AMUSEMENTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13889, 25 October 1905, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS.

MISS JESSIE MACLACHLAN. Miss Jessie Maelachlan gave the first of her two farewell concerts in the Canterbury Hall last evening. By a mistake, her advertised programme was one of the three given on her previous visit, but the programme actually submitted was essentially different from any of these. The attendance was not so large as was expected, but the lai'ge hall was about three parts full, and the audience was enthusiastic in the highest degree. Mr Robert Buchanan, in addition to playing all the accompaniments, gave two solos on Scottish and Irish themes, and Mr John M’Liuden, the’violincello player of the party, gave four contributions, each of which was heartily encored. A Scottish fantasia, in which “Logie o’ Buchan and “Charlie is My Darling” wefe prominent themee, so won the Scottish hearts among his hearers that an encore was not to be denied, and “ Anld Robin Gray ” was given with such feeling as almost to draw tears. Miss Maelachlan was in splendid voice, and reached the heart of her audience with her first song, Roec'kel’s “Angus Macdonald.” Many Scotsmen look rather coldly on this ballad, but after Miss Maelachlan’s rendering of it last night, and her revelation of the deep feeling of its poetry and music, it may perhaps, find more favour with colonial Scottish singers. Her encore song was a shepherd’s lullaby. Her second number on the programme was a double one, Baroness Nairne’s Jacobite song, “ The Auld Hoose,” sung as its gathos requires that it should be, and ir Walter Scott’s “ Blue Bonnets Over the Border.” Miss Maelachlan sings “ Blue Bonnets ” with an air and effect that would make a Highland sergeantmajor green with envy. Her staccato “ march ” ... “ march ” comes short, sharp and decisive, like the crack of a rifle, and she throws her whole soul into the sone. She gave “ Cornin’ Through the “Rye,” and her way of tolling the pawky story prepared the way tor the more broadly pawky one of “The Laird o’ Oockpen,” ■which convulsed her hearers with laughter, and she responded with “Rory o’ More,” the good old Irish gem. 5 In the second part of the programme she sang the “March of the Cameron Men” in Gaelic, Highlanders claim that Gaelic is essentially the language of love and of wax - . Lowlandei's say that Gaelic from the lips of a man is harsh and grating on the ear, but from those of a woman soft and pleasing as “ winds in summer sighing.” _ Be this as it may, Miss Maclachlan’s singing of the famous “march” was full of fire and energy, but there was no grating of the ruggedness of the nor’-land tongue upon the Sassenach .ear, and in her encore song her Gaelic was liquid as Italian. Her last song was the patriotic song, “ Highlanders, Shouldewto Shoulder,” an item quite as effective as any in her repertoire. In the first part of the programme the Scottish Society’s message of kindness was sent to Miss Maelachlan in the •shape of a bouquet of white flowers, borne to her on the stage by Mona Eraser. On Thursday night Miss Maclachlan will sing at Waimate, on Friday she goes still further south, and as every night of her stay in New Zealand is filled in till the departure of _ the next San Francisco mail-boat, to-night must be her final appearance in Christchurch. “THE GONDOLIERS.” The Christchurch Amateur Opera Company will open its seven nights’ season at the Theatre Royal to-morrow evening with “The Gondoliers,” one of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas so well-known as to need no recommendation to Christchurch playgoers. _ It is a marked characteristic of Sullivan’s compositions that they are designed to suit the possible limitations of those who have to interpret them,"and, while they lose nothing in strength and suggcfitiveneGS, they are especially fitted for amateur production. “ The Gon-

doliers ” is notable in this respect, and therein lies the first element of a successful production by amateurs. The second element is contained in the histrionic capabilities of the cast, and in the case of the Christchurch amateurs no effort of rehearsal has been spared. The players have been fortunate in again "securing the coaching of Mr E. Sbhatz, and they have thus had ample opportunity of learning how best to adapt the abilities they have been proved to possess. The staging and dressing should combine to make a third successful element, for they have been entrusted to careful and experienced hands. The remaining element of success is a matter entirely for those who do not take part in_ the production, and, judged by the criterion of the booking at the Dresden Music Warehouse, the fourth factor of success will not be wanting. Altogether, the Christchurch Amateur Opera Company may confidently hope that its. lines have fallen in pleasant places. OPERA HOUSE. . Messrs Fuller and Sons have procured quite a number of talented vocalists for their present vaudeville company, and the present programme is of exceptional merit. Last night, Ajax, in a crocodile act, appeared in a bespangled representation or a crocodile’s skin, with a very lifelike head and snout. The turn was heartily applauded. The other items gave thorough satisfaction. Several of the most popular artistes are about to leave Christchurch.