AMUSEMENTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16508, 25 March 1914, Page 11

AMUSEMENTS.

CHORAL HALL. THE DOLORES RECITALS. The third song recital given at the Choral Hall last evening by Mdlle Antonia. Dolores wn.s well attended. The audience was appreciative, and encores were frequent. Following upon tho system adopted in tlio earlier recitals, tho various numbers were arranged, in something approximating chronological order, the programme commencing with Haydn aim Artie and concluding with three living composers, Saint-Saens, Thome and Debussv. Haydn's familiar "My Mother Bids Me Bind My Flair/' and Dr Anie's equally well-known "Lass with the Delicate Air." were bracketed with Bishop's "Lore Has Eyes" and Hook's " Echo, Tell Me." The last-named number, a quaint and dainty little lyric, was deservedly encored.

Mdlle Dolores then made a skip of seventy or eighty years, and sang the recitative, " Oui Dion lo vent!" and the. aria, " Adioux Forets," from . Tsehaikowsky's " Jean d'Arc," in which she displayed her dramatic powers to great effect. A trio of Schumann numbers, " Mondacht," "Die Lotusblnmo" and the cvor-popular "Dei* Nussbaum," followed, and wore snug in a manner which extracted many new and subtle beauties from these supremely artistic lied or. Verdi's " Caro Nome" discovered the weakest joints in the'singer's technical armour, and the cadenza was hardly impressive. Jn Thome's " Chanson do Musctto,"_ Mdllo Dolores was at her best. She is mistress of dclicato nuances and fine shades of feeling, and she seems much happier in gently flowing melodies than in tho florid pyrotechnics of Italian opera. Debussy's " Mandoline. ' ,v and Saint-Saens's "' Pourquoi Hester Seulette" completed the' modern portion of tho programme. Tn response to recalls 'Mdllo Dolores sang " Oh, Listen to the Voice of Love" (Hook). "Irish Folk Song" (Foote), "f/Angelus" (Brittany folk song). ""Would You?" (M'Coy) and "Comin' thro' tho Rye." Miss Iris do Cairos-Rego, in addition to playing the pianoforte accompaniments to Mdllo Dolores's songs, played a number of solos. Tn Chopin's " Third J.fallado" she showed a disposition to hasten the tempo, with tbe result that, there was a lack of clarity in some of the semiquaver passages. A couple of intermezzi by Hex do Cairos-Rego introduced a new composer to the majority of those, present. Both compositions wore, slight, though graceful, but tho '"lntermezzo in C" was strangely reminiscent of a movement in one of the sonatas of Mozart. Tho Hungarian composer, Dobuanyi, was also introduced, through the. medium of his "Rhapsody in C," a work which, as far ns can bo judged from one hearing, seems a worthy successor to the rhapsodies of Liszt." This piece also Miss Cairos-Rego played at a tempo which precluded a well-defined and lucid intcroretation. Tho fourth recital will be given tomorrow evening. QUEEN'S THEATRE The fresh programme at tho Queen's Theatre yesterday was quite up to the standard" tho management has established. The principal feature was entitled " Fruits of Vengeance." The author had made admirable use of tho strange life of circus performers for his plot. The story, in brief, was that of a lady rider and a young man who had learnt Lo walk tho tight-rope. They were in love with each other, b-H ihe proprietor of the circus canto between them and induced the girl to marry him. After their child was born he. illtreated his wife, who left him, taking her daughter with her, to return i>) tiie old circus life. In tho course of time she and tbe young rope walker arc engaged by the same proprMoi. !!<- reeognises them, although they du net recognise him. In his j.assion and mad jealousy be decided to have a dastardly revenge, and did not disclose the fact that the rope used by the walker had been cut. Just as a catastrophe was about to happen, however, he gave the word and the performer was rescued, but tho proprietor himself, in his excitement, fell from a ladder and wis | killed. Tbe acting was good, and the whole piece was decidedly thrilling. The other drama, "The Evil Thereof, ' illustrated some of the horrors brought about by the industrial and social conditions m largo cities in the Old Country. It demonstrated, also, the methods ! of work in a large factory. The travel item dealt with the old temples at Karnak, in Egypt. The humorous piece caricatured <i. love-sick waiter. The budget, as usual, was one of tho most interesting items. It showed a balloon ascent, the salvaging of tho lost submarine A 7. a fire at a. greaet NewYork warehouse, hurdle racing in England, an aeroplane flight, and the funeral of the late ( Lord Strathcona. Tho same items will be given to-day and to-night. HAYWAHD'S PICTURES Tbe drama "At Handgrips," v;ith its beautiful setting of Italian scenery, was the principal attraction at His Majesty's Theatre again last evening, and this, with the other items, w«s very well received. The military iantasia,, "To Arms," played as an' overture by the orchestra, was a feature r.f the evening's entertainment. FULLER'S PICTURES. The tango pictures, evidently, will be a great attraction at the Colosseum : all this week. There was a crowded a ttendanco in tho hall again last oven- ' ing, and the long film of 5000 feet was watched with deep interest, Tbe other | filnis were also received with approval. | Tho same programme will bo given this I evening. i GRAND THEATRE. ! Monday's programme was repeated at the Grand Theatre yesterday, and will be given again to-day and this evening. GLOBE THEATRE. There was a large attendance at the Globe Theatre last evening. The current programme will be repeated today and this evening. OPERA HOUSE. The Tango, danced by Les Bau Malagas, the whirlwind dancers, drew anothor large audience to the Opera House last night, and many patrons had to be refused admission. .I'Jyery step of the new dance was faithfully port raved by the performers, who also gave with great success exhibitions of "Apache" and the Russian dances. The Rosa Valerio Sextette, the •'speed fiends on the tain, wire," guve a daring performance-, and Sidney Bach, the V.'elsh entertainer. Miss Agnes Itawes, balludist, and other artists also received a good reception. The programme will he repeated to-night. SYDENHAM PICTURES.. Tho novel and educational picture, " How to Dance the Tango,'' was shown to a, lull house last night at the Sydenham Pictures, and was watched with keen interest by the audience. The programme will he shown to-night for tho last time. '•THE GRAFTERS." At the Theatre Royal to-night Mr William Anderson's American .Musical Lurlesquo Company will open its sea&on in Cliristchureh with a production of " The Grafters," n musical burlesque. The plot deals with the claimants of the fortune of a millionaire landowner who died intestate. Among tbe applicants are three tramps, whose roles are filled by Messrs' Hert La Blanc. j Dave Nowlin and Paul Stanhope, and I are played with much quaint humour. I whilst the whimsicalities of the con- 5

stable -in tho bands of Harry Burgess also provide amusement. Then there is Mrs Dolly Grafter, whose part is impersonated by Miss Elaine Ravensberg. the prima donna of the company. The other characters are as follows:—-Mr Coulton Chase as "Will Cheatan, Air Harris Maguiro as Easy, Miss Anna Clarke as Mnzio Fogg,. Teddy Martin as Grace, and Fritzie Do Guy as M'audio. Amongst the many fascinating musical numbers arc:—'"'Wouldn't that be a Dream," " I'm Crazy After You," "I'd Do as Much for You." "Game of Golf," "Simple Quaker Girl," "Running After Nancy," "Big Smoke Chief," "Constable," "Dixie Moon." " Heaven Will Protect the Working Girl." Tho next production will be " A Day at the Races." Each evening a. special feature will be the "Evolution ot the Famous Tango," giving its growth during two centuries. A notice will appear in to-morrow's issue regarding tho special Tango Tea Matinees, which will bo given during the season.