THE OAMARU CONVENT HIGH SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 28, 2 November 1888, Page 13

THE OAMARU CONVENT HIGH SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT.

(Oamaru Mail, OcLobor 26.) For some time the public have been held in expectation of an entertainment of an exceptionally high order announced to be given by the young ladies of the Convent High School. It was known that great an 1 sustained efforts were being made to render the event one that would redound to the credit of all who took part m it or had any shara in its preparation. The promised enter. ainment was given last evening in the Convent Bchool building, which waR crowded to such an extent as to necessitate the infliction of a certain amount of discomfoit upon th> audieace, who seemed. nowe\er to bear this pleasantly, and to bo tha-.ktul that they had not. like a number of others, found it impossible to gain admission. That the audience were well satisfied — mare than sat'sfied— with the entertainment was manifested by the enthusmstic applause which they bestowed upon the young peiiormers. A very considerable amount of trouble ana expense had unnmtakeably been gone to in order to render the dramatic portion of the programme as cotup'ete as possible. A small stage had been erected at one end of the building, and fitted with proscenium and drop-scene, bearing a scries c! bu^ht aad wellexecuted paintings of notable bits of scenery. Then elegant dresses of the period of the diama, had been provided, and the stage throughout presented a number of pictures that were of themselves sources of delight, the only diaw-back being that from some parts of the hall it was impossible to obtain a complete view of the

stage, but that was a misfortnne. a»d not a fault for which blamo can be attributed to anyone. So much as to the preparations ; we have now to speak of the performance. Of course we have no inteDtion to give a detailed criticism, for criticism is disarmed by the youth of the performers and the fact that names were withheld. The programme was mainly dramatic, Dot to our mind the musical portion must hi ranked first in point of excellence. Chief amoDg the item* under this hearting were Boieldieu's overture to " The Caliph cf Bagdad," and Rossini's oveituie to •' L'ltaliana in Algeria," both played with precision and marked attention to light an 4 shade by five performers upon three piano«, one lent by Mr. Kumshed, and all of good tone and well in tune. Of the two overtures we preferred he latter, for, though tho opening was taken too quickly, Rossini's bright and tuneful music was played with a thorough appreciation of ltb many niceties and constant alteration of enchanting: themes, graceful ru-p, and martial fortnsimoo. The most remarkable fe-'ture of boih perfoimances was that the players kept so well together without any directing biton. and this must be accepted as evidence of the card bestowed upon tbeir tuition. The other musical selections— '_' Warehe ties Troubadours," a duo from '• Belisirio," and the m^rch in " Tannhauser " — weie alto well played. Tin rest of the programme consisted of a prologue and an epilogue appropriate to the occasion delivered by a young lady of tha junior division ; the drama of •• The Heir of the L'Estranges," and the farce of " Box and Cox." Of those taking part in both the dramtic pieces it must be said that all were letter perfect in their parts, that several of them showed considerable aptitude for the histrionic art, and that the assumptions of character were generally well sustained. Of some it must be said that there was a disposition to speak too slowly and deliberately, a proceeding not necessitated either by the character asiumed or by the acoustic properties of the building, which more closely approach perfection than do those of any other large room in Oamaru. Though, where there was such general excellence, it may seem invidious to singlo out individuals for special praise, we cannot refrain from mentioning the young lady who impersonated the Countess of Edgecumbe, for, while her acting was admirable, her singine of snatches from the works of Mendelssohn, Schubert, Kucken, Tosti, and Wallace was one of the delights of the evening. Altogether the entertainment, which was closed with a verse of'tbe New Zealand Anthem, was one that will long be remembered, and all concerned well deserved the vote of thanks proposed by the Hon. 8. E. Skrimski , endoried by the audience, and conveyed to the yonng performers by his Lordship Bishop Moran.