ENTERTAINMENTS AND MEETINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12242, 11 April 1903, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS AND MEETINGS.

DIS'S GAIETY COMPANY. THE above popular organisation will appear litis evening as usual, at the City Hall, and with such names as Mr. Frank Yorke, Mr. J. Reams, Miss Emmie Smith, Miss Ida Roslyn, Little Vera Ksarns, Professor Schmidson (the one-man orchestra), Sherwin (the mad musiI cian;, the Sisters Smitn, Miss Anuetta Bcdin, ■ the Sisters Gilardi, Arnoldi (.the brilliant I young juggier), and Mr. Frank Graham (tne i eminent. English tenor, from the, Carl Rosa j Opera Company, London), an enjoyable, • varied, and entertaining programme is asj sured. A specially attractive holiday bill will ! be presented on Easter Monday evening. j THE ANDERSON DRAMATIC SEASON, i It is safe to prophesy that long before ; eight o'clock to-night the sign that delights the manager's heart, " standing'room only," i will be displayed in all parts of His Ma- ■ jestv's Theatre. The opening attraction will ' be Walter Melville's latest dramatic . success, I " The Worst Woman in London," which has i been creating quite a furore in the Southern 1 cities. What may be called the Anderson : school of melodrama is deliberately sensa- ; tional and extremely harmless. It holds up ! the horrid villain to reprobation, and the i persecuted hero to sympathy in the old way. | Mr. Clement Scott, the acknowledged prince ] of critics, wrote of " The Worst Woman in .' London"" It is a great human emotional | and sensational drama, full of life and moveI ment, a page torn from the book of pulsing j life, strange in its truth, thrilling in its j reality, honest in its humour, a picture : drawn by master hands of life as it is lived j to-day in the city of smiles, of tears, of suni shine and shadow, of angels' deeds and ! devils' crimes, the wondrous world of Lon- | don." The box plan is open at Wildman, I Lyell and Arey's. Early door tickets to stalls j and family circle can be purchased at Wilj liamson's. tobacconist. These will be adj mitted from seven o'clock. Ordinary doors J open at half-past seven. j LEWIS' COMBINATION COMPANY, i Professor and Madame Lewis and their comI paijj- of Australian artists will give a performance in the Federal Hall, Wellesley-street, on Monday night next. Particulars will be found in an advertisement elsewhere in this issue. SACRED CONCERT AT HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. The sacred concert and performance of Rossini's " Stabat. Mater," at His Majesty's Theatre lust, night, attracted a very large audience, the seating accommodation being overtaxed, and numbers standing during the 'evening. The programme opened with Mendelssohn's solo, " It is Enough," by Mr. Rupert Mun'cell, the 'cello obligato being played by Mr. Chas. Waud. Miss Maud Tobias la pupil of Madame Lilian Tree's) made her debut in Gounod's " There is a Green Hill Far Away." She was very cordially received. Her voice proved to be a mezzo-soprano of sweet quality, and full of sympathy, and though Miss Tobias sang with evident nervousness, she revealed signs of careful tuition. Both ingestion and articulation were good. So far as her voice has been developed the lower register shows the best results. In the upper register the young- singer will do well to devote attention to a slight nasal tone, which should, however, bo easily overcome. Miss Tobias shows decided promise and a. course of thorough training will doubtless see this promise brought to a fulfilment, for she has a voice which training should do much for. She was warmly encored for her first solo last night, and responded with " The Children's Home." Ssve-

ral iloral tributes were handed up to the debutante alter this contribution. Madame Lilian Tree, who has a rich and powerful soprano voice, of high culture, especially sweet and expressive in quality in mezzo voce singing, gave an admirable rendering of Gounod's " Ave Maria " (with violin obiigato by Miss Doris Boult). This was followed by a series of recalls. Mr. Frank Graham gave a thoroughly artistic rending of Mendelssohn's " If With All Your Hearts," his finely trained tenor voice showing to great advantage therein. Mr. Wilfred I,Tanning's singing of ,Sullivan's "Thou Art Passing Hence" was" well appreciated. Miss Doris Uoulfc played the two violin solos, " Reverie" (Vieaxtemp) and " Cavatina" (Pali'), for which she was warmly applauded. Miss Abbott, played the vocal accompaniments. " Stabat Mater " received an excellent, rendering. The choruses were sung with intelligence, and the work of the orchestra, under the leadership of Mr. A. Kiu'iy, was highly satisfactory. Madame Lilian Tree, who sang the first soprano solos, was particularly fiiw 111 the air, " Innr.nra.itus et Accensus," her production of the C in alt, though not altogether free of effort, ringing true and clear. She was also heard to advantage in the duct " Quis est Homo," and in the other concerted numbers. Miss Maud Tobias acquitted herself very well in the second soprano role. She sang her share of the duet, " Quia est Homo," nicely, and in the solo cavatina, " Pac ut Portem." did remarkably well for a debutante. Madame Tree and Miss Tobias were both loaded with bouquets and other floral tributes after their duet. Mr. Frank Graham gave a fine rendering of the tenor role, his solo. " Cujus Ammam," being especially good. Mr. Rupert Mantell sang the bass role with artistic care, making a good impression in the solo, " Pro Peccatis." Mr. Arthur Towsey conducted with ability. At the conclusion of the concert, several guests, at the invitation of Mr. T. Tobias, met ;.t supper on the stage, to wish success to Miss Tobias in her future career.

THE STEELE-PAYNE BELLBIXGERS. Tho Opera House was crowded in all parts lust nis'iit, when a. high-class concert, including ssverui selections of sacred, music, vocal anil instrumental, was given by tho Jite-sie-Payne bellrhigera. '1 be artistes included the member:, of the original Payne family, whose jjooaiarity- has longr been secure in the colonies. There were taking; part in tho programme yesterday the 'Misses Lizzie Payne, Jfaiid i'arfle. Kate Maher, and Agnes Rahilly, Mr. Ralph Steele, and Mr.,. Tames Williams. The programme opened with a concerted number. " Steal Away to Jesus," beautifully rendered liy the company. Other part song's with which the company delighted the audience wore, '' .Nelly AVas a Tijvi'y ' iwiUi banjo Mcernrianiment). " Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming," and the " Vr-per Hymn." In response to enthusiastic recalls, so vera! plantation melodies were artistically sung. As bellrir.sers, the Payne family have io»)g enjoyed i'. groat reputation, and their performance;; wit.li tho hand-bells- last night came fully un to expectations. " Sweat Chiming Hells" was their first number with the .handhells. and this was succeeded at intervals by " Sweet By-and-Bye," " Over There," " Ben Belt, and "Good Old Jeff." Miss Maud Payne contributed "Home. Sweat Home," as a violin solo, and a sons; entitled " .Ten and Me." each item being skilfully rendered and deservedly applaudoa. Miss Agnes Rahilly. a versatile artiste, with a- pleasing soprano voice, sang " A Mother's Lullaby." Subsequently she gave a. recital of "The Women of Mumbles Head," and " Trouble in Amen Corner," the latter being in response to avery appreciative encore. Miss Kate Maker was heard to advantage in the sacred solo. "Sing. <> Ye Angels," with violin obligate by Miss "Maud Payne. Miss Lizzio Payne gave a skilful selection on the sleigh bells. That excellent bass, Mr. James Williams, was warmly :jpohruded for Iris powerful rendering of " Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep." and contributed as an extra, " The Mighty Deep." Later in the evening Mr. Williams was associated with Miss Kate Maher in an admirable rendering of that favourite number with con-cert-goers, tho duet " Excelsior." One of the most pleasing items in a programme highly meritorious throughout was the inarch. " Cromarti'c," played, on mandolins, banjo, and gnit.arra, by the four ladies of the company. The concert concluded with a, performance cn the hand-bells of the "Old Hundredth." Mr. Steele announced, amid applause, that the company purposed paying a return visit to Auckland in about a month's time, when they will occupy the Opera House on three consecutive nights. . WELLINGTON BAND IN AUCKLAND. At the Central Mission Hall on Saturday a numerous audience assembled to give a hearty Welcome ■to the Wellington Central Mission Brass Band, which, under the able conduetorship of Mr. 11. Baker, lias rapidly come, to the forefront. Mr. W. H. Smith was in the chair, and an address was given by the Rev. C. 11. Garland. An excellent programme was rendered, tho selections by the band being given in a masterly manner. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES' CONFERENCE. The usual monthly meeting of the Auckland United Friendly Societies' Conference took place on Thursday evening last, in the Odd- ; fellows' Hall, Cook-street. A considerable ! amount of correspondence was read and dealt ; with. A largo number of hospital claims were. passed for payment, the net amount payable by the conference being .£54 10s. Attention was drawn to the notice of motion given at a' special meeting of the Hospital Board by Mr. John Bollard, to terminate the agreement at present existing between the Hospital Board and the Friendly Societies' Conference respecting the settlement of hospital claims against members of friendly societies for hospital treatment. Considerable discussion ensued thereon, and the foli?»ving resolution was- unanimously carried, " That in the opinion of this conference, the motion to cancel existing arrangements between the Auckland United Friendly Societies' Conference and the Hospital Board is detrimental to the financial interests of the Auckland Hospital, and the conference trusts that in the interests of the public ' generally the agreement be not- altered." The whole of the f'-ierdlv societies affiliated were represented at the" meeting, and the proceedings were marked with groat unanimity.