Opera House.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11715, 19 August 1902, Page 4

Opera House.

A good audience assembled at the Opera House last evening, the occasion being the opening performance of the clever1 company known as the American Vaudeville Stare. There is no doubt that some.of them are "stars," Kelly and Ashby themselves being perhaps the funniest eccentric coihedians ever seen on the local1 boards. Their turn, which lasts fully 20 minutes, kept the audience in a continual roar of laughter, which ended in thunders of applause at the conclusion. Another very clever act, and which closely rivals Kelly and Ashby, te that of Moiris and Wilson, entitled "Fun in a Chinese Laundry." These two performers manage while they are on the .stage to do more seemingly impossible, acrobatic feats than an ordinary individual could think of in a month. A welcome reappearance was that of Little Millie Bertoto, the clever child performer who made herself so popular here a few months, ago. She sang two new coon songs, for which she received welJ•deserved encores. Miss Beryl Gilman possesses a very sweet voice, and delighted her heavers, with a couple of popular ballads1. Mr Percy James presented a budget, of songs, one of which could have been omitted with credit to the performer. However, his rendering of "My Heart's To-night in Texas" was very good, and owed not a little of its success to the beautiful and appropriate illustrations shown during the song. Miss Roberts interested the audience for ten minutes with her coon songs and "pics," not tli© least interesting part of her item being a rendering of "Dolly Gray" by the smaller of her two "coons." Cunning,, the magician, performed some of the usual conjuring tricks in a neat manner, and met with a fair share of aWiause.; The entertainment concluded with some misc'ellaneoa bioscope pictures, which owing to a defect in the machine, were not very clear. The company appear again to-night, when they will submit an entire change of programme, and all those who etnjoyi a good hearty laugh should go and see the Chinese laundry and billiard table acts.

JEAN GERARDY,

Those who were fortunate enough to hear thaU world-famous violoncellist, Jean Gerardy, when he gave a concert in" Wanganui a little more than a year ago, will remember—arid they will never forget ii>— what an extraordinary and amazing performance was given by him, and as he is announced to give one concert only at the Opera House, Wanganui, on Tuesday evening. 26th instant,:' there should, if possible, be a more densely-crowded audience titan ho had last time, because those who heard Mm 'lWt year will certainly come again, and many who were not so fortunate will also be present. That Gerardy is the most famous musical antisb who has, ever visited the Southern Hemii sphere is undoubtedly true, and not a wild boast of his manager.-?. Indeed, at the present day Gerard'y is unreservedly admitted to be the greatest living 'celloist, and an American newspaper wrote of him: "There are four really great musical artists in the world to-day—namely, Paderewski, the pianist; Joachim, tihe violinist':; Melba, the Australian Diva; and Jean- Gerardyy the cellist." When the apportunity of hearing one of the four greatest living artist® presents itself to us—and we are informed that it will most likely never occur again in the case of Gerardy, becau'je.ne proceeds rapidly, south after" his conceit here, thence to Europe, where he has ■ important engagements extending over the next five years— we will not be slow to seize this fleeting opportunity. Noti only will.-nrach interest centre in Gerardy's reappearance, but we will be anxious to hear -Mis* Electa Giff ord and G. Galston, the artists apearing with Geravdy. Miss Gifford is an American soprano with a fine reputation. She studied Under the celebrated Madame Marchesi, and latffr year was prima donna ah the -Royal Grand dpera, Amsterdam, where she met with exceptional ' success. Her range is phenomenal, as it extends to Gin alto. Then G. Galslon, the pianist, who is from London, is declared to be a conning gi'eati pianist. He is greatly applauded by the Australian' Press for his magnificent playing. The bax plan for the concert is at H. I. Jones and Son's, and day salea at Goss's, tobacconist.