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New Zealand Mail, Issue 1686, 22 June 1904, Page 76 (Supplement)

The popularity of the English operas “The Bohemian Girl” and “Maritan a,” Iras been curiously proved by Mr Ghas. Manners, manager of the best and most enterprising opera company in England. He was censured by the critics for including those works in his Covent Garden. season, and replied tliat, while thoroughly weary of them himself, he finds that the public still demand the old favourites. “The Bohemian Girl/' he states, “is the most paying opera on my list. It has o-ften happened that on a Saturday morning in some provincial town I have been some £3O in debt as the " c -ult o'f the week’s performances. “The hemian Girl’ is ~ut on as a matinee, and I am able to wipe off that debt, and end the week with a surplus of, perhaps, £6O. So, you see, we must play Balfe’s old-fashioned work.” There comes a time to us all when the sense of responsibility starts up and rebukes our anxiety for ease, tells us that wo are living fast, and once for all, a life that enlarges to the scales of eternity; bids us spring from our collapse of selfishness and go forth to do much at least do worthily and well.