POLLARD'S OPERA COMPANY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2914, 19 January 1910, Page 77

POLLARD'S OPERA COMPANY.

“The Belle of Cuba.” The extraordinary variety of musio ‘ placed before the public under cover of the broad title of opera has become somewhat rem.arka.ble during the last 14- or 15 years. In' the days that are past it was opera, thorough and complete, and the only distinction made was between grand and comic opera. Now the public has placed before it grand opera—unfortunately but seldom, —comic opera —not to frequently,— musical comedy, musical burlesque, musical extravaganza, and many other terms - of operatic entertainment pretty frequently. From an amusement point of | view the growth, or expansion, has tin- 1 doubtedly been agreeable to the public, . and lias afforded pleasure to many, but it j certainly has not tended to an elevation of the musical intelligence of the people, nor ennobled the art of music. The purveyors of musical entertainments are not to b© blamed for this. They supply what is in the greatest demand, and what can be produced at a cost likely to be returned, with something added. It has to Be admitted, with some reluctance, that the cause lies with the people themselves. A taste for very light, and in some cases very frivolous, music, seems to have developed to an extraordinary degree. These remarks were intended a.s a preface to the' initial performance by the Pollard Opera Company, but seemed to have got beyond the mark, for “ The Belle of Cuba,” with which the company opened in His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday anight, while not strictly speaking comic opera as it is usually understood, cannot certainly be designated as frivolous, and contains much that is admirable and pretty. The story ie a mere nothing, but in that nothing the composer and librettist have managed to’ hang some very pretty and appropriate music, and some smart and diverting dialogue. It can hardly fail to occur to anyone who is at all observant that every opening has been, seized upon with avidity for the introduction of love ballad or humorous jingle, and’ has been turned to good account in very nearly all cases. Generally speaking, the music is good—better than is frequently met with in operatic extravaganza, and in some instances distinctly clever; but it cannot be said that it is always well sung. To bo quite candid, the company ie not strong in solo vocalists, and musio is sacrificed to comedy, the main object apparently being , to create laughter rather than admiration. Miss Minnie Topping succeeds very well, as Castelina, and Miss Ciseie O’Keefe does good work as Lady Clay, but even their performances are not uniformly. good. However, what the company lacks in this direction it makes ample amends for in other ways. The chorus work, for instance’, is_ really capital, and the young ladies forming the chorus are to be congratulated upon the excellent results they achieved, but the. absence of male voices is a serious drawback, and robs the, choruses of body.. Humour is the keynote of the whole performance, and if it has its extravagancies it certainly keeps the house brimful of merriment. The costumes are as rich, fanciful, and picturesque as tiie heart could desire, and, Quite admitting that the young ladies form the chief ornament while they are before the footlights, the scenery adds no _inconsiderable charm to the dazzling picture#; which, thrown info prominence ’ to© aid’ of the limelight, are presented to tutors. The first character that c.loimT attention, on the merits of Saturday night’s performance, is that of Lord Horry Clay, an English aristocrat, who, in the course of his travels, finds hie way to the island of Cube, This was exceedingly well played by Mr Charles _Albert, who extracted all the humour possible from the part. He has two or three'’ songs to sing, not of a serious order, in. which he gives a. good account of himself. His acting is good all through, but the meet telling of his musical numbers is that in which he takes part with Miss. Minnie . Topping. It may bo described as the A C dust, and is a really ; cleverly-constructed' little thing, with point end picme.ncv. Both singers did really well in it, hut the decisive applause that followed was quite as much in reoognitioai of the d’anpe, with -which the duet concluded, as of the duet itself. Mr G. Edwards, as Acmila Doro, was very fun:nv. and he and Mr Albert, especially in the singing contest scene, were responsible

for most of the mirth, of which there eras at all times a liberal supply. He sings a bull fighter’s song immediately after the opening chorus, the music of which is oi too good air order for the ■words that accompany it. The song is in some wavs strongly suggestive of the Toreador’s songin “ Carmen.’” which seems to “ have suggested the travesty. Mass Minnie Topping, as before, indicated, acquitted herself--.very well as Castelina, and she and Miss Ciesio O’Keefe, as Lady Helen Oa-y,,: t divided what merit there was to be found in the bright flights of vocalisation. Miss O’Keefe sang a ballad of gi 1 cay beauty nr the second act, which met with, At particularly favourable reception. It was, however, a burlesquing of - the Salvation Army that seemed to hit the tastq- of the audience most, though it must be confessed that it did not seem to have any verv special merit about, it. Mr, Jack Willis appeared as Antonio Muna, tho Cuban tobacco planter, and made a great hit with his Scotch song, which he gave capitally. Mr Bert Williamson played Alfonso satisfactorily, and Mr A. S. M Kay gave a creditable representation of the character of Partagas. The latter has some good music to sing, but is scarcely equal to meeting the demands made. The two young ladies taking the parts of Coquetas and Florafina —Miss Clarice Buckm« and Miss- May Topping—had not much more to do than show their heated love for Doro and Alfonso, and repeatedly threaten each other with daggers, in order that, the audience might he thoroughly seized of the fact that 011.3. had Spanish and the other Cuban blood in her veins, and this they did very well. A number of young girls danced a tarantelle, the selo dancer being Mass Edith Collins. Beyond posturing for a few minutes this young ladv. however, did verv little. Dancing docs not, find a large place in “ The Belle of Cuba.”