ENTERTAINMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 118, 21 May 1910, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS.

GRAND OPERA SEASON. "MADAM BUTTERFLY." Much heralded, this opera on Thursday night drew a tremendous house vibrating with expectation. Lovers of melody had heard of the abundance, variety and originality of Puccini's melodies : those who put their chief trust in orchestration considered that they had the right to expect great things ; veteran playgoers were sure that, whatever else might be wanting, the promised dramatic construction of masterly force would not be denied. Throw in tho reputation and charm of the artiste entrusted with the title role, the energetic capacity of the conductor, the bright singing of the chorous, things much in evidence in the descriptions of which echoes have reached us from "over tho water, and you have the complete mixture of the expectations simmering all over the packed house when the cur- | tain rose. When it fell, the first thing that struck one was that there had not j been a dull moment in the whole opera. That is a thing which can. be said of very few operas presented in that house. The fact is all the more remarkable as it was contrary to the expectation of a large majority of the audience at the end of the first act. Not because the act was voted tedious ; as a matter of fact it was brilliant and joyous to a degree, but largely because people could not see how that sort of thing was going to maintain the interest. But "that sort of thing" was precisely what they did not get. The treatment changed mar- [ vellously, sweeping from the joys of marriage days to the tragic depths of desertion. The telling of the story withal was of breathless rapidity and compelling masterfulness. Never for a moment does the action stop, nsver does it cease to be vivid, never is it less than overwhelming in the arrest it makes of the attention. Sometimes it is a principal narrating simply, sometimes a dialogue like that between the officer and his friend trying to prevent the tragedy which he foresees. Sometimes it is a concerted number — if the word is admissable where there are no numbers in the sense in which it is applied to the works of the old operatic schools — such as the great trio in. the third act immediately after the revelation of the fulness of the tragedy has fallen. Sometimes it is the orchestra which snatches up the threads and takes them on with irresistible charm of melodies one longs to detain in their wild beautiful career, and harmonies delighting and surprising tho ear at every moment with thrilling combinations. This, of course, is the special duty of the orchestra charge! with not merely suggesting the emotions that arise, but embodying them >,i music extraodinarily appropriate. Some times the whole weight of the action is carried by the instruments. Of this the great example is the finale of the second act. The small household having brightened its rooms for the unforgotten lord and master, stations itself at the window to await the return of him who will never come, because he has forgotten. As the shades of night deepen, the instruments tell the talc, cf the little forlorn group ; they express all the feelings surging through tha heart of the small figure so patient, so j erect, so pathetically watchful in that ' supreme hour; they tell of the memories of past joys,' they shudder in the ! shadow of coming calamity ; doubts and \ fears arise only to be expelled by sturdy faith from that heart of gold. The music passes to the tenderest pity, to ! the deepest pathos, lamenting with the audience the trouble it is powerless to avert ; it continues to weave the tragedy into the souls of the hearers with threads of divine melody and touching harmonies tmtiJ tho curtain falls on one, of the greatest scenes in tho history of dramatic art. It is a situation which in comic opera would be easy, for burlesque is the object of comic opera, and the object of burlesque is ridicule. But for serious effect this treatment requires the sure touch which belongs only to the hand of a master. MoTieover, when the curtain again rises on the scene the instruments carry on the story just as all stories, whether grave or gay, are carried on in this world. Though tragedy be in our heart, the day breaks bright, the suu shines with vividness undinimed, the .birds sing in the trees, all nature is alive, and the busy hum of men continues without interruption. This is the note which the music touches at the break of the day, carrying the action on with due order and just proportion ; at every development filling the air with the lights of suggestion, picturesque comment, and soul stirring emotion. This has always been regarded as the special province of the orchestra in operatic work. The statement is that of the great French master Gounod, himself