ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 422, 3 February 1909, Page 10

ENTERTAINMENTS.

; ■,.■■;.> THE.MALLINSONS::,-:;' v v;. ;. ■;'■ It is'qmte characteristic of Wellington that Mr. and Mrs. Mallinson'sfarewell song recital .at the Concert. Chamber 'last evening jishould' be; by the largest audience of "either ; their present or. previous season. If bur -.talented Visitors cpuld : be induced;!to : give one niore recital,' the probabilities are that, even; standing, room would'.be' difficult %) obtain.' .Wellington'is' slow' to' appreciate genius. . It' succumbs more' easily to ■ "the heralds of popular stars; whose accomplishments, thanks to the,effusive,panegyrics of• these, enterprising- entrepreneurs,- are taken fbr ; granted, by; the time;,they ■■■-,(the; ;stars) actually,arrive on the scene.;,' The.recital.last evening.; was.- a "memorable one.' - ; As. at the previous recital;',nve.series of Albert Mallinson's .delightful;'-songs were sung—four. ■• by iMrs: <M4llinson,, and one by Mr. John Prouse; j '.-._First ! ; "series,;' Mrs. . Mallinson ; (authors' 'names:ih parentheses)—'-' Night". (Meredith); : "The -Rosebud" (N. Gale); • "Slow. Horses, Slow" ,(Westwood);;-."A Birthday" (Christina given to' theVthird. number,; "Slow : ."Horses] Slow,"'.which created such. an impression ■when ,sung during the" Mallinsoris'. last visit here.. -The. magnificent ■ tone ■colours; of;the accompaniment, the; expressive; language of .the song,' and. the, splendid'melody; :beaiitifully. siing, all combined to; make'the : item one .of the finest efforts.of .the evening.' ;'Lr his treatment of'the words,'; ;;-.,;

"We could hear the breeze Ruffling the dim : trees— - Hear its sweet love-ditty set To endless - harmonies," the composer is really sublime. Of course, it was encored. Two delightful items in this series were "The' Rosebud" and "A BirthJ day," the former a dainty trifle—a fragment as it were —the latter a joyous burst of song. Second series, Mrs. Mallinson.—"Sing, Break into Song"; '/Soft was the Wind" (Sappho); "My Love's Like the Red Rose" (Burns); "Four by the Clock" (Longfellow); "A Wake-up Song" (Roberts). Lying awake, waiting for the dawn, Longfellow,, at Nashant, September 8, 1880, heard four by the clock strike, and there camo to his ears the "heavy breathing of the sea." The sentiment inspired by these waking hours Mallinson set -to music, and achieved one of his-masterpieces. ■ The song is instinct with the spirit and ', atmosphere of the situation described by the poet, and as sung by_ Mrs. Mallinson last 'evening, was a great triumph for „tho composer. .The song had to be repeated, .In "My Love's Like tho Red Rose," Mr. Mallinson,, has caught the characteristic lilt of> the old- Scotch national airs without .trespassing ! ' Oh.'the..historic' models., ■ '" iTbird ■:- -Mr:- John f'Prbuse—"-The Huhter!s'Farewell",(Eichehdorf),: "Eldorada',' ; (E. -A- Poe).; ■ "Eyentide" (Stieler); "There lies;'theiWarmth : of;Summer''.- (Heine).; "We Sway.Along" (Henley);:.';.>.'. .-'.:.;';:-;h^:K.i- ---;■ ..In.-, his 'rendition', 'of t-I'TheiHiinter'S'.Tare-well," a -paean of praise, to the.forest,; "Eldoirado," {'! We' .Sway.JAlpng]','--■' 'and '■ Cavalier" : (an.encore .number);)Mr. jProuse was',;at : his'»best, iand-)was'>imbst;enjoyable.\ Characteristically, .Mallinson ohas • conveyed, ia; his ; music, itho (exact :;s'ignificanoe.;'pf: \, : the - word t'Eldbradb,!'. which; ends';e'achV'of''-':the- four -vefses>'of;;the song.,'- The.: concluding line-is' ■$i.•'th& '''minor,;; suggestive; of; ;the*. futility, of seeking'ifo'r.^'a;.mythical, 1 , treasure- field,,,,but : .tne'^asj;-''syllable -, of, y the- word;''Eldorado'',";is ',sliarplyftransferred, l tb , ..the ; : .ma , io'r key, suggesr tiye, aeavpur]"./;'v a i. •'" '£; '-'■;*' 'Y-'' : . - '■■ : -> : ):•,'

