SHOWS AND PROS.

Observer, Volume 9, Issue 524, 5 January 1889, Page 11

SHOWS AND PROS.

By Mask.

' Give me leave to speak my mind.' — ' As You Like It.* fjf HE Jnngt'rau Kapelle has trken the town I by storm. Somehow my friend Jinkins L always manages to get liold of good ' shows. This is erood all the way through, from start to finish, and attracts alike the haughty and exclusive party in the circle and the humble pitite — which is saying 1 a lot. r # # # I could not help thinking, while waiting for 'the rag' to ascend, of that story of Mark Twain's, related in ' A Tramp Abroad.' Mark was ' doing ' Switzerland, and the firet time he heard a genuine Swiss jodeller he was delighted, enraptured with the soft, melodious sounds. He gave that man about half-a-sovereign to jodel some more, and went on his way happy. The next jodeller was also rewarded — I think he go/ five shillings. The third got half-a.crown, and the sixth a like amount— to go and jodel somewhere else. # * * But one never tires of the Jungfrau Kapelle. Their entertainment is so excellent and so varied that it never becomes monotonous, and this is borne out by the fact that nearly every item is encored, and some items are encored two or three times over. # # # The curtain rises on a lovely Alpine scene, suntipped mountains, dark green pines &c, the illusion being brightened by a quantity of artistically arranged green stuff , fresh from,the wilds of the North Shore or Birkenhead. The Company are arranged in picturesque costumes, and the whole thing bears the stamp of novelty. After the overture to ' William Tell,' magnificently played, and a poika, ' Bric-a-Brac (for three Xilophons, three guitars, harp and mandoline) the jadelling commences. 7 his is very fetching, and has to be repeated again and again. Then follows a solo on the zither by Herr Schmild, 1 Souvenir de Ems.' You have probably heard the zither played by amateurs but I will venture to say you never heard it plajed as Herr Sohmild plays it. The music is heavenly. * * * Then pomes a song and jodel by Herr Maag, 1 Der Gaisbube,' very beautifully rendered. After which ' The Turkish Patrol, by the full strength of the company. This is one of these marvellous descriptive pieces which not only delights the ear but, to those possessing any imagination at all, the eye also, Infancy the auditor can both see and hear that great body of mounted men with clanking swords and jingling bells approach ; the very rattle of the horses' hoofs is heard mingling with the din. Faint afar off comes the sound of the troop advancing ; nearer, and yet nearer they come. And they are now passing us, close by us, so near that we must stand well back to give them room and now they have gone ; fainter and fainter grows the sound of their horses' hoofs, until it dies away altogether— and the applause shades the building. A solo on the 'cello-gither, with harp accompanient, by Professor and Mesdame Seebold, 'A Boy's Best Friend is His Mother' is another remarkable item. The 'cello-zither is a queer looking thing, a sort of first cousin to the violin but which is played in a peculiar manner. It is laid flat down on its back on a table which the profesßor saws away, standing up to his work. The tone is exquisite ; full, rich and deep ; clear as crystal, sweet as honey. No wonder the Professor and his charming wife who plays the harp accompaniment deliriously get a double encore. One of the most attractive items on the programme is the Selection on National Airs of Europe (arranged by Gott. Seebold) including bolos on ocarinas, Jilophon, Glockenspiele, Zither, •etc. The audience listened breathlessly to ' The Marseillaise ' and ' The Watch on the Rhine ' but the performers struck up when ' Rule Britannia,' tne entnußiasim was terrfio, and a hurricane of applause burst forth. * # # Madame Seebold's song 'II Baccio,' an old fayourite, was never more charmingly rendered with the walls of the Opera House. Madame possesses a superb soprano, and sings with so much soul, force, and feeling 1 that she fairly •carries everything before her. In response to an authusiastic recall she sang ' Those Art So Near And Yet So Far' with equally telling effect. Madame Seebold possesses a voice of which she may well be proud. * * # Messrs Adam and Karl Seebold's solo on the Mauddino with Guitar accompaniment was also a great success and had to be repeated. Fraulein Emma Uhl sang ' Der Gu^e Bua,' very beautifully, and was of course encored the duet for two piccolos ' The Mocking 1 Bird ' was exceptionally clever, the imitation of bird songs being- wonderful. After a quartette and jodel exquisitely rendered. Mr Adam Seebold performed a drum solo ' Imitation of a railway train,' a truly remarkable item. No one who has not heard this would believe the drum capable of so much expression. First we had the hum of the distant train coming 1 ; then louder, louder and louder it dashed by, with a roar, a rattle and a clang so like the real thing th.it you had but to shut your eyes to see it a little irisly this, but it expresses my meaning. Then it gradually died away in the distance, and was gone. And all this in a small dram. It is simply marvellons. ♦ * * The Jungfrau Kapella will only be here for a night or two lonper. Box plan at Wildmin's. Don't miss this opportunity of attending one of the most enjoyable shows we have had here for a very long time. Writing of the Melbourne Exhibition concerts and musical performances, a London ' cricket ' chirps: '"Ruth" was produced on Sept. <3tL, and next morjung the papers came out with columns of criticism full of musical technicalities winch the local soribblens must have picked up somewhere. The italics are mine, and I would respectfully rise to observe that some of the Sydney scribblers so contemptuously referred toby the writer of the above, ' scribble ' infinitely better than he does, or ever will, judging by his published writings. # * # A few notes from afar, to wind up with :— # * * Faust Family opened the new theatre at Rockhampton (Q) on Boxing Night.

Rignold — • Handsome Garge '—revived ' Youth * in Sydney on Boxing Night, playing Frank Darlington himself. # * ' Hans the Boatman ' in Sydney. lam expecting a line from my old friend Lohr, Arnold's oopular business manager, by next mail. * o * Seventeen hundred and twelve persons, paid for admission at Wellington on Boxing night Gep. Darrell's company in ' Tdo Mystery of a Hansom Cab.' And '4oo or 500 were turned away irom the doors'— so says the Post. But how about this?— ' The hilariousness of a Boxing Night audience was apparent from the fact that the principal tragic scene of the drama was received with roars of laughter instead of producing the impoessive effect that one would have expected.' # # * No room for any more this week. So Ion? ! i __