AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 42, 18 February 1905, Page 7

AMUSEMENTS.

OPERA HOUSE

The last performance of "Only a Vagabond" by the Taylor-Carrington Company was witnessed by an appreciative audience at the Opera. House last evening. To-night "Home Rule"'will be staged. This is an Irish drama of merit.. Some new scenery has been specially painted for this play. THE WATER "CHUTEr , The water chute in Custom-street Weat attracts a large number of patrons; The chute will be -open to-night again. • FISK JUBILEE SINGERS. - This ..ever-popular . combination of musical artists arrived on Thursday per s.s. Tarawera from the South. They will enjoy in Auckland a well-earned rest previous to their coming season, which will eventuate on Monday night next at His Majesty's Theatre. The Auckland season, we understand, is to be a brief one. The Dunedin "Times," speaking on the talented company says: "The peculiar melody and captivating harmony of the jubilee choruses lose none of their charm by repetition, and they come as fresh to-day as when' first presented to" a Dunedin audience by the original combination of singers many years ago. The varying stages of religious fervour, ranging from pathos t*> the grote'aque. and'which the choruses portray in.a vivid and unique way, ■ are ■ peculiarly characteristic of the negro race, and it is doubtful if any combinatioif of vocalists. • other than one —which includes a_ preponderating number of the people wiose peculiarities are set out could render the melodies effectively, and convey at the same time the national desire for religious, and racial emancipation. This fact is -apparently recognised by the conductors of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, and in this, to a large extent, lies the secret of the power to attract audiences in localities that have been visited before. In ad-dition" to this attraction, the singers are for the most part, trained vocalists, who thoroughly understand harmony, and e-pecially the harjnony of negro melody and refrainlT The box plan is now open at Wildman ; and.-AF.ey's., ~ .