no mean practiser of the lessons he preached. He added that up to his time no master had ever realised the functions of the orchestra like Mozart, who had brought his treatment to the greatest perfection in his opera of "Don Giovanni." In the far-off days of the German master, the orchestra struggled 1 for its existence. Later among the Italians it became subordinate almost entirely. To-day it is often supreme. Its masterly use is one of the secrets of Puccini's success. "Madam Butterfly" is the greatest of his works by common consent of musicians. It. is masterful throughout ; it glows with the richness of original melodies : its orchestration is magnificent; it is intensely dramatic, and every emotion is appropriately treated according to the good rule that the sound must always ba an echo of the sense. To the orchestra belongs much of the credit for the successful production of Thursday night : a capital orchestra, the strongest travelling orchestra that has ever been here with an opera company. That they did justice to the work above describee! is vastly to their credit, and that of their conductor. The performance stamps them as highly capable, and compels all to recognise that Signor Hazon is a remarkably able conductor with a reputation eminently well deserved. There was a detect, however, on Thursday night. In the first act the orchestra revelled in their music sometimes to the disadvantage of the sihgers. A little less force and the current of sound would have been no less beautiful, and in far better proportion, besides beint; more enjoyable to the audieuce which suffered considerably from the extinction of some of the singers. Mademoiselle Bel Sorel was another of the elements of tho success of Thursday night. If you want to hear a Melba or a Tetrazzini, and nothing less will satisfy your fastidious taste than a Jennie Lind, you can keep away. But if you want a fine voice, a high standard of artistic talent and acting of great charm and elesance. you will be glad to see Mademoiselle Bel Sorel play "Madam Butterfly." This is saying a great^deal, because the piece depends upon her absolutely. She is on in almost every huene, everything refers to her, the joy, the sorrow, the tragedy all art hers. She enters the daintiest littfo geisha imaginable, and she ends a worthy daughter of tho old Samurai, who preferred death to dishonour, and between the two sho is everything that tho charming creation demands. Mademoisjlle has a fine voice of good oonipass and sympathetic quality, trained to every difficulty of the exacting role, and tuned to every one of its many emotions. An artiste to her finger tips, her acting was delightful, natural above all things, charming in every di-tail of dress, "make up," and ' "'business."

Missßosina Buckmann is an old favourite here, and her many friends will be glad to know that she has redeemed the promise of her earlier days. She sang the music of Suzuki (the faithful servant) with broad effect and sure touch, making good use of the lower register of her full sympathetic voice. She was especially effective in the trio of the third act with the tenor and baritone, and every dramatic requirements her important role was complied with carefully and adequately. The tenor, Mr. F. Blarney, who played the selfish hero, sings' better than lie acts. He has a fine fresh voice of limpid quality somewhat lighb for the work it has to do, which he nevertheless used with, good effect in the great love duet of the first act and the hne trio of the third. A' little more fire and a little more pathos would improve him greatly. Mr. Crane's smooth, pleasing baritone was overweighted on the whole, in the part of the Consul, a fact which, however, did not prevent him from being surprisingly good in the trio, which was one of the gems of the opera. Mr. Wynn's acting as the marriage broker Goro was excellent, and Mr. Orme Daryal's was especially so in his short denunciation scene, in which he was admirably supported by the chorus; and Mr. Clifford OTCeefe deserves a strong word of praise for the clearness of his enunciation in the Proclamation. If ail had been a? clear of speech as he it vould have been a great advantage m the production. Miss Florence Qumn was somewhat colourless as the American brido who tries to undo as much as possible of the evil for which she was in no way responsible. But it must be said for her that there is not too much opportunity for colouring in the role entrusted to her. All these principals were perfect in the study of their parts, a fact to which the very smooth performance — ifc was a remarkably smooth performance from first to last — was due. The fact, in the view of the intricacy of the music, is most crpditable to all concerned. The chorus was a feature of the performance — well drilled, singing brightly, excellently costumed, well