WILLIAMSON &MUSGROVE'S COMIC OPERA COMPANY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2130, 20 December 1894, Page 23

WILLIAMSON &MUSGROVE'S COMIC OPERA COMPANY.

The reappearance of this company with several additions to its ranks is looked forward to with feelings of pleasure by all Jovers of music. The prima donna, Miss Nellie Stewart, is as charming and piquant as ever, and her name in a programme is a sufficient guarantee of the general excellence of the company. She has been associated with the leading parts in all the most successful comic operas for years past, tad it has often been said of her that ehe creates her part. Her favourite characters are Yum Yum in "The Mikado," the name part in Cellier's " Dorothy," Bettiua in "La Mascotte," Mabel in " The Pirates of Peczance," Phyllis in " lolanthe," and Elsie in " The Yoeman of the Guard." Recently she has added to her laurels by her charming impersonation and singing as Yvonne in "Paul Jones," and in the title rdle of "Ma Mie Rosette," which will be played as the opening piece of the coming season here. The production of •'Ma Mie Rosette" for the first time jn Dunedin will, no doubt, prove the great event of the season, as the success which the opera achieved in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane recently has led opera goere to anticipate a treat. Speaking of its first night at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, in June last, the Age says that no previous production at the theatre has been mounted so lavishly or in better taste, and that the opera caught on in the most unmistakable manner, the music being melodious, bright, and spirited, whilst the romantic Btory is one that cannot fail to interest. Theproductionat]the Dunedin Princess will be characterised by beautiful scenery and elegant costumes, the scene being laid in a picturesque French province, and the period the last years of the sixteenth century, apparently shortly after the accession of King Henry of Navarre to the French throne, under the title of Henry IV. Miss Nellie Stewart appears as Ma Mie Rosette ; Mr Wallace Brownlow, who will make his first appearance in Dunedin, plays the King ; Mr George Lauri, the part of Bouillon ; Mr Joseph Taply, the new English tenor and his first appearance in Dunedin, the part of Vincent ; and the cast will also include Mi6s Marietta Nash, who will make her first appearance in Dunediu in the part of Martha, Mr Howard Vernon. Miss Flo Young, Miss May Pollard, and several other old favourites. The company open at the Princess Theatre on Boxing night. During the Dunedin season, which is limited to 18 nights, Messrs Williamson and Muegrove will present six new operas, never before produced in New Zealand— viz., "Ma Mie Rosette," " Paul Jones," " The Mountebank," " Mam'zelle Nitouche," " The Vicar of Bray," and " La Cigale." The operatic chorus and orchestra are under the direction of M. Leon Caron, who is an old favourite of New Zealand theatregoers ; and the entire scenery, costumes, properties, and working plant for these productions have been brought to New Zealand, and the operas will be placed upon the stage in exactly the same manner as when given at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne.