SIMONSEN'S ROYAL ENGLISH AND ITALIAN OPERA COMPANY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6064, 25 April 1881, Page 5

SIMONSEN'S ROYAL ENGLISH AND ITALIAN OPERA COMPANY.

"Thk White Lady of Avenel'' was rcpcatuil oti 'SaUn'iuiy niglit to a gcod house. The repetition of the opera proved that the hiemislK-s noticeable in the first performance v.-ere the result of insufficient rehearsal. But the production of a new opera nearly every evening sinee the commencement of the ' season made any preliminary rehearsal impossible. On Saturday night this opera was excellent in every respect. The music is interwoven with national .melodies which have been deemed for the last century the moat sympathetic expressions of national fervour ever written or sung. "My love is like the red rod rose/' "Kobin Adair," and the like, may not be .so familiar to colonial ears as they are to people at Home, whether English, Irish, or Scotch. lint when one hears choruses of thoroughly harmonised voices formed upon them, the instrumental music being played by a full orchestra of the greatest proficiency, and the strain being carried through scenery illustrative of one of the most jvrfect works of fiction in the language, the eflect is an striking, though ditfere: t, as any composition, however elaborate, can produce. The cast was the - same as that- on Friday night. Signor Bianehi as George Brown, Madame Simonsen as Anna, Mr. E. St. Clair as Gayeston, Miss Martina Simonsen as Jenny Dickson, Mr. ."J. Crain as Farmer Dickson, and Miss Frances Simonsen it?; Margaret. As IManchi, we wish to call especial attention to the Tory great completeness of his performances as an Jl c j H always above the average on tuis of Uia business. As to his singing, we are still cisposed to give to his iinperisci; acquaintance with English the blame of whatever shortcoming apparent. This, however, is bub a temporary fault, gome of his notes are very good, and his redundancy of musical treatment is to be nrribed to individual qualities which arc not in themselves disadvantages l.ut ratl.o, the contrarv. ■ Every one present must have been well pleased with the manner >n n-luel ■ "The-WhW Lady of Avenel ivas put o. the stage, and the style m ;vh.ch it vv.t rilived and acted. The opera for to-night i. - &s "Un Ballo in Maschera,' which, w i believe, this company do very veil.