AMUSEMENTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXI, Issue 15488, 14 December 1910, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS.

MUSICAL UNION. "THE MESSIAH:" The annual "Messiah" concert of tho Musical Union, is always welcome, if only'as the forerunner of .the holiday Reason, and, as usual. His Majesty's Theatre was taxed to its capacity last

night -when the Christmas oratorio was (produced. Probably because both the chorus and the orchestra approach tlio performance with the confidence bred of familiarity, the "Messiah" concert is always a success. Last night it was unqualifiedly so. The chorus, which was exceptionally large numerically, (was better balanced than usual, and tho " magnificent concerted numbers wre sung in a most inspiriting manner. The basses were, perhaps, a trifle light,-but otherwise the choruses wore fiUl of life and vigour, and the .spirited I attach and confident singing were quite refreshing. . The orchestra, too, was excellent, though at times.it couwyed a suggestion of isolation iff the accotttp.nTinents:. Both the overture and the Pastoral Svmphony wero delightfully Slaved The soloists for the evening i Se Mrs Gower.Burns, Mrs Ernest Firth. Mr Ri Vincent and Mi «• March. -Mrs Gower Burns is jjrwj dependable singer, and she sang tho soprano music in her customary tastefil Manner. She is more a lyric, tinman Jratorical soprano, but her technical Strength more than counterbalances this possible disability. Sho was particularly sweet in the two beautiful airs, " Come Unto Mc " and ■" I Know that Mv Redeomer Liveth." .Mrs Lrncst Firth, who is comparatively new to Christchurch concert platforms, has a c,t ntralfo voice of good quality, and she is a cultured and experienced Singer. Her production and ber pronunciation arc both practically perfect aud she sang the contralto part through*** -trith expression and in the best of taste. The accompaniment at times was a little hen.vv for her, but her evident experience helped her materially. It is idle, perhaps, to discriminate, but it came as a matter of course to find her singing of ''He Shall reed His Fleck " and '"He was Despised -as sympathetically appealing. Mr K. Vincent sang the tenor music and Mr It. March the bass. Neither . singer is vccallv equipped for oratorical work, and 'their singing, while colourlessly censeieutious .and . ..correct, lacked bieadth. Dr Bradshaw conducted. , HAYWARD-WEST PICTURES. The new programme of HaywardWest Pictures, apparently, is an exceptionally popular one. It was shown in the. Theatre Roval again last evening, when the building was crowded. The same programme will be given this evening, but in His Majesty's 1 Theatre. FULLER'S PICTURES. There, was a very largo attendance again last evening in the Colosseum, when those present showed that the programme was a highly acceptable one to them:' Tlio same pictures will be shown this evening. :'• OPERA HOUSE.

Last evening's entertainment at the Opera House was a- repetition-.of the new programme presented by Fuller nnd Sous' Vaudeville Company on the preceding ."evening, and if was apcain

very enthusiastically received. The performance will be repeated to-night.

CHRISTCHURCH COMEDY CLUB. To-night, at the Theatre Royal; the Christchurch Comedy Club will produce the three-act comedy, ''Tho Prude's Progress." The booking is excellent. Tho piece lends wide scope for different, shades of acting, from Mrs Wheedles, " a pore old lodgin' 'ouse keeper," to Primroso Deane, a light-hearted young heiress. WAINONI PARK. Picnics from Springfield and Culverden will visit Wainoni to-day, when tho side shows will be in lull swing and a naval buttle will be given in the afternoon, together with the Wainoni geyser. Preparations are being made'for Friday (Anniversary Day), and a programme has been arranged, to conclude with a fireworks display. OPEN-AIR PICTURES. The new open-air biograph entertainment, promoted by Mr F. H. Williams, in conjunction with Hay ward's Company, Will he shown, at the Maori Tea. Gardens, New Brighton, for the first time to-morrow evening. Arrangements have been made for a high-power electric light display from the city, and the programme has been selected from the.latest films from Loudon. The seating accommodation will provide for 700 people, and a series ot novel musical numbers will be given. Refreshments will be supplied on the grounds, and weekly changes of programme will be made. THE ''RADIUM'' PICTURES. Arrangements are well in hand for the re-opening'of the King's Theatre on Friday night. (Anniversary night) by the "Radium" Picture. Company. Special attention is being given to the ' subjects; to be shown,, so .as to that each one will-appeal to the public taste. Several alterations, to tho theatre have been made to make tho place brighter and extra tip-up seats have been put in to secure comfort and general attractiveness. The .prices to be charged --will be sixpence to all parts,. with the right of reserving a 'seat on payment of sixpence extra. A full orchestra will render accompani-ments-to'-the pictures; and several vocal numbers will he included in the evening's entertainment. JOHNSON-JEFFRIES. PICTURES. The pictures of the boxing contest for the world's supremacy between Johnson and Jeffries, which was fought at Reno in July last, are now being shown in the dominion under the direction of the. MucMa lion Brothers. Apart from the fight itself, the pictures are ;aid to bo of exceptional merit, showing as they do, the parade cf ex-cham-pions, including John L. Sullivan, Corboti. Fitzsimmons, Choynski, Ketchcl, Langford and Burns. A new series of animated biograph subjects constitute the earlier portion of. the programme. Tho Christchurch season, which is limited to six night*, will commence at the Theatre Royal on Monday evening. MISS KATHERINE GREY. Miss Katherine Grey's reputation, as being the greatest of American emotional actreses preceded her to Australia, and as a consequence the whole cf His Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, was booked up for the opening night, and during the entire season in that city hundreds wero nightly turned away. The J. C. Williamson management has decided, not to raise the prices for the New Zealand toiir, therefore scats can be resereved for the coming season, which will commence at the 'Theatre Royal on Monday. December 26, at 5s each. Miss Grey and Mr William Desmond have established themselves firmly witlvAustralian playgoers, and they'promise to prove as popular as the" famous Julius Knight-Maud Jeffries combination. It was generally acknowledged in Australia- that not since tho days of Sarah Bernhardt lias. so much enthusiasm been witnessed in a theatre as that which took place during the recent Sydney performances of '" The Lion and the Mouse," which is a play out of the ordinary, being based on an entirely new and engrossing theme, and evolving a delightfully romantic love story, as well as a virile and impressive drama. During the coining oason Miss Grey will appear in four of her greatest and most successful productions, including " The, Third Degree." " Paid in Full," and "Truth.''