THE POLLARD COMPACT AT THE PRINCESS THEATRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2253, 6 May 1897, Page 39

THE POLLARD COMPACT AT THE PRINCESS THEATRE.

"FALKA."

Mr Pollard's Comic Opera Company made a welcome reappearance in Dunedin on Thursday night, when they iuaugurated,\indor veiy favourable auspices, a six nights' season with a production of the opera "Falka," by F. Cbassaigue. Though this work lias been on several occasions played and revived in the principal centres of population on the, other 1 side, it has never previously been presented in this city. Those who witnessed it for the first time at the performance now under notice carried away a distinctly high opiniou. The opera was, to begin with, admirably staged— Mr Pollard, who is always careful not to let any of his productions suffer on the score of staging, has never presented a piece with more completeness than characterises the production of " Falka," — the music is bright and tuneful, the dialogue is brisk and punning, the opportunity is afforded foralot of capital comedy "business "—" — the second aci being, indeed, burlesque rather than opeia, — and there is a bu&tls about the performance that is decidedly pleasing. From the spectacular point of view " Falka '\ is an attractive production, and the members of Mr Pollard's Company, most • f them experienced actors and actresses now, are able to do adequate iu'-t'.ce, on til's whole, to the piece vocally and hiitrionicilly. Several of the parts are very ably presented. Tho nani) part was filled by Miss Alarion Mitchell, who acted very charmingly and sang with cipital effect, with the exception bf the occasional tendency to sharpness in the upper register. Her principal vocal success was achieved in what is one of the most choice numbers in the opera, " 'Tis eveutide," in which the veises are written alternate] y for the upper aud lower register.! of the voice, the object being to suggest a conversation. Two other important solof, " My noble uncle's heir" and " Oh, joy and rapture," also fell to the lot of Miss Mitchell, and each of them was aweeily suuc and loudly redemanded. Misp E. Metcalfe, who appeared as Edwidpe, a member of a band of brigands and sister of the chief of them, rendered conspicuously well the music that was allotted to her, and a duet by her aud Miss Beatty was one of the best nunabeis in the opera. As the brigand chief Miss Maud Beatty, who was made up exceedingly well and picturesquely, played with remarkable spirit. Her fine voice was frequently heard to advautage, notably in the duet just referred to and also in the folo " To tha greenwood," a portion of which, with the accompanying dance by half a dozsn of the company, had to be repeated. The four leading m±le ehavacteis all afford abundance of opportunity for comic action, and the performers revelled in the chances that were offered to them. Mr H. Quealy had a rich part to play in that of Tancred, called from the post of u&her of a pcbool to claim a, patent of nobility, and experiencing numerous adventures of an alaiming character before he ventures to proclaim himself to be the nephew of hia uncle, aud in his own way, which it must be admitted is at times unnecessarily boisterous, he was ludicrously amusing. The part is not a singing one, but this fact is rendered the less regrettable by the recollection of Mr Quealy's vocal effort' in the past. Mr W". Psrcy. as a schoolboy who has been sloped with by l r alka, at that time the inmate of a convent, gave one of the most artistic lepro'entatlons — if not absolutely the most artistic— in the piece. His pninls were all made quietly arid very effectively, and he showed a command of change of facial expression that stood him in good atear!. His singing, however, was weak. Mr Alf. Stephens, who tilled the part of thn doorkeeper of the convent— a bibulous lay-brother, in cord and cassock— gave n quaintly humorous impersonal iou of the character, and Mr IS. Nablo plnye.: the part of the Governor of Montgratz with appropriate ponipousnes-i and swagger, but is inclined to mouth his words in such a wav as to make himself unintelligible. Miss L. Everett, Mias N Wilson, and Miss L. Stephens filled other parts efficiently. Thechoial numbers were given with good effect, the choru* "She'-^aboy" being psihßpithe most successful amongst them. Tb<£ orchestra, wh : ch is still conducted by -Mr H. T. Harrison, rendered valuable net-vice. The opera was rpceivei with givat favour, ami encores extended its duration so considerably that it wanted only a few minutes to 11 o'clock when the curtain was finally rung down.

