SIMONSENS OPERA COMPANY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9437, 7 August 1889, Page 5

SIMONSENS OPERA COMPANY.

."SATANELLA." After an absence of many years, Mr. Martin Simonsen has again visited Auckland, and a new season of mixed opera by a company under his direction was opened yesterday evening at Abbott's Opera House with Balfe's effective work " Satanella." There was a crowded audience in the lower parts of the house, and the attendance in the dress circle was numerous. " Satanella "is an opera which contains much of the best music composed by Balfe, and its plot, though extravagant, is romantic and well connected. Moreover, much interest was felt in the performance because it gave the Auckland public an opportunity of renewing acquaintance with Miss Elsa May, who visited this city in 1887 as prima, donna in Messrs. Williamson, Garner, and Musgrove's company. Miss May was seen last night in her proper place—that is, she had discarded opera bouffe, and appeared as the true lyric artist, performing the leading part in a high-class work and singing music which is deemed to be amongst the finest of that of modern composers. She sustained the trying role of Satanella in a manner worthy in every respect of her high reputation. Her voice ip a pure, even, and sympathetic soprano, of full volume, and produced with the greatest ease and flexibility, and equally throughout the register, up to D in alt, a note sung clearly and sweetly by her in the duet with Arimanes in the third act. It is a fine voice, which is used to the best advantage ; her phrasing and enunciation are intelligent, clear, and distinct, her dramatic singing powerful and effective, and her method most satisfactory. The recitative, "Myself Once More," was given with fine declamatory effect, and the beautiful solo, "There is a Power Whose Sway," was rendered with such great expression and sentiment that an insistent encore had to be replied to. A solo of an entirely different character, testing the singer's powers of execution, was "Lost One, Accept Thy Doom," rendered with volubility and spirit. "Let not the World Disdaining" was sweetly sung, and another triumph was in the duet between Arimanes and Satanella in the third act, already mentioned. This is one of the most trying scenes of the opera—it shares importance with that which closes the work, both from a musical and histrionic point of view. The duet was rapturously encored, the singers bowing their acknowledgments. The song, " Sultana Zulema," a florid piece of music, abounding in runs, trills, and cadenzas, was excellently rendered, by Miss May, and the air, "Ah, Dost Thou See," in the last act, was another number beautifully expressive. Miss Elsa May's histrionic ability is also very great. She had a difficult part to play in Satanella, but her acting was throughout powerful. There was no exaggeration, and in every situation there was genuine dramatic ability. Especially was this so in the great scene in the last act when Satanella shows Rupert the fatal compact by which he has bound himself to deliver his soul to the demons, and demands that the contract be fulfilled. The passion and impetuosity, and finally the terrible calm of despair, showed the actress in every movement. The character of Count Rupert in this opera demands a good deal, and Mr. W. Walshe, who sustained it, was not equal to the task. He sings well; he has a tenor voice which, though light, is pure, resonant, and well cultivated, and his solo, "The Glorious Vintage of Champagne" — very tastefully sung — was encored. He was again encored for the ballad, "An Angel Form." Mr. Walshe, however, was overweighted in the part he had to play, and was stiff, and not dramatic enough. Miss Florence Seymour appeared as Lelia, and rendered the music of the part with considerable acceptance. Her acting was indifferent, though she improved somewhat in the last act. As Stella, Miss Ethel Mackay acted well; she has not a stage voice, and much of the effect in the dialogue was marred. She played admirably in the closing episode of the first scene of Act I, where the gamblers are at dice, a very effective incident of the opera. Mr. Dean was thoroughly suited as Hortensio, and filled the character with great liveliness and considerable buffo talent. His effective by-play provoked much laughter. The part of Arimanes was sustained by Mr. Warwick Gainor. This gentleman's singing would have a much greater value, to our mind, were it not for the incessant tremolo which accompanies his delivery, and which, however much it may be cultivated elsewhere, is looked upon in the English school of music as nothing more than a mannerism. Mr. Gainor's voice is of great volume, and the defect is therefore the more noticeable. He sings with ease, and has, a very powerful organ, and his acting is marked by a good deal of skill. Mr. F. England, as Bracaccio, the leader of the Pirate band, played with credit, and his singing was greatly successful. Mr. Shannon had a very indifferent conception of the character of Karl. The small part of the Grand Vizier was cleverly taken by Mr. Pollard. Other minor parts were those of Dame Bertha (Miss Julia Beaumont) and a lady (Miss M. Brusnan). At the close of the first act, Miss May and Messrs. Walshe and Dean were called before the curtain.

There was a good chorus—good so far as the music was concerned ; but the members of the company who comprised that very necessary body were wanting in the " business "of the play. For instance, the chorus of pirates looked like a body of quiet and unpretending fishermen rather than a cut - throat band to whom " danger's true name was delight." The opera was well mounted. The entry of the Grand Vizier, however, seemed more like a detail in a burlesque . than part of a prominent opera. There was an excellent orchestra, under the direction of Mr. Harcourt Lee, and they played the accompaniments with taste and skill.

" Le Cloches de Corneville " is to be produced this evening. •