Amusements.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1755, 18 August 1874, Page 2

Amusements.

THE OPERA.

The productio]B|^thr'o|te^«|<soniii|ue' "Martha"' on tEifp^ of fsielfjtcad|siiy was something liUMy^kt ym^e^iemhejilto thavo seen when .'li^fCer DaMi"f*iAs played t%re by a yeroo^ov6tf^^^Mt^cy- ' bplly was a great fteajstoo near the actors fo fully realise the Scenes represented; and wien a piece is whether incomedy/ tragedy %r op^wa^wlicK'de-" pends ;&&:■ greatti^asuwr 4qt f -its^ succejs, on scenic' and effects, Jthe neareFtKß-audignleare to the. stage.in proportion will the illusions be weakened. This was the case with "Martha" last nfgß. Cfile^i»gei|raSi;^Bearly^coi% niodio'tiis eno\ifff-tofa'difiit^dt" due ■effect being given to the differtnt scenes; and in comparison was the effect lessened. But this drawback did <not detract from the rendering of the gems of|song. incidental to Ine piece, or' introduced.!* There is another drawback noticeable in the Academy; Stage :- it has^accoustic defeclif | whjqbj interferdt;moi|f with" the singing', and mat* it absolutely necessary for the singer to advance too near4he>footlights, tpHiho sacrifice somes j times! o£ thd^ai&y *>f- the .1 B$ " After Dark " the interior of a concert room had to be confined to a space scarcely as large; as a good-sized picture ; in "Martha" M,Richmond Jkir^sqene occupied only the dimensions of an ordinary room. ...The .scenic and mecb.anic.aL, effect* ■ v&ei |here"by rodderecl almost] puerile, delracting from ttfe merit which 1 really l belonged to them, tor' they were Very creditable to the manage"" ment, considering the short time allowed for iheir preparation. .^These, defects "9#l Iremafteed ri|y)t|e;:audiei^:g they were such that the company cannot be chargeable with; but they contributed to a feeling of disappointment on.the r parfc, of the audience, which was, compensated by the really able acting and singing of the principal characters in the opera. Mis» Alice May gave that beaW tifulold song. "The last rose of summer," jfr-a style 1 6,f"itteffableisw,eetness<anjdj loudly demanded and graciously accorded. In "Eobin Adair," too, the feeling jcantatiom was exhibited by m& inarming vprimV donna, and fully appreciated by theaudience. Miss Lambert ably seconded th« rp^forjfiance|fof MSs AlfcirM^l the isupport^of^r. Hallam-aid Mr. Templeton was conscientious and praiseworthy... _ TJi« .jcliorus.es. .w,ere „.w.eJL^fc.. tamed, and, being principally of r lively character, made a favorable impression on the audience. " Martha" idoes ?not embrace a large number Of sbh'ga or concerted piece* with which ordinary people, are familiar, and^his may in some mpa|are accoun^; for We f|ct tKa| this tiQpera( comiqife if less popular than some which 1 we have seen; and as most people areaccustomed to judge ,by T c^mpari|on.J they may occasionally withEold prafse ? wherfvit >j.a, due simply; because they ; ajce not in a pqsition; to judg^ of ■■'.a^ cpinposition or song ;by experience. TnV ..opjerii lasi night was undoubjtedly a meritorious "p^fdrmattceV and'what we have inidica%ed< here as to criticism received "'cdiifirifaatioii' in «tho>applause. which grtjeted Miss May's' rendering of ",Ihe last rose of;summer"! and "Bobjn .Adair.!' Thei giuartqtlte^ "Good!^ight','deserTes.inefttioft; it-jWftsj sweetly^, rendered, the-yoices, blending most perfectly* ..and the ; cadaiic,es being admirably regulated. , The scene betweenj Lyonol andiLady Harriet which leads up! to the song "The last rose of summer,'* exhibiting, the 1 dSwliflg^ (of' that lote (by. y. which.bo|h,hav,9, been smitteiij, wa.s,,char? acterisedi^y' mucti'fiepling its i^prking'; out. 'A'spjbgbyJilis'sliambert^introduced in the tfiird actj .w,as ve^y swreißtljr sung and received with applause. Jr^f^l^ipf the opera was worked out iv an artistic,, manner,, and the enouemen*; QPPsumniated with. 4 u ®r'■jjramatip effect, credit i?' certainly due to the management for getting .upthepiece .in so creditable a manner.' The./fair scisne .'^'mbracjed "a. fat boy, who did ndiculous'thing^;.j|e^B'.o^ca-.' sionally in a pantomime, a'l'ean boy who followed suit; la.-bearj.-.a^cjgw^ a^ t.um- r bier, Punch and-'Judy'rmerry-go-rou^ land other accessories. We had almoat. j forgottGn to mention the part of Sir Tris-' tan> assumed'by Mt. Ho<r|rdilferffon; \lt was no small pWI; in—Martha;'' 'anH-de-serves a word of praise, for Mr. Vernon is evidie in|lylfao!:.nioa^actor,l I Wfi ab'ijlties aa a comedian found a congenial sphere id iiue\vpa¥ii- :6& Sir completeness, in. the, _.dc?s^ilig.,of the pieces* w&ieli 'show's^ ifchaif' the English Opera Company, study details^a great point on the colonial stage, where it i 3 to.p?(.oftjp-n ,sthej case.q.that' derails <aro ignored. The orchestra was complete— not the slightest misunderstanding being apparent amongstthe performers, and'thc accompaniments were consequently perfect. t t , \