COMIC OPERA COMPANY

Evening Star, Issue 19388, 23 October 1926, Page 2

COMIC OPERA COMPANY

THE DUNEDIN SEASON No company that has ever toured New Zealand under the J. C. Williamson, Ltd., management has enjoyed anything like the consistent business which has followed the efforts of the Gilbert and Sullivan Comic Opera Company, which is to begin a brief season here at His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday night next. Business during the present Christchurch season is phenomenal. Although the season there does not_ terminate until next Thursday, it is impossible to procure a seat m either the dress circle or the stalls for any of the operas. As thousands were unable to gain admission to the three first operas staged, the management has already so rearranged the tour to enable the company to return to Christchurch after tire season here. Positively only ten nights can be devoted to Dunedin, but during that period the company will stage no less than seven of the best and most popular works. The season will be inaugurated with two revivals of ‘ The Gondoliers,’ and on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, November 2 and 3, and on Wednesday afternoon, November 3, ‘ The Yeoman of the Guard ’ will bo staged. On Thursday, November 4, ‘ Tiie Pirates of Penzance 1 will be revived, and on Friday and Saturday nigbts and on Saturday afternoon, November 5 and 6, ‘ The Mikado 1 will be produced. On Monday, November 8, ‘ H.M.S. Pinafore ’ (preceded by ‘ Trial by Jury ’) will be presented, and on Tuesday, November 9, ‘ lolantho ’ will bo staged. The season will close on Wednesday, November 10, when two performances of ‘ Princess Ida ’ will be given. All the operas will be staged with new and magnificent scenery and dresses. It took over twelve months to get together the splendid combination of comic operatic artists that will appear in the operas here, and while some of them arc well and favorably known to New Zealand playgoers, the come with big reputations won in Gilbert and Sullivan operas in London. The latter include Mr Bernard Manning, a brilliant baritone and comedian, Leo Darnton. the possessor of a rich voice and a pleasant personality, and Miss Winifred Williamson, who won a big reputation in London for her splendid characterisation of the Duchess of Plaza-Tori in the ‘ Gondoliers.’ Mr Charles A. Walarm, it will be remembered, was the leading comedian of the last Gilbert and Sullivan company that toured New Zealand, and Mr James Hay was the tenor of the same organisation. Miss Strella Wilson created a sensation in Australia by her brilliant singing in ‘ The Gondoliers,’ and Miss Patti Russell (soprano), Miss Mabel Gibson (contralto), Mr Lance Fairfax (baritone), and Mr John Ralston _ are others who have assisted in making the present company the strongest that has ever appeared in Gilbert and Sullivan operas in Australia . Both ‘ The Gondoliers ’ and ‘ The Mikado ’ are staged under the personal supervision of Minnie Everett, and a_ full operatic chorus and orchestra is under the direction of Gustave Slapollski. The box plans will be opened at The Bristol Piano Company on Wednesday morning nest at 9 o’clock. A queue will be formed from 7 a.m.