tho most remarkablo vaudeville entertainments over 'offered to a Wellington public. Tho box plan is at Holliday's, KUBELIK. Tho overshadowing musical event' is undoubtedly Kubolik's approaching visit to Wellington, wlieii the -great violinist will give threo concerts in the Town Hall on Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday, June 27, 29, and 30. It is only a few years ago that ho won a European reputation at a concert in Vienna, and sinco then his position as tho world's greatest violinist has been unchallenged. He is to make his appearance under the direction of Mr. F. Buckingham, an English concert manager. Kubelik lias just concluded a highly successful tour of Australia. The Town Halls of Sydney and Melbourne on more than one occasion were not largo enough' to accommodate the vast audiences assembled to hear him, and hundreds had to be turned away disappointed. A writer in the "New York Toiegraph,"' describing the virtuoso's personal appearance and demeanour, says that there is something of that which the Scotch would call "eerio" about him. Ho seems both young and old— young in tho lithe figure, and unlined poetic face, old in his poise and his mastery ovor tho secrets of an intensely difficult, yet infinitely responsive instrument. "But as a violinist, pure and simple," says the same writer, "the essence of Kubelik is that ho is human. Ho is perfectly intelligible, and vstrong-as his appeal is, it is also wido and general. _ Kubelik loft Sydney yesterday by tho Mokoia, accompanied by his wife, tho Countess Czaky-Czell. Tho members.of his concert party aro also on board, and in-, elude Miss Erna Mueller (mezzo-soprano), Miss Emily Dyason (solo-pianiste), and Herr Ludwig Schwab (accompanist). The box plans will be opened at the Dresden on Monday morning next, Juno 22. 1 ~ ■ " THE GOLDEN LEGEND." " The Golden Legend " will bo given by the Wellington Musical Union in the Town' Hall next Friday evening. This great cantata is generally held to be masterpiece. Ihc story is based, upon a well-known mediaeval legend, the redemption of .a man by a woman s devotion. - In illustrating the various points of the narrative, which'is so eminently suited to musical treatment, Sullivan has employed all the resources of tho orchestra, in-cluding-bells, harp, and-organ, with consummate mastery and effect. _ The work has been produced three or four times previously in Wellington, always under tho conductorship of Mr! Robert Parker, tho last occasion being at the musical festival of a few years ago, which lod to tho formation of the Musical Union. ■ It is expected that the coining performance will' easily outdistance previous ones, for several reasons, foremost among them being the organ. Fow works of this class make such heavy de-. maiids on tho violins of the orchestra, and to meet this difficulty their numbers have been increased, and special practices hare been hold overy week for violins only, in addition to tho usual weekly rehearsals. This should result in a marked improvement on previous performances. The box plan is now open at tho Dresden. ■ ' ■ THE OLYMPIA RINK. High Carnival is being held at the Olympia Skating Rink this week. Masquerades, hockey match, and races aro included in the programme of events, which are extended over three days. The carnival opened last evening with a grand fancy dress masquer-: ado, for which nine separate prizes were' offered to competitors, who wero masked. Tho, masquerade opened with a competitors' parade, which was a brilliant affair, the display boing a most striking one. Thou followed a fan and balloon race, whero grace linked arms with comedy. Following this was a musical chairs event, whltcin competitors, willy-nilly, committed themselves to side-splitting absurdities and antics in their efforts to achieve coveted honours. General skating was indulged in from then up till 9.30 p.m., when a hoop raco was got off. During the evening an attractive programme of marches, waltzes, and other music was rendered by tho Olympia Band. ■ Tho rink was orbwded to tho doors, and a tumult of morriment prevailed. Those who havo not yet tasted tho pleasures of ritiking havo now an opportunity of doing so under tho most agreeable conditions,! This evening the in-ter-provincial hockey match, Wellington v. Canterbury, will bo played. "THE GUVNOR." The well-known and ever-pop ilar three-act comedy, "The Guvnor," will ho staged by the Wellington Dramatic Club at the Opera House on July 14 and 15.- Rehearsals for the performance, which is to be given in aid of tho Veterans' "Sick" Fund, aro now in full swing. Owing to the inclemcncy of the wcathoi last night tho Day's Bay concert was postponed till next Monday.