WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2232, 10 December 1896, Page 39

WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS.

By P. Rompxeb.

December 3. Dear Pasquin,— l hadn't a letter worth send- ' ing you last week. Nothing doing bar the Exhibition—concerts, lantern *hows, and Punch and Judy. The Opera House has been open, but the play has been the comedy Politics— from the serious problem class to the broadest farce. Mr J." St. Clair is in town ahead of "A Trip to Chinatown," but that will be rather sad than ple*Bant news to you, as the co. only play Wei- 1 lington and Auckland, and then 0 for U S.A. 1 J. St. C. has billed the town Al, and has even drawn upon the special election boardings for his own particular candidates from Chinatown, and the photographs in the windows are things to gaze at by the hour.' The sudden death of Sadie M'DonalA must dampen what has otherwise been a very merry and pleasant trip to our visitors. The annual meeting of the Wellington Amateur Operatic and Draniitic Society has been held since my last writing. " The report and. balance sheet, a summary of which has .been published, were adopted, and the following officers ,were' elected for tha -'ensuing year : -President, Mr W. G. Rhind ; vice-presidents. Messrs J. Duthie, W. Ferguson, J. Coates, Dr Collins (all re-elected), and Dr Purdy ; stage managers, Messrs A. Levi and W. D. Lyon ; hon. treasurer Mr 0. Zachariah -(Mr A. E. Mabin declining te-elect'.on) ; hon. secretary, Mr F. Levi ; committee, Messrs G-. Parsons. A. E. Mabin, E. G. D. Woodward, E. »«WF, W. P. Baatin, N. BelL and L. 0. Woolcott ;

auditor?, Messrs W. J. Hueston and W. Ross. | Votes of thanks were pass«d to Mr T. T. Trimnell I (conductor), Mr Mabm (the acting treasurer), Mr Woodward (property superintendent), Messrs A. Levi and \V. D. Lyon (stage manager*), and a special vote of thanks to Mr B. T. Sayers for hi 3 assistance to the society in the production of "The Wedding March." The week has been red-lettered musically by the second season of the Maughan Barnett " Society, the whole four concerts being held this week, and at the Exhibition. - The repetition of Messrs Adams and Hill's " Hinemoa " w*s eensationally successful on Wednesday, conducted by the compuser, in the presence of his X the Gov. atd al»o the Muuin party, who have formed a very high opinion of the work. Herr Scharfe says that some of the solo woik in "Hinemoa" is nothing short of inspiration. Lord Glasgow, after the performance, sent for Mr Bill and congratulated him. The enthusiasm was a treat to sea and feel. The other items given and to be given during the festival are: Rossini's " Stabat Mater," Hamish M'Cunu's ".Lord Ullin's Daughter, 1 ' Maughan Burnett's " Earl Haldane'a Daughter," and the same composer's Overture and Suite for orchestra, . Brahtn's " Song of Destiny," " Tho Messiah," Bartholdy's " Hear my prayer," and "C'>mala." The soloists have been Madame Carlton, Mil's Parsons, Mr 3 Shortridge, and Messrs J. W. Hill, John Prouse, H. Widdop, and Fred Pope. Packed houses have been the nightly greeting. Last night, in Thomas'a Hall, Miss Grace WakeliD, a daughter of Mr G-orge Wafcelin, who at one time edited the Havelock Guardian, was announced to give an elocutionary entertainment. A desire to invite criticism and teat her powers iv the capital city led to her appearance last night. Sbe came with thia recommen mtion from the Marlborough Daily Times :— " Miss Wakelin possesses natural gift* of a high degree. Her talent for elocution has evidently been well cultivated. Among her many good qualities is a voice of excellent power and peculiar sweetnes?, particularly well adapted to the art to which she has applied herself." But electioneering interfered with the attendance, so Mis 3 Wakelin just gave an item or two, and postponed her programme for a week.