" BOCCACCIO."

The one word " success " sums up the production on Saturday nighb by Mr Pollard's Opera Company of the charming popular opera " Boccaccio." In some of thß more modern operatic works, in which they challenged comparison with Messrs Williamson and Musgrove's company that was recently disbanded, Mr Pollard's company acquitted themselves with considerable credit, this being most noticeably the case in their performances of "Paul Jones" and "The Gondoliers," but playgoers were always tempted — unreasonably tempted — to discount what success they achieved in these operas by affirming that the productions were mere copies of those given by the older companies. Within the past few months, however, " the Pollards " have added to their repertoire a couple of operas which were not played by the other company referred to, and which the members could not have had the advantage — or disadvantage, whichever it may be— of seeing played. These operas were " Falka," produced here on Thursday and Friday last, and the work now under notice, and in each case the production was in no senae inferior to any of the company's previous productions. On the contrary, their performance of "Falka" was, as stated by us, one of the beat they have given, and certainly their production of "Boccaccio" is at least equal to their best. The opera was splendidly staged — the Ecenery was admirable and the dresses were rich and

had nofc lost the gloss of newness, — the characters without exception were well rendered both vocally and otherwise, and the haunting music of the opera had full justice done to it. Miss Maud Beatty cut a sfcnkiDgly handsome figure as Boccaccio, aud played throughout the opera in her best form. She is so regularly accustomed to the rendering of male parts that it was only to be expected that she would give, as she did. a virile impersonation of the character, while she saDg her share of tho music with splendid effect;. The romance in the first act and the ballad, " My love for thee " in the third act, each of which was redemanded, were both fiuely sung, and in the concerted pieces her voice was heard very tellingly. Miss May Beafcby, disguised beyond recognition as Feronella, showed true artistic quality in her assumption of that part ; Miss Metcalt'e, who both sang and ac L ed well, filled the part of Isabella ; a pleasing Fiametta was Miss Mitchell, who, although there is missiDg from her singing some of that charm it fo:merly had. gained general approval by her rendering of the ballad, "Do you remember" ; and Miss Wilson rendered good service as Leonetto. Mr AU. Stephens did not find very much scope in the part of the Prince for the exercise of his undoubted abilities, but Mr Quealy and Mr Percy were both well placed. The former, who was cast as Lotteringhe, was genuinely droll in his portrayal of the character, aud his capital comedy had much to do with securing the double encore that the cooper'g song in the second act evoked. Mr Percy gave an admirably comical representation of Lambsrtuccio, and caused roar 3of laughter in the scene in which the olive-grower is in his cups. Master C Albert as Scalz*, Miss Agnes Smith as Beatrice, aud Mr E. Nable as Fratelli, each strengthened the cast, and the whole host of supernumerary charactei'3 was satisfactorily filled. A feature of the performance was fche admirable renderiug of the charming trios with which it is studded, nearly every one of them •being redemanded. The " Ting a-ling " trio by | Messrs Quealy, Percy, and Albert, tha " Bstudianto'na" serenade by Misses Maud Beatty and Wilson and Mr Stephens, and the iefcter trio by Missen May Bealty, Mitchell, and i Metcalfe, each obtained >m encore, and j " Oh, treasure," by Misses Maud Beatry, Mefccalf, and Wilson, actually elicited a treble encore, and topical verses were introduced witfa which an impetfect acquaintance was shown. The duet "A poor blind beggar," by Miases Maud Beafcty and Mitchell, was one of the gems of the evening, and was vehemently redemanded, j while the kissing sain.' in the second act was ; greatly appreciated. The ohoral nmsie was *ll I well rendered, bub sptcial mention should be | made of "He is the prince" — in which the so ; o I was capitally sung by Miss Agues Smith — aud i of the finale to the first act.