C Fourth sories, Mrs. Mallinson.—"Summertide" (Marston); "Song of Sappho',' (Sappho); '.'Tho Sorvian Girl" (old Servian); "Bellfe of Sti John" (from- tho Provencal) ;, "A Bloodrod Ring" (B. Dane), "Mother Mine" (Rossetti). / Of this s.e.-ies, the ."Song of Sappho/' "Sorvian Girl" (both encored), tho "Bloodred Ring," and "Mother Mine" (encored) call for special mention. Tho exigencies of space notwithstanding, one is compelled to refer- to the magnificent effect produced by ihe composer in s th.e last line of .the first Terse" in "SapphoY'Saite l —& . U and the blue dome of dusk." It was almost as if ono .were actually • witnessing the, sun dip over the horizon, and the_ slow darkening of 1 the skies.' ~ > < ' ■

',iFifth Seriesi" : Mrs. : Year's i Song" (seventeenth century)';'"Pastime"'(C. Rossetti); "The Nightingales" (Provencal); Williams) lyv? -:■. '-./.: . ."Pastime',' ;was' a ;maghificent number, of; ■rich harmonies and.striking^-contrast.. : ,-,' t; ; --v;:-;vfix;'OPERA;HbTreE.;^;: ; \ .[Hi ; The -second 'production '.'of'. "TheKWhi.te Jlwvth^ tn6-;opera,House, ilast- night,' was 'witnessed by .a. .large- assemblage.';. I 1 rbm. the. raising' of ; the .curtain ■onwards ; - '< strong. : interest ■' wis 'maintained -ih^.the..story,■';which jaboiihds.'in striking-incidents of .the melodramatic; kind. As','Maripn' Hume, Miss Harfie Ireland was again- very successful. "The,ipart' r of Lord Angus' was played by Mr. Styarii in-his .characteristic -style...'.ln.:the' role'of old James Hume, Mh pharles jßrown' was ; particularly, happy. -Mrs. Bland Holt, "who .personated "Lady;': Janet;"-''was; a ; gteat. favourite,- as also was Mr. Bland Hqjt, who, as an ; ecbentric' Thespian,. brought-the/fine relief;of-comedy intb.the maze of serious : things which melor' drama 1 is. fond of-*me'ddlihg: ; with : in. -a. manner .'which many, laugh' at, but ■some admire. It is,the peculiar way of melodrama-and, as long as ; people, like, it, there isno more : to be said/; Fortunately;; "The White' Heather" hasmariy points "all its own I" One of these; points is' that it' is produced- by : Mr; >Bland Holt, .'and'--th'at'i being iso,-,'there is again, .ho iflore -to', be 'said... It will do. V Also ; -jt will be repeated-until further, notice. ■■ - '.; \; .;. ; ;;■;'-;K.. ■; : : : - : ) ' ; ; '' t The',revival;,of .Cinema; : Pathe" : picturos', at .the>Theatre;,'R6yal this' week ■has;.beeh,,a; welcome, change.;,,- Among the 'very interesting the current;; series'are number .^depicting' scenes' -in various; countries. "Hippopotamus-hunting on the.Blue Nilo''.'-.- is,.the title '. of; an '.especially. fine;■ picture. '-: Of several -Kighly-'diverting humorous films, : probably .the; .fflost.v.'cntertairuhg.are "Satan->ih, Prison" .and "Father . ; ; wihs: a .tu> ;key/'-. A;number;of..';musicaj:.'selections-which' .ciihhot fail, to.'.-.be .highly appreciated are;rendered, -nightly';'' ;by .Mr;';' Edgar'. Collinses'■ ■orr. .chestra.-.:;The "programme.:will be.'repeated this,evening.: ~,., v;.. ; *' ■ :- : ),\ v r ':■:; royal-pictures. y ' y/%}. ~; His 'J Majesty's' Theatre , was packed •in ;all parts;.last night;' wheh: : a' splendid''.'.selectionof. Royal 'Pictures was shown: , ; An entire '■■'cfiarige' of >Sich. will ■ coyer. ;a. .wide -.-ra'nge : of interesting .subjects, v is : pro-: mised for. this; eyening v ;.:..;;.:-:;. ./■...: :■',;