The Levin Chautauqua.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 29 January 1921, Page 3

The Levin Chautauqua.

AN AUSPICIOUS OPENING.

The Levin Chautauqua opened yesterday afternoon in the People's Picture Palace under the most favourable auspices. Ihiring the short period she has been in Levin- making the preliminary preparations, Mrs Short, who will direct the local sessions, has work-, ed up a great amount of enthusiasm, and ib' must be gratifying indeed, and a tribute to her organising ability, that so pronounced a success was achieved yesterday, which may be safely taken as a forecast of the, remainder of the season.

The musical portion of the afternoon and evening sessions was supplied by the Parnells. who opened the programmes on each occasion. It must be said at once that they are a delightfully versatile pair, who, to quote the handbills, "sing a little, play a little, and do a few sketches and impersonations," and they were quite up to sample. Their instrumental duets, perhaps, stood out as the most enjoyable of their accomplishments.. Mr Emery Parnell specialises on the piano accordion, an improvement on the older instrument of the name, and< besides being a capital baritone vocalist, he is an impersonator of ability. The accordion proved an ideal accompanying instrument to Mrs Parnell's saxophone solos, the combination being particularly tuneful and harmonious. Mrs Parnell, as a child impersonator, brought forth rounds of applause for her contributions. The Parnells made good, and have added to the reputation of Chautauqua. The lecturer at both sessions was Miss Sumayeh Attiyeh, an accomplished young Syrian lady, who told the story of her life in the Orient and the Occident, having for the last few years bren resident in America. Her lectures*wore deeply historical, touching as they did a country whose history dates back to tha early periods of civilisation. She described the country and" its people, and their religious and social conditions, whose ancient customs still form a quaint and' picaresque feature' of that land. ° The speaker paid a glowing tribute to the British forces under General Allenby, who did so much in removing the offensive yoke of Turkey in the late war, and bringing the Syrian nation a measure of peace and quietude. In the evening Miss Attiyth seasoned her remarks with some quaint glimpses of American life, and she also described in the most interesting way the various nationalities bordering her native land—Arabia, Turkey, Armenia and Persia—and telling of the characteristics of the people and their modes of life. Her addresses were brightened by numbers of anecdotes and observations, which showed, her to have a keen sense of humour, and last night's large audience enjoyed to the full her message from Syria and the quaint and humorous embellishments which she added to it. Her contributions were no small part in the splendid initial success achieved.

Monday's Program. JLula Root, contralto, formerly of the Washington Grand Optra Company, mm .William Lowell Paton, composer and pianist, will appear on the L.mutauqua platform on Monday. Among her items, Miss ltoot will sing "The Cry of JRachael," by Salter, and ; 'Ah! Mon Eils," from "Le Prophete," ny Miytrbeer. William Lowell Patton, composer, is one of America's most brilliant pianists. Mr Patton's art and personality will win him many friends and admires on the third day of Chautauqua. The lecturer, Joel W. Eastman, is a man who discusses vital timely topics in a sans audi masterful way. IVhear Mr Eastman's lectures is to live for an hour in some part of life with him. You watch men, races, and ages going by, and see what they did not see: the cause and power that sent them to sublime heights and to desolate decay.