Dramatic And Musical

Free Lance, Volume X, Issue 476, 14 August 1909, Page 8

Dramatic And Musical

By Footlight.

THIS week the Wellington Musical Union is celebrating the centenary of Mendelssohn's birth by two performances in. the Tow.ni Hall 1 of works by the gifted composer. The first took place om Tuesday night, before a practically full house, and consisted! of "Elijah." This oratorio is Mendelssohn's magnum opus,_ and in English-speaking countries it shares wiifli Handel's "Messiah" the largest amount of public favour. It is peculiarly fitting that on© of the most stirring epics in the Hebrew Scriptures should be set to immortal! music by a composer who was himself of the Chosen. Raoe. k # * The performance on Tuesday night was worthy cf the occasion, and reflected much ciedit on the MusicaJ Union and its able condiuctofr, Mi* Robert Parker. In the past the Union has been too apt to trust before th« public in a state of umprepa redness Perhaps, the faulit lies in tolerating too much laxity in .attending rehearsals. The cure for that would be to oblige those who are absent from more tham two rehearsals to stand ont of the concert altogether. This t me the muster was exceptionally large, the performance was ma.irv degrees smoother, which suggests oio^e Tegular attendance at rehearsal, and +he balance of tone between orchestra and chorus .and between the varKw; Darts of tihe chorus was more even ard iust than usuail Still that is not savins a fm\it doal. fo:r 47 male voices "R a^ain^t l? 0 female voices Wvs -tfil-n^s ratW lop-sided What i" tV mitt-" with our men? _ Are th^v lrs,« rmisiV^l than their sisters wives -md sweethearts? At tV* is-ame time th- 120 female voice* did not produce +!he r^limo of form n wnniW expert frmm their TTnm™*i"nl strength A proress of weedi.Tie out woudd imprwe matters in this i<wwH; "Elijah" affords great scope for solo and concerted singing, and the solos, duet, trio, and 1 double quartettes were a particularly bright feature of this concert There was more unevenness about the work of the orchestra and iih© chorus, but .'tiJl that also was up to a good standard. Am rang the choral numbers deserving of special' mention were "Thinks be to God " "Be Not Afraid," "Help, Loid!" and "Blessed Acre the Men Who Fear Him." * ft • The smaller conceited pieces were executed very effectively indeed — and here let it t>e noted tlhat no less than four members of that weSE-known musioaJ! family, the Parsons, weie taking pao-t in the concert. Mrs. Parsons was in the chorus, and her three daughter, Miss Phoebe Parsons, Mirs. B. M. Wilson, ajid Mrs. Russell, gaye e JJ fine Tendering of the lovely trio, "Lift Thine Eyes." They also co-operated with Miss May I>riscoll and Messrs. O. H Stephens, J. Thaw-ley, J. Prouse, and F. Laycock' in the striking doubte quartette, "For He Shall Give His Angels." Another goon was the unaccompanied quartette, "Oast Thy Burden," by Miss Phoebe Parsons, Muss May Drisooll, and Messrs Stephens and' Prouse, the voices harmonising very sweetly. It was a strong solo cast, and the strongest link in it -v\a,s unquestionably Mi. John Prouse Ho has_ always made a "hit" in the baritone work of "Elijah," and wo have never had a move even exposition of _ the /music than he gave on Tuesday night In both x-eoitatives and airs the (reading was excellent, tihe erainciatiom clear andl distinct, and the expression masked by religious fervour and dramatic fire. The prophet's van-ring moods were brought out into vivid ?elief. Miss Phoebe Parsons was the soprano soloist, a.nd she sang her nraisic with marked effect, scoring her greatest success mi the derlama'torv aria "Hear Ye Israel." Miss May Driiscoll (contralto) sang cHeairlV and well, but her expression hod not enough lisht and shade. Her best effort was "O. Ilest in the Lord " Mr. C H Stephens (tenor sofLoist) is aai, acqin^ition\ to out musical resources.^ His voice, though not irobust, is clear sweet, and flexible and the method i« gof>d. He gave a very nice interpre-

