HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22398, 20 October 1934, Page 11

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE

- —■ “THE DUBARRY” “ The Dubarry,” the brilliantly spectacular J. C. Williamson production, which has drawn crowded attendances nightly to His Majesty’s Theatre during the past week, had its final presentation last night. By reason of the superb mounting of the performance, “ The Dubarry ” set a new standard for stage productions in Dunedin, each of its nine scenes being a gem of its kind, and the effective use that was made of lighting and colour gave the audiences an unexpected insight into modern methods of production. The artistry of Miss Sylvia Welling in the leading role added to the exceptional qualities of the entertainment, and she was supported by Mr Cecil Kellaway and Miss Jean Gibson, who had delightful comedy roles, as well as Mr Leslie Holland and many others in an extremely large and capable cast. "WALTZES FROM VIENNA” To-night Miss Sylvia Welling and the J. C. Williamson, Ltd., company, which last night achieved a triumph in “ The Dubarry,” will make their final appearance here in a representation of the

cemic opera “ ‘Waltzes from Vienna,” which proved even more popular in Auckland than “ The Dubarry.” The spectacular nature of the production of “ Waltzes from Vienna ” concerns the two Johann Strausses, father and son. It tells of the father’s indifference to his son’s gifts, and a fine climax is reached when the elder man recognises in the younger’s “ Blue Danube”- a work of genius. There is a delightful love story running through the opera, and it provides the composers with an opportunity of interpolating a number of songs all set to the music of one or the other Strauss, and all of them full of melody. “At times,” wrote a London critic, “ enjoying ‘ Waltzes from Vienna ’ is just like a dream of delight which makes one forget that one is in a theatre at all—a dream of moving colours and lights; of rich and lovely costumes of the old Vienna of the ‘Forties’; of luscious waltz and gay quadrille and tripping polka; of magical scenic changes that turn a garden with fireworks into an orchestra and an orchestra into a ballroom; of oallets that whirl into vision; of sudden floods of light that come from no one knows where. And over all is the spell of the Strauss melodies or swaying and streaming rhythms that bring the witchery of the Danube into the theatre.” Miss Sylvia Welling created a sensation in Auckland in the role of Countess Olga Barankaja, and critics there went so far ns to state that she is even greater as

a singer and an actress in “ Waltzes from Vienna ” than she is in “ The Dubarry,” which is high praise indeed. Mr John Dudley’s tenor voice is heard at its best in the Strauss music, and in this. opera he further demonstrates the fact that he is a fine actor. Mr Cecil Kellaway has achieved one of his best comedy characters as Hieronymus Ebeseder, and Mr Leslie Holland is congenially cast as Karl Hirsch. Others who. have assisted to make a success of “ Waltzes from Vienna ” are Richard Parry, Jean Duncan, Lorna Forbes, Lou Vernon, Hilton Porter, Clifford Covley, Cecil Pawley, Douglas Herald and Ivy Kirby, whose dancing is a feature of the production. Other big features are the work of the orchestra of 25 players, the grand opera chorus, and of the ballet. In the “ fireworks ” scene, 15,000 electric globes and six miles of wiring are used. The season definitely concludes on Tuesday, and a special holiday matinee will be held on Monday.