OPERA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6833, 22 April 1890, Page 4

OPERA.

"PRINCESS IDA." Another of Gilbert and Sullivan's charming operas was produced at the Theatre Eoyal last night. Princess Ida, founded on Tennyson's idyll, "The Princess," gives the author ample scope for weaving the poet's idea into a plot full of amusing incident. The opera is strikingly mounted. In the second act the original designs of the girl graduates' dresses form a telling addition to the really beautiful scene in the garden of Castle Adamant. In the courtyard of the castle, again, both the costumier's and scenic artist's work calls for genuine admiration. Mr E. Bridges appears to have spared no pains to make the mounting of the piece thoroughly appropriate and effective. There is nothing uncommon in the overture to the first act, but the opening chorus " Search Throughout the Panorama," is bright and crisp. The first number worthy- of the composer is a song by Hilarion (Mr C. M. Leumane), " Ida was a Twelvemonth Old." This was nicely sung, and was redemanded. The three sons of , Gama, Arac, Garon and Scynthus, have a good scene commencing " We are Warriors Three," and the entry of their father, , King Gama (Mr William Elton), a philanthropist with an " irritating chuckle " and a " celebrated sneer," is marked with a capital Gilbertian patter song "If You Give Your Attention," which won another encore. A very pretty trio, " Expressive Glances," sung by Hilarion, Cyril, and Florian (Messrs Leumane, Johnson and Imano) might be made one of the best numbers in the work. The scene closes with a curiously marked chorus, " But Till that Time," as the three young men are marched off to prison. A very i pretty scene is that of Castle Adamant, : and there the Lady Psyche make 3 musical i complaint of men's brutality, and alludes ; to him a 8 "Nature's sole mistake." In a telling aria, the Princess Ida (Miss Clare. Merivale) answers her companions' appeal to her as the i maiden with a mission. The Lady Blanche (Miss F. Liddiard) has a prettily composed song. " Come, Mighty Must," to words, which only Gilbert would put into one qf his operaß, comical as it is, with the barest shred of meaning. There is a good scene where the three young men, dressed as graduates, "seek sanctuary in those : classic shades," and their trio "I am a • Maiden Cold and Sfcately," has a humour 1 in it which justified the call for its repetition. One of the most valuable ' pieces of harmony 13 a quartette between ' the Princess, Hiiarion, Cyril and Piorian, "The World Is Yet a Broken Toy," and it ■ might well havp been encored for its good 1 music. The Lady Psyche acted admir--1 ably in a solo, " A Lady Fair," and the number was duly encored. A curiously | quaint duet between Melissa and The 1 Lady Blanche, " How Would You Like to Rule the Roast?" is characteristic of the plot; but a song by Hilarion, "Whom Thou has Chained Must Wear the Chain," is one of the gems of tbe opera. A trio by Arac, Garon and Scynthus in answerjjto the King, "Wo May Remark," was capitally sung. The beautiful scenery of tbe third act shows the courtyard of Custle Adamant, in which the fu-iaour-elad maidens vow " Death to The Invader " in telling chorus, only to find that most of the little army have no taste for the fray. Ada reports to the Princess : " Please ma'am, the band do uofc feel well, and can't come out to - day." This rouses the heroine's courage, displayed in a spirited solo "I Built Upon a Eock." Old "Gama," her father, scores a loud encore for a song "When'er I Spoke," bewailing his nnhappy lot in having nothing to grumble at, and nothing can console him but the admittance of the besieging warriors. His daughter, Princesß Ida, in striking words, joins hands with Hilarion, agrees to go with him " through those dark gates across the wild that no man knows," and in one of the best choruses in the opera, " With Joy Abiding," warriors and graduates join hands and hearts, and the curtain falls. The opera was heartily received. At the end of the second act the- principals were recalled and loudly applauded. Princess Ida will be repeated to-night.