tation of the aiia, "Then RliaE the Bighteous Shine," and aJso deserves a word of special piaise for the roamipr in which ho sancc "If With All Yoair Hearts " The second commemorative concert takes place on Thansd'av nilght, but that, of course is iust too late for this week's Lance • * * One can wi ite with any amoiwnt of pleasure in praise of the WeUHngtoini Mountebanks' production of "Jane " the first pen-foimance of whirh was given at the Onoira Hon^o on Wodlnesday evening Mi.ndful of the exoeltenit work tlhis oomrpanv of 'imateurs did m "Our Regiment" last vx>ar. a very bii house turned out despite the cold to witness •ffie Mountehanks' new ofFort Th/* audience to a man Troimami a-n<3 ch']d, went home n-iea-Sipd with themselves for having anticipated accurately an evening's eonuine plpni«ni.re and pleased with the Amateur^ ClHih fnir having so "uecessfuMy acquitted themselves. • • * Miss MoTlie Marshall as "Jane." was **o clever ins to make one Tose sfeht of the fact that *he w-is an amateur Tf arnvthinp; her one fauilfc \n= that hor refinement was ton- -pronounced for i ihouwm/nd even allowing for her teirnTiorairv elevation to. +h n ■nr>«t of milsifrc^K of th" house Tn he 1 - int"Tvio<w with Mr. Kefr<?h^iw the trustee, =-lhiOTvn'S a<; nnive .and artful i" +ho TV"*t dema .Mc d sin<3 " 1 1 | tihrmaioth hn,d n good scrasp of whTt w nc re-qirrod of he^ • » ■ A.s Mr Oiiadwick Miw AI'V Onick save a ■mlieaisi'n"' and! nTninoi-n cp 1 p-'-ncpn. j-fihvmr of i-n elderl^ «-;d.o.Tv'<! hn«j- f«ir " hn«hi".rl Mi«- O«'+n v Ta,^ WPS 'W'-o P'X+f>-n wiiA, lior,+ 1-in-r habv to th" qh—V«-t.-ns rU« +^c +-- f,p famnvfl+fl t- con th^ehn'Vl o f PTn.rV" hnd -rr^+Wi in To++o-c< -t'Ti«r Rh^ t,^ to h* rTo,Tn'T>^Tl-f- "l-t^ 1" ■"■"" -VT"^ TT'+>> As Lncv the trenuinelv beloved ■"+ tTie erri-no- OhairVs Mi^ Kith^em TVensen hadn't a great doal +o do W p.he mierht ea^ilv Vve her d^l'cate part. She a^ted with *> trne conrv>T>tion. natura'lW, and with mei ne Mr Frank Lamw^ a« rha.rles Shnckleton wp<^ in ejcellent f^^ Alwivs "onvincinsr anH c.n.n.Qi^tpnfhr bnVV t-hrom-honit +hi^ bo vo+ed one of h?, h,-^ W^Jj nerformance^ Mr J^^ made a oanital hit with "T^Wi-^ +he trustee Tn fnH> he -iTT>r^ ot ,nn hii mo<=t confident fnend^ 1 ' bis jrood work m Mr Teo T) Oateai 1 hid the lion's <?h^/re of the work Tt mfeTit. hive tZ railed the "fat" onWTnt +^ r>art wis so eractino:. Rut Mr nhnt^au m^e «• Tn-onou^en-ot^op« of the districted WVIV/n 0 Tvifo wns ar>nroTvrii + °d frntm hv>~" •"" 11C d*- Mr Oh;+--J we believe, largely responsible tor the eo^hinjr of the Monjitetoks. Certain^, the performance did him credit in every wav As Buttons Mr_n Isaacs was quite up to his nart IJtjb stao-inf^ wa<? aipprop-riaite stkl. ,iWher "Jane" irnM be voted a b^ "hity Tommy Burns, ex-obampion heavy-i\ei«-ht pugilist of the world, with. Jus two" spaiiring partners, Les ODonneM (AusfriaKa) a^id Pat O'Keefe (IreM) «mid a load of moving pictures, hauled up at the Opera House on Monday evening, and performed before moderate audiences on that evening and ateo on Tuesday The perfon mance lasted about one and thiee-quartei hours, and xnost of this time was devoted to moving pictures. They flickered some and. though of an excellent standa/rd as far <*s pictures go, excess of movement isn't an admirable quality, even in moving pictures, consequently they ooulld not be voted an unqualified success. However they weie only the fiill-up part of the programme, after all, though they did a lot of filling All the people in the houee came to see Tommy Burns. In a way they were not prepared to see as much as tfhey oeiheld In other -nords, Tommy has tun into flesh since he dropped active training. He fought blaokfeilow Johnson at 12 stone wedght. Now. he is hanging around the 15 stone Slbs mark. That odH fifty pounds of avoirdupoils mates probably as sad a difference from Tommy's point of vi.pw on, the stage as it does fram the viewpoint of the audience • • • Whan Tommy has done two minutes' work at the pumcihing-baAlL — at which by the way, he's a_ revelation — he's panting and perspiring over every square inch of his extensiveness _At the skipping he has got some dainty steps, but they flag sadly, and_ om Monday night, after his wearisome

