WILLIAMSON OPERA COMPANY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 79, 15 March 1934, Page 5

WILLIAMSON OPERA COMPANY

“MERRY WIDOW’’ AND “TLORODORA.” — “The Merry Widow,” to be staged at tho Municipal Theatre on Wednesday next and “h'loradora, ” to be produced on Thursday evening by the 3. C. Williamson, Ltd., New Musical Comedy Company are included in those musical plays which have made fortunes for their authors, and although it is over twenty years since they were first staged they have retained their freshness and they are much more popular than tho majority of the more recently created comic operas. Miss Romola Hansen, who will take the leading soprano role in both operas, comes of a musical family. Her father was the late Professor E. H. Hansen, at one time a teaching member of the staff at the Melbourne University Conservatorium. He w’as her only teacher in the art of singing. Her stage career began four years ago in the leading role in “Wildflower.” After a further success in “Katja” her career was interrupted by a mishap in her last ride with the Melbourne Hounds, where the result of a fall kept her in bed for 12 months. She then went for a rest cure to England and on her return to Australia was engaged by the J. 0. Williamson, Ltd., management to play the loading roles in “The Desert Song,” “The Now Moon” and “The Belle of New York,” in all of which

she has appeared successfully in New Zealand. Since then Miss Hansen has achieved further successes, principally in “The Merry Widow” and “Florodora,” the revival of which attracted record audiences in Auckland and Wellington recently. Miss Hansen has taken the place in the theatrical world of Australia previously occupied by the late Florence Y’oung, and critics invariably compare her artistry more than favourably with any primn-donnn who has ever toured under the management of J. C. Williamson, Ltd. Both “The Merry Widow” and “Fiorodora” are brimming over with good musical numbers, catchy melodies, excellent material for the comedians (Phil Smith, Don Nicol and Marie I,a Varre) and they both lend themselves to picturesque stage settings, of which it is said the management has taken full advantage. Herbert Browne’s delightful tenor voice is heard to advantage in the two operas to bo staged here, and Eric Bush, the brilliant | young baritone, created a furore in Wellington by his magnificent portrayal of the role of Prince Danilo. Miss Lois Green, a dainty young Australian soubrette, is one of the most popular members of the company, and other principal artists are Oliver Pen- ( | cock, Stella Collier. Charles Albert, i Mona Zeppel. Doris Hopkins, Dora , I Lightfoot and Leah Miller. The work ' of the full operatic chorus and orehes- i i tra is a feature of both “The Merry I Widow” and “Flo >dora.’ 'and so is | that of the very talented ballet. Both operas are staged with new scenery. t costumes and uniforms The box plans | will be opened nt Fail’s on Mondav I morning next at nine o’clock. A ; queue will lie formed from 8 a.m. i