Amateur Opera Company.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6482, 27 February 1889, Page 4

Amateur Opera Company.

"IOLANTHE." I The Christehurch Amateur Society last j night gave their first publie performance < >of Gilbert and Sullivan's fairy opera! "lolanthe," which more than satisfied the \ expectations raised by their final rehearsal ' on the previous night. With professional companies it is by no means unusual to ] find t&at a first nighfs performance has i many " hitches" of a more or less serious j -character ; it is therefore highly creditable ' to our amateurs that on this their first night the performance went most i smoothly from the beginning to the end. An additional feature in the appointments, which have already been spoken of in these columns, was the introduction of several electric lights in the head-dresses of the Queen of tbe Fairies and her chief attendants. . j The highest praise is due to the manner in which the chorus had been drilled and the fidelity with which previous instruc- j tions were carried out. The groupings were admirably effective, proving that they had been directed by some one gifted with a true artistic taste. The singing, too, of the choruses was exceptionally good, the music being given with' great [ spirit and a grand fulness of sound. The ladies in this respect were on equal terms with the gentlemen, the consequence being that not a few of the choruses were enthusiastically encored, though they were not repeated. Coming to individual performers, the first name on the programme is that of Mr W. E. Benson, who, as the Lord Chancellor, fully deserves first mention. His make-up was simply marvellous. He was the personification of a lawyer—thinlipped, parohment-skinned, with shrivelled features, half-closed but shrewdly-twink-ling eyes, attenuated figure, angular and jerky gestures, cringing postures, incisive speech, and an evidently keen relish for the legal quibbles suggested by the peculiar circumstances of the play. His delivery of the text was all that could be wished for by the most exacting author, whilst his byplay was incessant and in perfect keeping with his r&le. The audience again and again insisted on his repeating his songs. Mr A. Millar, as the Earl of Mountararat, said his words with due sententiousneßS, and sang with his usual exactitude and more than his usual "go." Mr E. K. Anderson, as the Earl Tolloller, did full justice to the music entrusted to him, singing with sweetness and expression, while his dancing was noteworthy for its special gracefulness. Mr J. F. Marshall, as Private Willis, sang correctly and with the correct amount of quiet humour. Mr F. N. Meadows, as Strephon, looked every inch the Arcadian shepherd. He threw himself into his role with perfect abandon, and showed that in every respect he was the right man in the right place. Miss Benson sang and acted with much Bpirit in the r6le of Celia, as did Miss A. Button and Miss Little in the rdles of Lelia and Fletia respectively. Miss Scrivenor, if somewhat wanting in " massiveness " for the rdle of Queen of the Fairies, was by no means deficient in dignity of carriage and impressiveness of diction, while her singing was correct and characteristic. Miss Stratton made a charming lolanthe. She was evidently very nervous, but her nervousness did not prevent her from showing how capable a vocalist she is. By the way, she was the only lady who received the compliment of a bouquet and an encore. Of Miss E. Buchanan, to whom was entrusted the very onerous role of Phyllis, only termß of high encomium can be used. Her dress was singularly appropriate, and her acting and by-play free from any suggestion of the amateur. She was perfectly at home with the music, to which she gave all possible effect. In short, while she was on the stage she gave the utmost animation to the scene, never for one moment flagging in her attention, to the "business," or exhibiting any self-consciousness. The amateurs are to be congratulated on the success they have achieved, and may 'confidently look forward to a succession of crowded and delighted audiences.