Last Evening's Concert.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5674, 22 January 1890, Page 3

Last Evening's Concert.

The City Rink was comfortably filled lust evening. It wasnotcrowded, for the spacious building will hold a very large audience, but every seat was occupied, on the ground floor alone being seated holders of. reserved seat tickets. It is estimated that the attendance was about 550, and the net profit to the funds of the Catholic Church will be something ovoi LSO. This is indeed a very satisfactory result for a varied concert, such a result as is seldom obtained in Gisborne. Tho result was due to the energy of the members of the Church in the first place, the popularity of the priest, and also to the varied and good bill of the fare provided. It is a question after nil whether such long programmes are advisable ; people get weary of sitting out item after item if some be inferior ; but where the public can leave the building honestly saying they wisli they had more, that is the class of concert that is wanted, There are some poeple of course who like to get as much as they can for their money Last night they got it, though they will confess that the programme could have been advantageously curtailed. At tho concert wo heard several amateurs whom the public never tiro of hearing , and who always secure apphvuse from their audiences. After othev numbers the performers were dismissed with a few half-hearted claps, But taken in all the concert went well. In part one there were ten items, and three encores were responded to. The performance commenced with an overture, by a well-selected string orchestra entitled, " The Caliph of Bagdad." This was a pleasing piecp of music executed with great care. Mrs Kerr rendered " Shylie Bawn," the lady being in much better voice than usual. Miss Buchanan sang "Home, Sweet Home" very sweetly, but her voice was barely powerful enough to take the high notes which the music demanded. A duet by the Rev. Father Kehoe and Mr Collins " We are two Roving Minstrels," was a very creditable number and deserving of. the praise it received. A comic aspect caughb the minds of most in the comparative sizes of the two singers. " The Fairy Bby'V.'was well sung by Mrs Sunderland, whose voice is well-known throughout the district, Mrs ' Sunderland showed ; good knowledge of tho song and music. Mrs Matthews sang "True till Death." .Mrs Matthews has 'a powerful voice, and used it to good effect in the song, but her enunciation might be more distinct. Mr Woodward sang " They all love Jack" in fine style. One pleasing feature about Mr Woodward is that he is always at home on the platform, and besides he knows what he is singing. He is a popular amateur, and last night had to respond to aii encore, singing a hunting song entitled j " Renolph." The next item was the gem of the evening. The performer had a cultured and exquisite voice, and knew how to use it. Her song " Let me Dreum Again" was a difficult one to master, but Mrs Hennessy took the high notes very easily and in ft manner which was very pleasing. As an encore song she saiu* " The Reign of tho Rose's." Father Kehoe next sang " Father O'Flynn," and one could not help echoing the words of tho song, seeing the pleasing effect of the reverend gentleman s efforts, ' ' Cannot the clergy bo Irishmen too." "St. Patrick's Birthday" was thesong given on second de maud. A part song, " Carita," concluded the first part of the programme, and thiswas performed with much correctness and nicety. An overture from Fra Diavolo was performed by the orchestra. Mr Dalrymple sang " The Lust Muster" well, his voice "being pleasing and delivery good. Miss Adair sometimes sings some simple melodios which suit her sweet unaffected voice admirably — not but what she does justice to all pieces in which she appears. Sho fairly hit tho popular taste last evening in the ditty " Old Folks at Home," which was sung with great feeling and purity of tone. An encore was demanded, and she sang "The Shamrock." A pianoforte duet by two able performers, Mrs Thomson and Mr Airey, followed. Mrs W. Graham does »ot as of lon appeal

in. public as would be wished by patrons of entertainments, for she is placed in the" front rank in musical matters. Her singing of "Barney O'Hea ' was much appreciated, a striking feature being the j deliciously , dear intonation of her voice. She sang " Never to Know" very sweetly, and with much precision after much applause and cries of "encore." Mr Woodward recited tho evergreen " How the favorite was boat," which certainly improves with nge and docs not pall upon the audience. Mr ISock rendered " Good Company "in a fair manner. In the song "Say a kind word when you can " Miss Buchanan did better than in her effort of the first part, and received encpuraging applause. Father Kehoe sang "The Lass of Richmond Hill," and on demand " Rory O'Moro," in great style and in a manner that was greatly to the taste of all lovers of a good comic song. A " Tickling Trio " by a chorus of ladies and 'gentleman was an enjoyable and amusing number, suitable as a wind up to a capital performance.