CONVENT SCHOOL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 15, 15 December 1932, Page 11

CONVENT SCHOOL

ANNUAL CONCERT. The Palmerston North Opera House contained very few vacant seats in any part last evening when the pupils of the Convent School gave their annual concert. 'Hie programme occupied two and adialf hours, and the talent displayed was most commendable, the performance taking a high place with its predecessors. The Sisters of Mercy, former pupils and teachers had combined for the production, and the ability of the children gave assurance of success. There were 487 pupils taking part. They were drawn from every class in the Convent schools, from the primers to the sixth form of the secondary school, and demonstrated in an unmistakable manner the care and tuition imparted by the Sisters. There were very few pupils who did not take part, these being not available. Thoroughness of preparation has for years past been the hallmark of Convent children’s concerts, and in every department last evening attention to detail was a characteristic which was responsible for the unstinted praise of the audience. The tendency to shyness, which was a little noticeable in the preliminary items, rapidly disappear, and the children spoke their lines with refreshing confidence and went through their actions in precise manner. Originality, too, is a feature of these concerts, but last evening many items were a surprise in this respect. Tho “Toymaker’s Dream” offered particular scope and the antics of the quite realistic “animals” kept the ■ audience in good humour. It was a most carefully staged item into which the children entered with zest. The costuming of the whole concert was most commendable and the beautifully made frocks created a striking appearance. The stage properties were also singular in their attractiveness and the minuteness of detail was easily recognised. The most popular item in the first half of the programme was undoubtedly the concluding one in which the Maori canoe poi and liakas met with such prolonged applause that tho “no encore” rule had to be temporarily waived. Most impressive, too, was the final items, a Christmas tableau surrounding the Nativity of Our Lord. , Simple in its dignity, it instantly struck a responsive chord, which was maintained until after the singing of the Christmas hymn, “Adestes Fideles,” As a prologue to the item, which was excellent in its setting, pupils of the Convent sang the Christmas hymn. Fine service as accompanistes was rendered by Misses Thora Hodden, L.A.8., L.T.C.L., Zeta Leamy, L.A.8., F.T.C.L., (piano), Monica Lynch (violin) and Mona lngley (’cello). The stage arrangements were in the hands of the School Committee, who, with Mr F. AV. Aisher, as stage-man-aged, performed very good work in the rapid changes of items with a smoothness that was noteworthy. The following is the programme which was presented.—The Grand Old Duke of York, Band; Flower Dance, girls; song and minuet, girls; recitation, “The Noble Boy,” Noel Hannon; playette, “Cinderella,” Forms 111. and IV. girls; gipsy song and Spanish dance, Forms I. and li. girls;- Gnomeland, infant boys, The Dying Bee’s Advice, infant girls; The Dress Rehearsal (comedy) Form I. girls and boys; Highland Fling, Ina Howard, Mollie McSeeney, Phyllis O’Keefe; “E Pari Ra,” “Hoea Ra,” boys and girls; “The Toymaker's Dream,” junior boys and girls; club driil Forms I. and 11. girls; Irish jig, Katlileen AVhitford; Playette, “Darby and Joan”; Jones Minor’® recitation, B'orm I. boys; “The Masterpiece” (Old English tableau), Eornis 111. and IV. girls; “Three Old Maids of Lee, Kathleen Blanche, Nancy AVarn, Betty Keating; Recitation, “Vitai Lampada, ’ Leo Farrelly; Christmas Tableau, “Adeste Fideles.”