AMUSEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13997, 2 September 1907, Page 6

AMUSEMENTS.

POLLARD'S JUVENILE OPERA • - COMPANY. '' Bluebell in Fairyland," s.s protantcd by Pollard's Juvenile Open Company M tho Princess Theatre, iB proving one of the most altarctivo displays to which Dunedin has been treated for quite n long liiije. Houses filled in every part Lavo been tho order so tar. Saturday afternoon and Saturday Bight's hc-iise? wore no exception; and the whole performance was greeted with oa enthusiasm that was as genuine as it vm pronounced. The juvoniles exhibit remarkable training, and make the very most of a bright, breezy, and spectacular play, contain- "■ rag clever dances, charming ballets, and pleasing ohoruses A feature isjnade of topical allusions, some oi which are particularly happy. "Bluebell in. Fairyland" will U stngcrt again this evening, and 011 Saturday tho seeondi and final,' matinee will bo given. ALHAMBRA THEATRE, Ths Fullers Entertainers, in their weekly change of programme .at the Alliambra Theatre on Saturday evening introduced a quartet of really clover acrobatic artiste, and also re-introduced to a. Dimedin audience the doubb, Ivo'dio and Davis. Tiro Valdeenes were tho first of tho quartet of" new arrivals to appear, and they gave an astonishing exhibition of trick cycling which has not previously been ox:elled in this city. The trick cycling act was accompanied by eoiuo acrobitio feats which served to sbow how equilibrium can be maintained by an expert cyclist. Equally astonishing and equally axtdstio was the exhibition given by the acrobatic, comedy double, Morris Wilson, who are billed as Australia's foremost acrobatic performers. From tho time those two artists appeav on the stage until their exit they go through"" a series of rapid acrobatic acts, including double somersaults, leaping, contortions, and posiiigs, which for case of execution and lightning rapidity are nil advaucc upon anything previously exhibited in Uunedin. Kelciie' and Davis, the petito littlo song, dance, and acrobatic double, were accerdod a cordial welcome back to the Al'hambra; and Sam Wilson, tho inexhaustible patter comedian, had a stow of new comicalities which, as usual, earned for him a number of encores. The other performers in the company all introduced something fresh into their respective " turns," tho bioscope pictures were entertaining nntl in some insianoes highly amusing. Tho new programme will be repeated this evening and for the remainder cf the week. MADAME ALB AX I. Madamo Albani and the fine company slipPorting?her 011 the tour of tho work!, which is to iuohide a short season in this city (which will inaugurate the Now Zealand engagements), aro expected to arrive, via the Bluff, 011 Tuosday, and will be heard in two concerts only, _at His Majesty's Theatre on Wednesday and Thursday next, the sale for which opens this morning at the Dresden Piano Company's and at Jacobs's. Any extended refarenco to Madame Albani 'on tie eminent position she has iron in tho artistic world would bo in a riieasuro superfluous. Sinco the rctrreinent of Madame Adeltna Patti, her great- predecessor in the art and in the affcctions of the British public, Madame Allyini may foirly'be the most die-

tinguished artiste of British, birth "before tho music-loving public. Her marvellous charm of as well as her glorious and sympathetic voice, have won for h-er tributes of tho highest os'fraom from musical masters and tooteitcHs tho wide world over, Bono of her royal friendships baing, however, so greatly valued by the singer as th-e cordial regard evinced during many years by her late Majesty Queen Victoria and the present personal friendship of Queen Alexandra. Quito recently Madame AlDani has been singing to iramease gatherings in the English centres and in Australia, being everywhere received with enthusiasm, attesting that she has lost nothing of her.ra.ro oharm of voice and of personality, Madam.® atid lior management arc. however, 100 critical students of tho public Hste to limit their concerts offering to -tho celebrated star, and it is their particular prido thai the company which Dunedin will welcome on Wednesday ie not only tho laxge3l, but it is sincerely believed the most ovenly-balanced and most uniformly-efficient ooncerfc party that has over been sent from Hie Motherland "to delight the sons and' daughters of Greater Britain. Mr William Green is tho favourite concert tenor of tho England of to-day. He is a scholarly and authoritative singer, possessed of a delightfully sympathetic voio3 of great purity, wliich no uses with exceptional refinement. Tho contralto is Migf? Mildred Jones, a young Englishwoman of excellent presence, who has a fresh, powerful and admirably-cultivated voice and an established popularity with the English public and English critics. She scored a signal sucess in tho autumn of 1906 on tour with the Harri-son-Patti party. Miss Myrtle Meggy is a native of Sydney, and gave numerous recitals in Australia prior to her departun> for Europeto perfect the art which sho has proven- to be As the London Times dec luted on the ocasion of her first pianoforte recital at the /Eolian Hall on Ma> 30. 1905, her performance "inore than justified the confidence of ithe committee fonnsd in Sydney to arrange for the completion of her musical education under Mi 93 Matbild'e Verno, in consequence of the pjjomise displayed during her studies at home.Another Instrumentalist of distinction with tho company is Mr Haydn Wood, a youug violinist of remarkable* breadth of tono and sound musicianship, who may be spoken of as one of Madame AJbani'? musical discoveries. He is a performer whose heart and soul ate art. and for whom a high place among the world's violinists may confidently be predicted, His forte is delicacy of tone, and ho stands unrivalled among the violinists of the day as a master of pure melody. The Sydney Morning Herald saluted him as " a new Paganhri," and this title has been approved as well deserved by a score of other loading papers of Australia. The concert master and accompacTpt is Mr Theodore Flint, a pianist of distinction and repute in Ins native country. • England, The Albani management has been decidedly surprised during tho past few days by inquiries as to whether it i.s really the great Albani who is 1o sin.? for tho first time in New Zealand fct I He. Majesty's on Wednesday next. " Please I tell everyono that it is." said tho manager \ (Mr Gibbons) last evening. "There is only ,one Albani, and this is the lady,.who reigned undisputed queen of opera until she wearied of the crown and .'sceptre, ajid thereupon conquered the kiiud/rod worlds of oratorio and coccsrt. and who alone was chosen os soloist el Quoen Victoria's funeral, and whose art has so impressed the Court of Germany -that she has beon appointed Toyal chamber singer to that court. Heretofore' Madanw Albani has sung nowhere at less .than the half-guinea scale. Sho felt t<hat many who might greatly desire to hoar her and her unusually fine company would ba unable to pav this scale, and henc© th« 'popular prices.' Nothing lass than capacity attendances nightly at the prices asked would' enable the company to oloar expenses."