ABBOTTS OPERA ROUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8284, 17 June 1890, Page 5

ABBOTTS OPERA ROUSE.

"THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD." After a very successful week, " Dorothy" was replaced at the Opera House by " The Yeomen of the Guard," one of the most recent of Gilbert and Sullivan's operas, performed last night by Williamson, Garner, and Musgrove'a Company for the first time in Auckland. This, whilst the most ambitious, is undoubtedly the most genuinely successful of the efforts of these authors. In the construction of the story, the librottist resolved upon a new departure. He decided to abandon the shallowness, the grotesqueness, and impossibility which marked many of his previous works, and to compose a piece on a serious and more natural basis. Sir Arthur Sullivan also composed for the work some of the best operatic music he has written ; and the result of the labours of the two distinguished collaborators is that " The Yeomen of the Guard " is above the range of comic opera, and stands as a composition of highclass artistic merit. It is true that the plot does not disclose much inventive genius, or even in some points faultless construction ; but everything of the burlesque and wildly whimsical has been avoided, and the author has busied himself only with the vicissitudes of real life and character, and the possible experiences of real men and women, so much so that the final scene has in it a wealth of tragedy, in tho anguish of the poor forsaken jester who has been disappointed in love, and sees tho woman of his heart the wife of another. In " The Yeomen of the Guard'' the central figure is a gipsy ballad sinsrer, who marries a soldier about to bo executed, and who, escaping his fate, falls in love with his own wife. It will be recognised that there is a great similarity in this and the leading motive of the well-known opera "Maritana." The incident in Gilbert's story in which the heroine turns unwillingly to meet her husband, only to find that ho is the man with whom she has fallen in love, is not unfamiliar to readers of romance ; and the source from which all the confusion arises, the blindfolding of Elsie whilst sho is being married to Fairfax, is without apparent reason. But the dialogue of the play is bright and pointed, and the wit sparkling, whilst many of the songs are of a true poetical character. The author, moreover, has not forgotten his keen irony ami pleasant sarcasm. These qualities so essentially Gilbertian are preserved in this opera, and have all their force in the barbed shafts of the jester's lines. Ho satirises Jack Point, who is a professional buffoon, as stealing his jokes from a huge volume, "TheMerrie Jestes of Hugh Ambrose," and pledging himself to make the grim and , gruesome gaoler, Shadbolt, the " very arch- i bishop of jesters in two days" time, from tho same source. Then the continual satire of the jester ! For instance, how true is this saying of his, " How they laugh ! 'Tis ever thus with simple folk. An accepted wit has but to say, ' Pass the mustard,' and they roar their ribs out."

This character, which stands out prominently in the opera, was ably interpreted by Mr. Elton, who displayed the undercurrent of deep feeling beneath all vagaries of the "salaried wit." The character is one which gives great scope for acting of a very powerful order. For the jester has a heart to love, and the woman of his choice is the bride of another, lb is- this which leads him to declare that his jibes and jokes notwithstanding, he is the sorriest dog in all England." There is none of the low comedy which belongs to the part of Lurcher in " Dorothy ;"' the clowning and buffoonery of Jack Point is Shakespearian. Mr. Elton gave a tine reading of the character. Ho also sang the incidental music very well, and delivered the patter song, " Oh, a Private Buffoon," with great success. Mr. Howard Vernon, who is well known to Aucklandera as a comedian of rare merit, appeared last night in a repulsive character—that of Wilfred Shadbolt, the sour-faced gaoler, grim and ungainly, who stalks about, a figure of evil import, blighting with his very presence, whilst playing suggestively with the thumbscrew which he has in his hand. Even in his love-making he is gaunt and horrid. The character was one which was presented by Mr. Vernon in a masterly way, worthy of so accomplished an actor. Mr. Vernon sang very effectively the patter duet with Mr. Elton, "Like a Ghost His Vigil Keeping." The scene between Shadbolt and Jack Point immediately following the chorus which opens the second act, so appealed to the audience that the two actors were loudly recalled, and had to repeat portions of the duet, "Hereupon We're Both Agreed." Miss Moriva!«? ; the prima donna, as Elsie Maynard, sang and acted with becoming piquancy and grace. The gipsy duet which she rendered with Mr. Elton, "I Have aSone To Sing, 0," was encored. This number is treated in a novel way, the accompaniment consisting of long, holding notes for the strings, and has a [leculiar effect not at all Sullivanesque. Miss Liddiard was seen in the opera in a character well suited for her—that of Pheebe Meryl!, the graceful daughter of the sergeant. Her acting was throughout animated. Her solo " Were I Thy Bride," one. of the best numbers in the opera, calls for the capabilities of an accomplished singer and genuine actress. In it Miss Liddiard scored a decided success, and had to reply to an imperative encore. Mr. Leumano was Colonel Fairfax, and Mr. Ima no Sergeant Meryll, and sustained their characters with ability. Miss M. Mac-Lay was Dame Carruthera. The other miner parts were well filled.

The music is throughout good. It includes as well as dance music, a funeral march of great beauty, played in the impressive scene which concludes the first act. Some of Sullivan's best work appears in this opera. "The Yeomen of the Guard" is to be repeated tins evening.