WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVII, Issue VI, 10 August 1901, Page 279

WELLINGTON.

Dear Bee, August 1. We toave indeed been afforded a great musical treat during the visit Of M. Jean Gerardy, the gifted violoncellist. Everyone went to hear him with great expectations, and it is too little to say that M. Gerardy's performances were beyond the very greatest. He gave three concerts, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and each night the Opera House was crowded with an audience that was

more enthusiastic than any I have t&ver seen. Everyone listened with

rapt attention, and it was curious to notice the contrast between the deadly silence during the items, and the burst of applause that followed each. Encores were insisted upon, and when the performer at last appeared with his instrument to respond, after vainly trying to bow his acknowledgments, he was greeted with a perfect •storm of clapping and cheering. Mr Laurence Phillip, who accompanies M. Gerardy as solo pianist and accompanist, is a musician with a brilliant career before him. He is apparently very young-, and his playing was very beautiful, being so exquisitely .sympathetic, as well as brilliant, and his accompanying was perfect. On Saturday night M. Gerardy was assisted by the Wellington Orchestral Society, "which played the opening item to each part of the programme. At the conclusion of the concert the audience were so enthusiastic over the young genius that .cheers were called for, and needless to say were given with unusual heartiness. Miss Jeannie Bamsay was the only vocalist at the concerts, and sang with great taste, earning encores on each occasion. Some of these I have seen in the

audience during the season are Mrs and Miss Pharazyn. Mr and Mrs Duncan, Mr and Mrs Maughan Barnett, Mr and Mrs and Miss Sprott. Mr and Mrs H. Johnston. Miss A. Johnston, Mrs and Miss Bell, Mr and Mrs Elgar, Mrs and Miss Gore, Mrs and Miss Parker, Mrs and Miss Tolhurst, the Misses Williams, Mrs and Miss Higginson, Mr and Miss Coates, Mr and Mrs Pearce, Mr and Miss Harcourt, Mrs Fell, Mrs and Miss Brandon, the Miss Bichmond. Mr and Mrs Buchanan, the Misses Williams (Dunedin), Mrs and Miss Hislop, Mrs Pynsent, Mr and Mrs I-oughnan. and others.

Mrs Sprott gave a very enjoyable dance on Tuesday at the Vicarage, Bolton-street. The drawingroom and diningroom, which adjoin by folding doors, were used for dancing, and were decorated prettily with pink flowers and greenery. Supper was laid in another room, the table having vases of camellias as decoration. Mrs Sprott received in a black brocade gown, trimmed with black chiffon and deep ecru laee; Miss Sprott wore ,a simple white figured silk gown, trimmed with gold embroidery. Among the guests .were Mrs Owen, who wore a white satin gown draped with lace; Miss Coleridge wore blue merveilleux, with chiffon to match on the bodice; Miss I. Coleridge, a white silk gown, trimmed with lace; Miss Barron, black gown, with lace and pink roses on the bodice; Miss E. Barron, white figured gauze; Miss Brandon, black satin, the bodice trimmed with chiffon and flowers; the Misses Williams (Dunedin) wore pretty black satin gowns, flounced with chiffon; Miss Pharazyn, pretty pale blue merveilleux, with deep white lace on the bodice; Miss Fitzherbert, blue brocade, * trimmed with white lace and pearls; Miss I. Fitzherbert wore a pretty soft white silk gown, trimmed 'with lace; Miss Gore, a sage green silk gown, the bodice trimmed with white lace; Miss Harcourt, black satin, trimmed with passementerie;

Miss A. Johnston, white flowered glace silk, trimmed with nink chiffon; Miss Bell, black satin, with handsome cream lace on the bodice; Miss Beethani. sea green satin, trimmed with frills of jewelled chiffon to match; Miss Higginson, pretty black satin gown, with chiflon and white flowers on the bodice; Miss V. Williams, black satin gown, having a zouave of sequined chiffon ; the Misses Fitzgerald wore soft white gowns; Miss Bose, white silk, veiled with embroidered chiffon; Miss MeTavish, white muslin, trimmed with insertion and laee; Miss Hislop, white spotted tulle gown, trimmed with lace; Miss J. Hislop wore a cream flowered silk gown, with chiffon and black velvet; Miss Mclntosh, white muslin and laee gown; Miss Parker, in soft white silk and lace. Also the Messrs Harcourt, Coleridge. Duncan, Fitzgerald. Gore, Cooper, Higginson, Brandon. Major Owen, etc.

A very pleasant afternoon “At Home” was given on Wednesday by Mrs T. G. McCarthy, Bouleott-street. The rooms were very charmingly deeorated with flowers and made cosy with fires. In the diningroom a most delicious tea was laid out, and looked most tempting. In another room was a fortune teller, and in a third ping pong was kept merrily going all the afternoon, and the guests found the afternoon had passed all to quickly. Mrs McCarthy received in a pretty trained cream gown, trimmed with deep white laee and gold embroidery: his sister (Miss Fitsimmons) also wore a cream gown with a touch of blue. Among the guests were Lady Ward, Mrs and Miss O’Connor. Mrs and the Misses Simpson. Mrs Furguson. Mrs Tweed. Mrs Feild, Mrs and Mi-s Stafford, Mrs and Miss Tolhurst. Mrs Young, Mrs and the Misses Heid. Miss Harcourt. Mrs Menteath, Mrs Fulton. Mrs and Miss Kane, the Misses Douglas. Miss Coates. Mrs and Miss Butt, Miss Coleridge, the Misses Harding, and others.

OPHELIA.