OPERA SEASON

Evening Star, Issue 22578, 20 February 1937, Page 9

OPERA SEASON

* THE GONDOLIERS 1 TO-NIGHT This evening, beguming at 8 o'clock, the J. C. Williamson Ltd.’s Gilbert and Sullivan Company, comprising 100 people, and headed by the brilliant operatic soprano, Strella Wilson, and the popular Gilbertian comedian. Ivan Menzies, will begin a season of seven nights in a gala performance of the amusing comic opera ‘ The Gondoliers.’ The fact that the delightful Venetian opera is attracting larger audiences during the present tour than it has done in recent years is due to the fact that the latest J. C. Williamson company presents, it is said, a much better all-round production of it than has been enjoyed for many a day. Seats in central positions in either the dress circle or reserved stalls may be selected this afternoon at_ the Rialto confectionery shop. A limited number of ordinary stalls at 4s may also be reserved at the Rialto and His Majesty’s Theatre. Pit tickets may be purchased at the Rialto until 7 o’clock this evening, and afterwards they will be on sale at His Majesty’s Theatre. Interest is being taken in the reappearance here of Miss Stella Wilson, wno on former occasions has proved herself an outstanding Gilbert and Sullivan artist. More recently she appeared in New Zealand as the heroine m the spectacular musical play, 1 The Vagabond King.’ _ Miss Wilson possesses a soprano voice of exceptional range and_ quality, and it finds full expression in the music allocated to the role of Casilda; which character Miss Wilson will portray in this evening’s production or ‘ The Gondoliers.’ No more accomplished comedian than Ivan Menzies has ever appeared in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. He is a perfect genius in the art of creating genuine laughter, and without anv doubt one or his finest and most humorous creations is his characterisation of the Duke of Plaza-Toro. He is particularly brilliant in the singing and dancing number ‘ I am a Courtier Grave and Serious.’ Miss Evelyn Hall, who was a leading member of the last Grand Opera Company that visited Dunedin, and who has achieved an out- ' standing triumph as the Duchess of | Plaza-Toro, has a rich contralto voice, and she is also a talented actress. Mr Godfrey Stirling will delight again with his singing of the famous tenor number, ‘ Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes.’ and the popular baritone, Mr Gregory Stroud, will repeat his performance of the part of Giuseppe. , The two Australian artists, Miss I Helen Langtou (soprano) and Miss

Eileen Kelly (mezzo), will again appear as Gianetta and Tessa, and the London basso, Mr Richard Watson, will repeat his impersonation of the Grand inquisitor. Other principal members of the company are Bernard Manning, Vincent M‘Murray, Clifford Cowley, and Tommy Jay. The work of the full operatic chorus and orchestra is a feature of the production, ‘THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD.’ ‘ The Yeomen of tho Guard,’ which is to bo staged on Monday night, is regarded by many as the greatest creation of the famous collaborators. If it were possible to have a plebiscite to decide which is the favourite Gilbert and Sullivan opera, ‘ The Yeomen of the Guard ’ would probably head the poll. The music in this opera is probably the best composed, some of it verging on the fringe of grand opera. Outstanding musical items are ‘ I Have a Song to Sing, Oh,’ ‘ Were I Thy Bride,’ the trio ‘ A Man Who Would Win a Fair Maid,’ ‘ Is Life a Boon?’ and the quartet ‘ When a Woer Goes A-wooing.’ Sullivan has enriched his worth in ‘ The Yeomen of the Guard ’ with some magnificent choral ensembles, notably that for the conclusion of the first act. where the greetings of Phoebe and her supposed brother are interrupted by the tolling of the Tower bell, as the funeral march begins, with its stately theme broadly enunciated by the strings above the sombre harmonies for the rest of the orchestra. Ivan Menzies’s portrayal of the role of Jack Point will always be remembered as one of the finest characterisations ever enjoyed in comic opera. He is excellent in the comedy scenes, but it is in the final tragic scene that he rises to great heights as a dramatic actor. Miss Strella Wilson has on a former occasion delighted us by her singing of the role of Elsie Maynard. She shares the honours with Ivan Menzies in tho duet ‘ I Have a Song to Sing, Oh,’ but the grand operatic number, ‘ ’Tis Done; lAm a Bride,’ gives her voice its greatest chance, and in Wellington recently no fewer than three encores were demanded for this item. Eileen Kelly as Phoebe, Riehaxd Watson as Wilfred Shadbolt, Gregory Stroud as Sir Richard Cholmqndeley, Godfrey Stirling as Colonel Fairfax, Evelyn Hall as Dam© Carruthers, Bernard Manning as Sergeant Merryll, and Vincent M'Murray as Leonard Merryll have all contributed to mako the present revival of ‘ The Yeomen of the Guard ’ an outstanding success. On Tuesday ‘ The Mikado ’ is to bo staged, and on Wednesday afternoon ‘ lolantho ’is to be revived. On Wednesday night ‘ Paul Jones ’ is to be staged. A special matinee performance of ‘ The Mikado ’ will be presented on Saturday afternoon.