SIMON SEN'S ROYAL ENGLISH AND ITALIAN OPERA COMPANY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6051, 9 April 1881, Page 5

SIMON SEN'S ROYAL ENGLISH AND ITALIAN OPERA COMPANY.

LA 'SONNAMBULA. The performance of "La Sonnambula" last night drew a large audience. The occasion was specially remarkable for the appearance of Miss Martina Simonsen .for the first time in Auckland. Amina is the role most favourable to exercise the powers of a young debutante. Signor' Gaetano liiianehi appeared also for the first time in Auckland as Elvino. Signor Riccardi took the part of the Count, and Hiss Carry Godfrey that of Lisa. Everything combined to make the opera a tireat success. The orchestra was thoroughly practised, the choruses had been rehearsed by frequent repetition for months, the scenery was most effective, and the young prima donna almost instantly gained the sympathy and approbation of those who heard her. She is jpetite, but her voice is of extraordinary strength, richness, and range. The facility and grace of her style, even when she indulges in bravura, is remarkable, and her executive skill and teclmi'jue are singularly accurate, and marked by a definition of phrase and musical accentuation that strikes tiic hearer at once. Miss Martina Simonsen possesses all the finalities from which the highest lyric eminence can bo readied. It would be idle to insist upon maturity of voice in one so young, but the tones and range already there are sure to develop in greater power and extent from year to year. VVe do not remember any first appearance of a young cantatrice, so full of promise, in addition to present excellence, as this one. Signor Bianchi has a fine robust tenor. Of this there cannot be the least doubt. But ither he does not make the best use of it or he sings under disadvantages. He is an Italian, and singing in English with inadequate knowledge of the language must subject his voice to a strain which occasionally interferes with its powers of expression. The ardour of his temperament may also influence his defects of expression. But he ' has a good histrionic manner, and where he is not carried away by excess of feeling, sings excellently. There is nothing in these blemishes which deprives him of the claim to high proficiency as an artist. He received and deserved considerable applause in the duet, '' Take thou this and "Still so gently." Yet he was not equal to the resources which he evidently possesses. Of Signor Hiccardi, as Count K Oil olio, we need saj nothing. He "was loudly applauded for his rendering of "As I view," "gjj e wn:i lifco thee," &c. The aire Of'" La -Sonnambula" are the best known of any opera except " Martha," which vi ■' 3e P er f° rm cd this evening. AVe scarcely did justice to Miss Carrie Godfrey's voice in our fir3t notice. It is finer in quality, power, Wd i'an»e than we at first gave her credit for. inose who would hear beauty of executive AT°^« lent . s h° u M listen attentively to Miss lartina Simonsen's "Do not mingle," the Prayer in the'cliamber, and several other pas,ages too numerous to mention.