THE EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIX, Issue 3006, 18 December 1896, Page 2

THE EXHIBITION.

FESTIVAL CHORAL SOCIETY’S . CONCERT. The performance of Sullivan’s great cantata “The Golden Legend” last night was in a high degree creditable to the spirit aj)d enthusiasm of the Festival Choral Spcioty and their gifted and hard-working conductor Mr Rpbort Parker. Not that it must bo assumed that there wore no faults to which exception could bo taken, but the praiseworthy fact is that last night these were comparatively few, for such is the very embarrassing and.exacting character of ” The Golden Legend ” that the choirs south of the Ljne who could perform it faultlessly might probably be counted on the fingers of one hand. The choral work last night was all exceptionally good, even after allowance is made for the manifest weakness numerically of the tenors and bassos. The evening hymn of the German villagers, 6 Gladsome Light,” was a fine piece of work, and in the magnificent fugal chorus which forms the epilogue, the leads wore attacked with automatic-like precision, every attention was shown to the lights and shades of expression, and the climax was a great and impressive burst of harmony. Of the soloists, Miss Jeanne Ramsay sang tbo music of Elsje tastefully. Her voice and style are hardly dramatic enough, however, for work of this kind. She is a ballad rather than an oratorio singer. Her boat solo was the publime prayer “My Redeemer and My Lord,”' sung with truly devotional feeling and intensity of expression. The very effective solo “ The Night is Calm and Cloudless,” Elsie’s song of the sea on the road to Salerno, was, as sung by Mias Ramsay, one of the best numbers of-the evening, and the soprano was also well suited in the light and attractive duet “ Onward and Onward the Highway,” sung with Mr J. W. Hill. Mr Hill was one of the successes of the evening. He was heard to great advantage throughout in the music of Prince Henry, though his want of power was now and then apparent. Mrs Burfoot, whose voice is one of the finest of contraltos, sang as Urania, and did well, considering that her splendid vom© is without adequate training, Mr F. V. Waters made maol} of his difficult music, but the fantastic solo t in which Lucifer mocks the band of pilgrims, with demoniacal laughter, was somewhat beyond him. Mr A. Gray sang the small part of the forester. Mr Mao Duff Boyd was leader ef the orchestra, and Mr Tallis TrimneU played the organ and Miss Barber the pianoforte accompaniments. The Exhibition concert ha}! was crowded.

Tho school excursion from Feildlng yesterday did not come off, but a largo party'of youngsters from the oity schools paid a visit, and the weather failed to dampen the superfluous energy felt by them, for was it not Breaking-up Day ? A fine entertainment was provided for them in the concert hall, when a oalisthenio display was given by parties of boys and ffirla from our own schools, whs neatly and expertly did the various healthgiving and showy exercises now expected of tho pupil of our public schools. It speaks well for the oversoership of Mr Bowers and for the quality of the work put into the buildings to note the fact that throughout the heavy rain of yesterday not a leakage was noticeable in the roof of tho long stretch of the Exhibition buildings. The portion of the Kaiapoi (not atosgiel, as stated previously) exhibit which particularly took up the notice of Lady Glasgow during her visit to the Exhibition on Wednesday ’syaa the show case containing a sample of the tweed of which the Princess of Wales has had dresses made.