WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 69

WELLINGTON WIN G WHISPERS

Bt P. Sourrsit.

December 16.

Dear Pasquiu, — The vaudiville monopoly has been broken up, and' the doois of our Opera House are onco more open, both results due to the coming cf the Woods-Williamson Dramatic Company. The visit of this combination, which opened last Saturday night and was to close to-morrow night, promises to be extended for a few more nights owing to the success of the season, coupled with the fact that the company is r.ot due in Christchurch tilt the middle of next week. Foi, despite the great counter attraction of the festival of the Wellington Musical Union at the Town Hall during the first portion of this week, there have bsen lange attendances at the Opera House, and so far the house, I am told, has not j fluctuated beyond a five pound note. Apparently drama, 'has just come along at the right time to fill a long-felt want. The pieces being produced 1 by the company are dramatisations by Miss Williamson of later-day novels. She has been so prompt in her dramatisation of ono story, "The Garden of Lies," that she has completed her work -with the finish of Miles Justin Fornian's story in the Strand Magazine. That is pretty quick work. The dramatisation is very wall done, too, and as the story is a rattling good yarn, with a series of dramatic situations, some capital scenery, and the locale of a. European principality, there is material and scope for a good play. "The Garden of Lies" was put on for the first time on Wedr-esday night, and its five acts ran. till 11.20 o'clock. The pruning knife will have to be applied, but the cutting need not be veay deep oi extensive, as a great deal of time was spent between the acts in putting up th© heavy mountings. The season opened with "Barabbas," and closes with "The Bondman."

The event of the week has been the musical festival, comprising the first four subscription concerts of the Wellington Musical Union, held in our newly-opened Town Hall. Taken as a whole, the concerts were a great success, and were held unde>r th© direction of Mir Robert Parker, the Union conductor. I say the season was a success on the whole, but it opened rather inauspiciot-sly in its production — or, I should say, reproduction, as the 'composition had been previously given — of Dvorak's "The Spectre's Bride." The orchestra went a long way towards spoiling the effect of the production by a too strenuous effort during the playing -of the accompaniments when the soloists were singing. The- whole of the three parts of Coleridge Taylor's "Hiawatha" on Monday last, however, fully retrieved the error, and marked a. high standard in choral work. The soloists in 'both compositions -were your own city's favourite soprano, Miss Amy Murphy, and two Aucklanders, Messrs Frank 'Graham (tenor) and Hamilton Hodges (baritone). Mr Hodges was a disappointment, not coming up to the high standard of vocal achievement set by his great success in previous performances in Wellington. There is no qualification of the verdict thait Mr Graham is the very first tenor in New *ea°[and to-day. He conies with a reputation of having been leading tenor in the Carl Rosa companies at Home, and Wellingtonians have no hesitation in saying 1 thai Mr Graham is all that his northern admirers have claimed him to be. He is a rmacti of striking appearance, a wide range of voice, robust m tone, and remarkably clear in enunciation. Miss Murpihy, who is a very popular vocalist up here, was in excellent voice, and was just as pleasurable in her latest performance as during previous visits +o Wellington. A novelty was introduced 1 in the orchestral concert given on Tuesday evening by means of double-bass solos played by Heri Lcuis Blitz, -who played the ponderous instrument in the orchestra of the Musgrove Grand Oj>e-ra Company the tuna that organisation toured the colony. Herr Blibz is now a resident of Auckland, and, I understand', is on the commercial staff of the Auckland Star. The fourth concert, given on Wednesday, was of a miscellaneous character, the principal item being Mendelssohnls "Lobgesang" (Hymn of Praise).

The Gaiety Co.'s roster at the Theatre Royal : The Cathedral Choristers, the Gotham quartette, George Warsaw, the Wheelers, George Dickie. Les. Warton, and Daisy' Sylvester.

Roster of Fuller's Entertainers at Hi-s Majesty's 'Theatre: Fred Rivenhall, Gertrude Fraser, HaiTy Hart, Chas. Moody, Harry Brown, Scott and Wallace, Sam Wilson, Dick Davis, Florrie Leigh, Fc-ley, and Henjman.

Th=. youiigest of our musical bodies, the Hiawatha Musical Society, gave the second of this season's concerts at the Sydney street schoolroom last night The fourth of the Musical Union's concerts fit the Town Hall seriously affected the attendance at the Hiawatha concert. An ex-Dunedinite, Mr Frank Huggins, assisted wita his 'cello in the orchestra, and in a- sextette. Mr Frank Oakes, who is well known in brass band circlet, is tha conductor of the H.M.S.

Mrs Smith, of Mesdames M'Donald and Sirdth, of your city, is in town arranging the programe for the Knight-Jeffries dramatic season.

Mr J MacMahon arrived from Sydney by Wednesday's boat ahead of the MacMahon Dramatic Company, which is to open its season down the Southern West Coast at 'Christmastide with Georg Darrell at the head of the company.

Mr Tregaski, the avant courier oi the SteelePayne Bellringers. came up from the south the other day and went on to Nelson ahead of the 'bellringers. He told me that they had dene remarkably good business in the south.

Acknow lodgment : The seasons greetings per card from "Lorgnette," of the New Zealand Mail. It's a right smart and handy production. Thanks.

From Nelson Dyson, a young Englishman, who is a clever musician, now resident in Wellington, comes a copy of a song, "You are my pearl," written and composed by N. D., and published by Allan and Co., oi Melbourne. The song belongs to the popular order, goes ■with a swing, is easily learned, and has a melodious chorus: You are my Pearl, The prettiest girl That ever I have seen.

Figure so neat,

Charmingly sweet, I think you're fit for a stalely queen. If I wait for you, Will you be true? Dcn't answer "No," little gir 1 Promise me now You'll honour this vow, My darling Pearl!