The Lorenette

Observer, Volume XVI, Issue 924, 26 September 1896, Page 14

The Lorenette

PoiiiiAßD's Opera Company (they are grown up now), have been doing exceedingly good business at the Opera House daring the last ortnight. The Gondoliers, The Black Cio&k, Panl Jones, Rip Van Winkle, have drawn crowded houses, and the applause nightly has been fast and furious. The operaß have all been exceedingly well staged, and the acting and singing were first- clasß. hip Van "Winkle especially took well, and the pretty opera drew packed nooses. Uncle Tom's Cabin is announced, and the season will terminate on Monday evening next. On Monday evening, Oct. sth, the third grand concert of the Auckland Banjo, Mandolin and Guitar Club will be given in the Opera House A number of wellknown local amateurs and professionals will assist, and an excellent programme has been prepared. The pricey are 2/-, 1/-, and 6d. The Auckland Liedertafel's third concert this season was given in the City Hall last Friday evening, and was a marked success | Mr Arthur Towaey conducted, and the concerted items were most warmly appreciated. The vocal soloists were Miss Mary Day and Mr li. James, of Ballar&s ; Mr J. Jackson contributed an oboe solo, and Messrs Coutts, Piummer, Brinsden, and Dryland had the hardihood to essay a quartette on the trombone, for which they ■were let off very leniently. One excellent item was an instrumental trio by Herr Zimmerman, Mr G. A. Paque, and Miss Lily Thomson. The Ovide Musin Concert Company go South by to-day'B steamer, in continuation of their New Zealand tour. These marvellous musicians were cordially welcomed back to Auckland, and the four splendid concerts given by them in the Cicy Hall were real musical treats. M. Musin's violin solo 3, Madame Musin's exquisite operatic airs and ballads, and Herr Scharf 's matchless piano-playing, won the hearts of every genuine lover of music. They should draw crowded houses on their Southern tour. 'The Island of Knowere,' an original opera which is the work of an Aucklander, drew crowded h0u863 in St. Thomas' schoolroom this week. The effort was well staged, and the amateurs who acted and sang did their work very creditably. The last performance takes place this evening. Charles Godfrey, with his Vaudeville Co., i 3 doing phenomenal business in the South. Godfrey opens in Auckland on Wednesday, the 7th prox. Of him and his show, the Christchurch Spectator says : •It is not often we benighted dwellers in this great loan land get a chance to hear and see such a bright particular star in his own line of biz as Charles Godfrey, who, when his foot is on his native heath — London, to wit — commands about the largest ' screw ' paid to any public entertainer of hi 3 kind Godfrey was imported from the Old Country by Harry Rickards, and made such a tremendous hit at the Sydney • Tivoli ' and afterwards at the Melbourne Opera House that our old friend, L. J.Lohr, who is about as well able to tell how many beans make five as an theatrical manager this side the Line, conceived the idea of arranging with him for a New Zealand tour, and consequently Godfrey, who was on the poiut of returning to London, altered his plans and accepted Lohr's terms of £100 a week and exes, and here he is. His variety performances are said to show him aa a marvellously versatile actor '