THEATRE ROYAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3339, 14 December 1883, Page 2

THEATRE ROYAL.

BURNS’ STATUE FUND CONOBET,

A fairly good house with a well-filled circle rewarded those who had prepared for last night’s concert. Mr Davidson, who has worked with much enthusiasm in the matter, had obtained the services of the best amateur vocalists within reach, and the result was a very pleasing entertainment. The programme was somewhat lengthy, and indiscriminate encores prolonged the affair unduly. The overture consisted of a piano-forte duet by the Misses Jonas, which was deservedly received with favor, being played most correctly and in good style. The well-known glee “ O’ a’ the airts the wind can blaw,” by Mrs Stubbs, and Messrs Ziesler, Rowley and Foley, was very well sung, but the real 'beauty of the piece was sacrificed to a too robust vocalisation. Mr Ziesler’s song, “ Oh 1 ho ! hear the wild winds blow,” was given as usual in a masterly style. Miss Wilson essayed “ Killarney,” which Miss Amy Johns rendered so sweetly here some months ago ; and her pore soprano voice and fine enunciation enabled her to do justice to this sweet lyric. Mr Davidson recited the “Cotter’s Saturday Night” with capital effect, though the piece was too long. Miss Fogarty, the little girl who sang so pleasingly at the Public School concert, gave “ There was a lad was born in Kyle ”; bat it was pitched a little too high, and did not exhibit the quality of her voice to the best advantage. The song “ Good Company” was fairly given by Mr Cargill, but Shis enunciation was imperfect. “ Waes Me for Prince Charlie” was beautifully sung by Mrs Waters, who did full justice to the pathos of the Jacobite lament,• and she received a well-merited recognition from the audience for her faultless performance. Miss Cramond’s piano-forte solo was well-received. The “ gem of the evening,” to use a hackneyed phrase,was Mrs Rout’s “ Yashti." There are not many singers who so thoroughly interpret a song as Mrs Rout did this fine composition, and seldom has a Timaru audience accorded any singer such applause as this lady evoked at each appearance last night. Mrs Rout possesses a contralto voice of great compass and richness, and her upper notes are flute-like. To an enthusiastic recal, she responded with “ Within a mile o’ Bdinbro Toon” which evoked renewed applause. In the second part the same lady (who on her re-appearance was greeted with rounds of applause) gave “Terence’s farewell to Kathleen” with telling effect. There was again a storm of applause, and cries of Bravo 1 continued without cessation till she returned and sang “Kathleen Mavouneen.” Miss Innos sang “ Scotland yet” with more than her usual sweetness and effect, and received an enthusiastic encore. Mr Foster sang “ The Scout,” but though he sang it carefully, ho hardly com-

passed its full expression. Mr Edwards gave Brahatn’s song “The death of Nelson,” but in his upper notes he was not successful; and did not, gennerallj, fulfil the requirements of the song. The second part opened with a song by Mr James Bruce, “ A Man’s a Man For a’ That,” and he responded to an encore with another selection from Burns. “ Jock o’ Hazeldean,” was well sung by Miss Innes ; and “ The Gravedigger,” was undertaken by Mr Campbell; Mr Edmonds followed, with “ I Fear No Foe,” and his rendering of this fine melody was really splendid, and so the audience evidently thought, for they gave him an enthusiastic recai. He responded with “Will o’ the Wisp.” Mrs Davidson’s Piano Forte Solo “Ye Banks and Braes, 1 ' made a pleasing interlude, and exhibited the well-known Scotch melody with several variations ; Mr Henderson then gave a reading from Burns, and the remainder of tho programme was well gone through. Mr Bilton acted as accompanyist throughout, and it is needless to say that his good playing and good taste were equally noticeable.