THE OPERA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4221, 30 September 1874, Page 2

THE OPERA.

FRA. DIA.VOLO. From the attendance at the Theatre Royal last night, it would seem that Auber'H work with the above title is not a very favorite one with the public of this City. Although the house was a moderately good one the attendance did not nearly equal that of previous nights. The music of the opera is undoubtedly good, but the plot seems to work in spasmodic starts, and lacks connection by the principal characters ; thus a continued interest cannot be ensured, and it is an effort to follow it; and again it is a production which requires a large amount of acting by all the leading characters engaged, and that cannot always be found in a company. The part of Zerlina does not give sufficient scope for the display of Miss May's powers ; but it' is only just to that lady that at least one performance should be given in which she has not to exert herself fully. Nor did the opera seem to be a favorite one with the artists, for many of them lacked spirit in its performance.; As Fra Diavolo Mr. Hallam, on whom most of the work reßts, played well, and his rendering of the character of the accomplished brigand was a

very intelligent one. In the music his best effort was in the ah - " Proudly and wide my standard flies," which he sang very nicely, narrowly escaping an encore ; his mimicry in the piece was also capital. As Lord and Lady Allcash respectively, Mr. Vernon and Miss Lambert did not play with their usual ability ;. in fact, the lady did not seem at home in the part, and appeared to be suffering from indisposition. Mr. Templeton, after what he had led to be expected by his rendering of Valentine the previous night, was disappointing as Lorenzo. He was very tame and spiritless,, and did not act up to Miss May at all well, thereby making that lady's task the more difficult. Still, in some parts he sang welL though with an absence of expression. : A most agreeable change was evident in Mr. Rainford last night, and his playing of Beppo fully bears out what we have said of him, that if he chooses to bestow attention and study he can act with much more vigor and expression than we have seen him display in most of the parts he has undertaken. His bye - play was excellent, and in the song, " The Wolf," which was introduced in the last act, his style was so changed that one could scarcely recognise him as the same person Vfho played Mephistopheles so tamely the night before. He sang it splendidly; his acting left nothing to be desired, and he received the only encore of the evening. Mr. Levison, a 3 the other villain Giacomo, also acted well. Although, as we have said, there is not sufficient scope for the Prima Donna's ability in the part of Zerlina, when it is said that she played it in her usual manner, it will be understood- that it could not have been improved upon. In the solos, "On yonder rock reclining" and " Oh. what joy," the latter introduced in the commencement of the second act, Miss May sang with her accustomed sweetness and - effect. The most pleasingly rendered concerted piece of the evening was the quintette commencing " Oh, rapture unbounded," which was sung very sweetly indeed. .. ■_ It is pleasing to notice that " Faust" is to be re-produced to-night, when, judging from the favorjible manner in which it was received on Friday night, there should be another crowded house. The company will be able to do far more justice to themselves and to the opera, from their practice on the last occasion, and we may expect to see the work not only run smoothly, but played brilliantly.