AMUSEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13832, 20 February 1907, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

NEWCASTLE ,CITY BAND. The Newcastle City Band,'which claims, and apparently not without justification, to be'the'champion baud of Australia, gave a. concert, of,unquestionable merit at the Garrison Hall last evening. 'There was a fairly large audience, and the music was/thoroughly enjoyed,, as was evidenced by tho hearty and sustained applause, Encores were called for ' frequently, but tho length of the programme forbade too many extras. The Kaikorai Band, tho winners of tho Australasian Championship on musical points- in the recent Christchurch contcst, woro present, and appeared to be as well satisfied'with all that they heard-as were the lay folk in musical matters. The programme was •an excellent one, and < well calculated to test the full powers of tho band. 0, Part I opened- with tho overture , " Emira" (Ecudee), a bright piece of music, played, with -a verve' that at once put tho - bandsmen on admirable terms with the audience. Mi H. Larsen followed with a euphonium solo, executing the difficult bravura, passages.in a manner which did him-very great credit, and leaving behind him a distinctly favourable impression. In response to an enthusiastic recall- he repeated th 0 latter part of tho bolo. Jorden'a exquisite " Song that reached my heart" was. rendered by band with marked sympathy. In the sustained melody the Newcastle instrumentalists certain shine. There was a beautiful sombro Tichncsain their execution of the well known' air that appealed eminently to one's artistic perceptivities. A selection from ' Rossini's " William Tell" closed the first part ] of the-programme. There arc few, if any,' , musical pieces favoured by brass bands that " pro better known, or, given adequate treat- j ment, better appreciated than " William Tell," , and it will suffice, by way of commendation, . to see that rarely has a performance of tho , familiar passages in the overture come mora 5 nearly, to one's ideal. The second part of the i concert had s, brilliant start with a raiderin" on the trombone of "The village blacksmith H . ' by Mr W. Fellows that resulted in a furore ' of applause. Mr Fellows chose another of \ the grand old songs for his recall, and again i did himself and his band credit. A selection J by the band from Loigh's "Scotland," intro- * ducing tho more popular airs of Scotia, gave ' unbounded satisfaction. Onoe again the - tyrant Edward was bearded in the brave old ' Scots wha hae"; once again the poet wan- 1 dered on the banks of Bonnie Doon; once < again the grim old Covenantors went.fort,h to 1 battle or to raid; the hundred pipers an' a' c piped valiantly as ever; the "Highland Laddio" captivated susceptible femalo hearts i as,of yore; for the love of Annie Laurie there j was still one ready to "lay him doon"a,n' ( dee"; and in spirit, at least, the whole 3 tudience took a " right guid willy naught" wHh , the inspired ploughman. 'He .would have been 1 a poor weakling indeed of a Scotchman, in , whose heart lh«se and a dozen other of his i national melodies found no responsive echo, i The instrumentalists, who played throughout > with interne sympathy, were rewarded with hearty applause.- The succeeding item was 1 distinctly a change, being no more and no less than a cakewalk, "Epplers Wiskers." There is humour—of a sort—in the wry title, and humour was not' lacking in "the piece. l 'The concluding selection, Round's " Trafalgar," with its splendid reminiscences of one of the ! most heroic episodes in our long and strenuous , history, was a fitting finale to a concert which \ comprised so much music of the patriots * order. It was in many respects a notable per- t fcrmance, and was followed with the keenest y interest. Mt W. Barkel, as conductor, was r emphatically a success. He is the complete t master of his.band, which responds splendidly to his baton. A second concert will bo ?iven f this evening, and ought to command a good u attendance. •' • o 1 - ; , THE YELLOW PERIL,' Another largo and demonstratively apprecia- 1 five audience attracted to the Princess „ Theatre last evening to witness the second performance my . Messrs Macmabons' admirable company of " The Price of Sin." The ? management will produce to-night for the first most interesting and notable r addition: to their repertoire, having secured * the Australasian rights of " The Yellow Peril." 'Iho interest of this acquisition is apparent 3 when it is considered that the present re- c lationship of the yellow r.nd the white races g is . a -subject of world-wide discussion. The a story told' in "The Yellow Peril" is full of j dramatic,-intensity, marked characterisation, strength -of plot, and 'boldness of design Vera Montgomery, the adopted daughter of Sir Richard Templeton, in a moment of pique N and disappointment at the conduct of her t; lover, Arthur Templeton, yields to the plead-, ings of one Marquis Tsr.o, a Chinaman of p the highest rank and a man of wealth and {, culture, and marries him. Immediately after the ceremony Arthur arrives and denounces -n the Chinese magnate, and enlightens the guests assembled at the- wedding breakfast as lo the = horrible fate to which Vera by virtue of this marriage has been condemned, for he explains I that her life in Shina will be that of a slave, I " wrecked in body and without the remnant of E a soul." This is the theme of a thrilling tele. " Tho success of its first production in Christ- ; church, which has just taken place, was of a very marked character. " Its run of seven coriaecutivo nights to crowded houses was (says the Lyttelton Times) only limited by the effluxion of the tenure of the theatre, and there was every evidence that it could have rmi a fortnight." The play is powerfully cast, and the scenic and spectacular details are f magnificent. 4 (1 WEST'S PICTURES AND THE BRESCIANS. His Majesty's Theatre was again largely attended last evening. The new programme presented by Mr West and the Brescians has H met with as much approval as the one with < which tho company opened its season. The, * greatest interest was displayed by those pre- 1 u sent right through the lengthy programme. ™ All the pictures shown are first-class. Quaint Holland depicts life on and around the canals, and gives peeps of the country beyond. The film is a remarkably clear one, ai:d is a really splendid, production. . "Canada as It Is" gives glimpses of life in the Great Dominion. Scenes on the wheat fields o! Manitoba, the _ timber industry, the arrival of immigrants. 1 the branding of horses, etc., were shown, and proved specially interesting and instructive. ~ The humorous was also in evidence, and "A I Cold in tile Head." " Two Mischievious Boys." * and "The Wig Chase" kept the audience in roars of laughter. The scenes at tho Exhibition were also presented. The march past of tho pipers, the Maori v. Fijian tug-of-war, and Highland dancing proving very attractive. The Brescians again appeared in the new role, presenting Didben's old English opretta "The Wa'terman." The various characters wero ably sustained, and tho performers camo in for a large measure of applause by the audience. A violin duet was rendered very acceptably by Miss Adclina Martincngo and Miss Lilia Waddell. The same programme « will be presented to-night. 1 TAYLOR-CARPiIXGTON SEASON. * The last performance of the thrilling drama ' " Never Despair" at tho Alhamb'ra Theatre by the Tvylor-Carrington Company wa3 witnessed with unbated pleasure and interest throughout by a large audience last evening. To-night the evergreen " Uncle Tom's Cabin will ho staged by the company, and willi its reputation in regard to this piece there can bo little doubt that it will achieve a distinct success in its reproduction on this occasion. .