Main Trunk ude, lie looked ffln. d&ngger 011 several occasions of sfcraniglung Ihiimself with the skipping-rope. It i's in his- spairing wiiah the lively Irishman and tie alert Australian, however, tlhat Tommy's ill-condnftion tell most. Hi® science with the gloves is beyond qu^sftion, and his footwork is a wonder to behodld. But "you can hear his bellows blow," like those of the village blacksmith n.ll over the house Tommy should be well worth watchjmg liate,r on, when Ihe has got oveir the •effects of 11ms m/uoh-jouninpyiing from AnsbnaTia and Auckland. His Wellington audiences wore somewhat d'j&aippodinted' witth thp performances The Fii'ller programme this week i* night up to their brst standard Thp recent disturbances' in Tuirkev give a particular interest to the >set of pic turos i Bust ra time Constantino p.lfe and that historic waterway the Bosoho-nus There ar° the nsiia.ll batteh of humorous films, all of wlbioh a.re adjmiraWv presented. The industriall subiects ar^ wpilil to thip fore, amd "Malcilng Paoei Pul^ j/n British Columbia" is a verr fine set "Ascot Sunday at Boulter's Leek" is a aav reni-esenta tion of as Tively a river s^ene as one orraVl hnngine Maidiame "Marzpllla, the 0 1r>vPT rat rlioioc and l bM tiraineT- is shown at W wo-rk i^iid otlher crood t>iVtn^ec ,nro "Viri^i^^tUiS fliTiid Oianidius," "Buffalo TWs ETnObits" ThteTe ane as tikhiT s-eveTal oaTntal sed^ectitons on the c noph' n ne. A-ltTioiifrh thp We^inio-toin D^a.m^ffciV Clnb hflve not a.pwpn-od iin TrnhihV sinop tho."' sm^cewfn l -Derfonvian^a oif "TTb^ Gnr'nioir" la^t year tihev have fiiarur©cf vprv frpquentlv in the subiurbis havinw given. cJii^e ■on twe^ntv productions oif "Dr. Bin." which is isfUTeV «i record f<^r finv Rimatettr th'patrieall oloib in N-'w Zealland Rphearsafe are row i n FnH caving for tihe -n'rodmctJcm of FT^nk ■R">vv>t-'<s five-iot oomedv d'raimi "The Lnnd' r.f tih<* Livi.ne." which will be «tfl?e>fl for the fiirst time at Petone oin W<-rlnesdav, 2,rtih ifnstanit, and at +Ibe W^llimsrton Onera House early in Opt^bor on which ocp-a'Saom there wriTl bo a revival of Bvoi's "Blow for Blioiw " On let ird ?nd the o,re to ann^r at Ota.ki in "Dt. Bil'V md "T*li" Land of the TJivi.ua;." The grand ma^qiteradie fancy diress and tvoster ramivaf, organised under "Mt. Shep-herd's able diirec+ion, oamp off in the Olvrnpna. Sltatiiing Rink on Wednesday and proved! ® comp'leto and conspicuous success. So great was the throng that by the time the T>ageant started no on© else ronld 1 squeep^ in The, si>pctTclue was brilliant with o^ lotir, variety of diress, and sraaietv. Tt oT>pned with the oramd march bv coimT>phitons in fanov dress and the costnimes in taste and diversity were far ■above th^ average, whilie many d^<nlllavi^d conslderiblip ori'^in'alitv Twi <"*f the m^^ striking costaiTnes in the Tf/nk TTp.rr> Warner's get-arrv "Post Hard Kins " and Miss Griffin as "Post Card Queen " The skating was skilful and piotutr esque. A miilitarv band fu'nrsiheo 1 a capital programme of music and body and his wife we>re d'pTiehted with the mVht's eniovment The mflna<re■mpint will do wpU to ""peat the -oerformancp Hater on The virwn«? contents and competitions' producer) the foTlowifnff results • —^Potato ra<^e nw^icaf chairs, an^ grand' national hurdTe race. Mr. A. Morris first in each event: cigarette race. Mr. A Paterson first ; b n st lady's pos+er coistmsme. Miese A. OTver ("Osram" Ta.m.T>> • best gentVman's poster costume, Mir. Roott ('"Swa.n" fountain pen): best lady's fanev costume. Miss Stutter (Oriental costumed ; best eentilletmain's fancy costume Mr N Oook (a coon) • bestdresssed couple, Miss Griffin and 1 Mr. Warner - most comical charaofcer. Mr T Crocker (a Baby): beet sustained chiaracter, Mr G Fo!lev (a Maori woman 1 * • most graceful! skaters Mi«s Garrbes and Mr Crocket; most originad costume Miss Trilford ("Topsv") : m<"st graceful couple. Mrs. S-wainston. and Mr Jacobs The faHbwing -were highly oommpnirl,pd 'Mrs. P. Ross (as Stockton CoaT) Mi- JohnGP-" (as Woods' P^pnpTmiint Ouire) and Mis® E Olver ("Old T ndge" cigairettes). other striking oost/nmes mi^it be me.ntionerl Mi«s T)av, "Petone Bankets"- Miss Gladys Johnston, "Mahoe Butter"; ATr Crocket "Crescent Tea" Mr F Martin "Oates's Skates " • • • Miss Nellie Stewart the favourite actress of the seven, States _ of Aus^ tralasia, needs no introduction to the public wherever she may happen to be under the Southern Cross. Suffice it ix> siav that she has come back to us at the head of a strong dramatic comT>ajiy, and will make her bow at the Opera House to-morrow (Saturday) might, in her newest play "Sweet Kitty Bel Hairs.' • * • As Sweet Kitty, Mtsk Stewart is said to have a part which fits her Eke a glove .and the final tableau representing Kitty standing out_ in the pouring fain — real water being used — is

cleclared to be a triumph of stag© i3!hi«. eioai. The period! of the play is the reign of George 111., ajnd the costume*iaire Tich and eJlegant. Tbere was % crowd at the booki/ng-offioe as early as 7 o'dlcHSk on Wednesday motrning. "Sweat Nell of OH Druxy" and "Im You Like ib" will also be staged during the season.