Beautiful Dresses.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 25, 22 December 1909, Page 16

Beautiful Dresses.

GOWNS IN “THE KING OF CADONIA.”

‘The King of Cadonia,” which is to be produced in Auckland on Boxing Night, is said to be the most gorgeously caprisoned and sumptuously appointed comic opera ever done by the J. C. Williamson firm. Everything was made in Melbourne and Sydney, thus establishing a record for Australia. Some idea of the brilliancy of the gowning may be gathered from the following excerpt from the “Lady’s Letter” from the “Melbourne Punch” of a recent issue, which runs: —“Before you decide upon that new evening froek of yours, my dear Rosalind, be sure: and see ‘The King of Cadonia.’ The dresses are perfectly ripping. They are the very latest thing, and are exquisite in colouring and mode. One can judge the effect so much better when one sees a fashion worn. Here there are the tight-fitting Princess, the Directofre, the draperies of classic tendency, and the Empire gowns on view. I never remember to have seen more gorgeous stage dressing, and, not only the dresses, but nearly all the magnificent mounting of this production was made in Melbourne. Isn’t it splendid to think we can turn out such fine work? I don’t know about the uniforms, but the men in a production have rarely looked better. There is only one little fault—some are too tall, and seem to dwarf the stage. But this lias been necessary to keep the leading man in the picture, as it were, for the King (Mr. Clayton) is almost a giant, and the second dress he wears emphasises it. I cannot tell you of all the lovely frocks, for I simply had not time to note them. There were so many. However, I particularly recall one lovely model in the modish tawny tones, almost old gold to golden brown, which was lovely. Also, there was the new quick-silver grey, with tunic overdress, trimmed with silver fringe. There are beautiful saxe blues and all the new shades. Miss Court, the prima donna, makes her first appearance in a ravishing coat of gold tissue, lined with shell pink, and eaught down the shoulder in pleats, with gold cabachons. When she discards this she is seen in a tightfitting Princess dress of deep pink satin, the front like a baby’s robe, having an elaborate panel formed of silk applique laid on the satin. It is a beautiful frock. Her second dress is also quite tight-fitting, of white satin, with the front panel embroidered thickly with seed pearls, edged down one side with ermine. This is brightened by a tiara, and one of the fashionable pendant necklets of diamonds. With this, at the last, a sumptuous court train is worn, edged with ermine, and having the royal coat-of-arms of Cadonia worked in one corner. The King in this act is a most majestic and imposing figure in a white uniform, with a gorgeous train of royal purple and old gold velvet with the huge coat-of-arms in the centre. Miss Susie Vaughan wears first an elegant snuff-brown dress, with the front panel and zouave effect worked in soutache braiding. Her second dress is magnificent, of full, rosecoloured satin, with an overdress of heavy black lace and white gold-embroi-dered Cluny lace in alternate stripes, which opened to reveal the train. Over this a most magnificent train was worn. Miss Sergeant wears swagger little peasant dresses, the one of orange, embroidered with black and gold and red and gold apron, being very smart. But it is impossible to convey any idea of the magnificence of the court scene after seeing it but once. AU the girls wore splendid court trains over their evening dresses, and the effect was something superlative.”