trained, in the Japanese manner with which we are all familiar since the advent of "The 3\Tikado'' among us, moving about tho stage with ease and freedom. The mounting was adequate, without teing gorgeous or expensive. But whc;i yoa have tho wealth of colour and form ot a Japanese garden fairly presents, and the interior of a Japanese cottage in all its dainty simplicity, the management deserves credit for its good taste. It certainly gave us an adequate setting for a very fine opera, which did not give a single dull moment to the audience, and sent it away both delighted and touched. "IMadani Butterfly" will t>(» repeated to-night, with Miss Amy Castles as Cho Cho San, Mr John Zerga as Pinkerton. Mt. Ari-hur Lane will also take part. THEATRE EOYAL. The last performance of the current programme at the Theatre Royal will be given to-night. A complete change will be presented on Monday evening. Amongst the newcomers will be Mr. Carden Wilson, a well-known artist. KING'S THEATRE. The "star" item of an excellent picture programme at tho King's Theatre ,is "Pihaedra," a Patbs drama graph sumptuously mounted and cleverly acted. ,The Pathe people still' lead ia the oareiul preparation, and. perfect si-aging of the drama in duTObshow. . TheVe are other good pictures — "Glimpses Of uhe (Metal-workers of France," "The New .Marshal of Gila," a, Wild West film, and on& of the Foolshead, series, depicting ith© little man who, with all his aiitios and' grimaces, still holds favour with the picture public. HIS MAJESTY'S PICTURES. • Of quite exceptional merit is thepre(sent weekly programme of 'pictures at iHis Majesty's Theatre. The managehient lias displayed both enterprise and '.discretion, in its choice, and ftho enteritairameTit is thoroughly representative of (what a picture <show may be at its best. Among the meso attractive of the items <are fho view of Mount Etna, in eruption, tend the arrival of the fugitive Dalai 'Lamia at Darjeeling. The dramatic lelemeni is strongly in evidence. STAR PICTURES. A very good programme is being shown this week at St. Thomas's Hall, Newtown. Every week fresh novelties arc arriving. There is a performance each evening. OLYMPIA RINK. This afternoon ths Olympia Skating Ring, Vivian-street, was re-opened under new management. The floor has been covered by a. layer of jarrah boards, and it is expected that it wil 1 prove one of the best appointed surlaces for Tinking purposes in New Zealand. The hal! is tastefully decorated. The daily sessions will bo from 2 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., and 7.30 p.m. to 10 p.m. A learners' s&s&ion will be held from 6 p.m. to 7.15 p.m. at a reduced charge. Ball-bearing skates of tho latest type have been introduced. CITY ORGAN RECITAL. Dr. Ki'ngton Fyfie, organist of St. Peter's Church, Willis-street, will give an organ recital in the Town Hall this evening in the absence of ISIr. Maughan Barnett. Dr. Fyffe's programme will include Elgar's "Imperial March." an andante by Tschaikowsky, and variation on God Save the King (Costa). LIVING NEW ZEALAND. On Tuesday next (Empire Day), a new cinematograph exhibition will be given in the Town Hall. The pictures will illustrate the tour of the King and Queen Mary through tho* Dominion, ■'Life on a New Zealand Sheep Fami," "Views of tha Waikato River," "Lord Kitchener in New Zealand," "Cook Strait," (a series taken on tho day of the wreck of the Penguin), and the Dominion Day (1908) celebrations on the Basin Reserve. Mrs. Sutcliffe will recite at intervals, and Mr. Kenny wiU conduct the accompanying orchestra. JOSEPH irCABE'S VISIT. It has been decided by the Rationalist Press Association to send Mr. M'Cabe through Australia and the Dominion to deliver a series of lectures, similar to those which have made his name so well known throughout England. Mr. M'Cabe will deliver lectures on the following subjects : — "A stirring picture of the birth and death of the world," "Evolution of the mind and the animal world," "From primitive microbe to civilized man," "Evolution of morality and civilization," and other popular subjects. HIGHLANDERS' BALL. This year's Highlanders' Ball promises to be unusually attractive. The space under the Town Hall gallery is to be divided into carpeted alcoves, each to have the name of a suburb. The stage will be decorated in military camp style, the ceiling and gallery lo be draped with the company's colours. The Grand March will be an especially pleasing feature. The dancu will be held on 2nd June. The ladies of the Webb-street Piimitive Methodist Church are arranging a sale of useful and fancy articles for Wednesday afternoon next. The proceedings will be opened at 3 p.m. by Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P . and the sale will continue until 9.30 p.m. The object of the sale is to raise funds for extinction of tho church debt.