THE OPERA SEASON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2116, 13 September 1894, Page 37

THE OPERA SEASON.

"MARITANA."

The public and the Montague-Turner Opera Company alike may be congratulated upon the rendering of Wallace's favourite opera "Maritana," with which the company, headed by Miss Annia Montague, on Saturday night, in the presence of a large audience, opened their season in Dunedin. The circumstances under which the season was inaugurated were not such as were calculated to make Saturdary night's production a success ; the company had only arrived by steamer a few hours before the time at which a performance is expected to commence and it was literally not until the last moment that their luggage was received at the tteatre, with the result that the epera was necessarily lateinstartiDg, and added to all this there was the fact that one of the leading members of the company was unable through indisposition to take her part in the ca&t ; and yet, so far at any rate as the representation of the principal characters iB concerned, the production was the best that has been seen in Dunedin for many years. The audience evidently recognised this, and throughout the whole performance it was most enthusiastic, forbearing only on account of the lateness of the hour from encoring the gems of the opera in the last act, as it had previously demanded a repetition of several of tbe favouritenumbers in the earlier acts. To Miss Annii Montague the audience accorded a particularly enthusiastic reception. It was only by such a demonstration that the bulk of the public could express their sympathy with Mies Montague in the heavy affliction which she has rectntly been called upon to suffer, and Miss Montague herself seemed touched at the affectionate cordiality of the welcome extended to her. A great artistic success was scored by the prima. donna in the part of Maritana, which she played with all her wonted brightness and charm. Her vocal talents she has retained in a wonderful degree, her singing of her opening number showing the delighted audience that her voice in still as sweet and pure, as flexible and powerful, as of yore, but it may be that she iB not capable of so much endurance* now aa she was on the occasion of her last visit to this colony, and she certainly seemed to tire as Saturday night's performance drew to a close. Her performance all 'through, however, waß noticeably fine, and the well-known numbers falling to her share were admirably rendered. In the duet," Of fairy wand " Miss Montague put forth some of her best work, but her singing of " The harp in the air" was an artistic treat, and her interpretation of "Scenes that are brightest " was quite a vocal triumph, obtaining for the porformer an ovation of applause Each of the numbers mentioned received an encore, and there can be no doubt that the duet " O, sainted mother " would aUo have been encored had the hour of 11 p.m. not been already passed when it was sung, in consequence of her Buffering from a severe cold Miss Cicely Staunton was unable to undertake the part of Lazarillo, which, in her stead, was played by Miss Maud Lita, whose rendering of the character was bo acceptable as really to leave little to be desired. Mies Lita possesses a pleating and sympathetic voice of good quality, and, besides doing justice to her Bhare of the duet in the last act with Mies Montague, sang "Alas, thoie chimes," with so much expression and with such success that an imperative encore was the result. The" Don Caesar of the performance was Mr William Walshe, whose voice has strengthened considerably since he was last here. His vocal resources were sorely taxed on one or two occasions, but the principal tenor solo, "Let me like a soldier fall," was spiritedly declaimed. Mr Walshe hardly did himself so much justice, however, in " There is a flower that bloometb," but in "Oh, Maritana," he was heard to advantage. Mr Edward Farley has appeared here frequently as Don Jose", but has seldom sung the music of the part with better effect than on Saturday night, " In happy moments" and "No, my courage" being both admirable efforts. Mr F. England's King of Spain is also a familiar representation ; and while his delivery of tbe dialogue is as pointless as ever, his singing showed marked improvement, and he received the cumplirnent of an encore for his version of "Hear me, gentle Maritana," his part of the "Kins of Sp<*in" duet being also well sustained. Miss Norah Conroy appeared as the Marchioness, Mr Morrison caused amusement as the Marquis, and Messrs Ormsby and Lorrigan filled the respective parts of the Captain of the Guard and Alcade. The chorus though not strong numerically, was vocally efficient, and the "Angelus" was re-demanded. The orchestra, which is under Jhe baton of Mr H% Lee, is suitably strong.