AMUSEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 44, 21 February 1905, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS.

THE JUBILEE SINGER?. The infinite charm nf th" old nesrro plantation melodies fadeth r.ot as the years po by, and the Fi.=k -Tubilee Singers, once a name for manager.* to conjure with, are jxiyin-r Auckland a short visit isgsin. They wer* around t»es<? parts sonic* years and drew splendid audiences to their unique entertainments, and no doubt this accounted for the numerous audience that hoard their per- | fonnanco !a*t night in His M?.jest;y : 3 | Theatre. The present party of singers ' give a highly interesting performance. I The tenor is Mr Clcrence Tisdale. whose avoct-tinibred voice wen him instant popularity. He sang "Just for Toniphi," and as an encore a catchy melody called "An Old Sweetheart of Mine," which he had to repp.at—it caught the 'popular taste in a moment. Mr Harry C. Newton, a white man. is the bass singer. He moderately well such sony-" as "Asleep in the Deep.'" the chorus being supplied by the party. Miss Beatrice Mercer has a very light roicu fur a contralto, bat it is of very jrood quality, and her sinking was both artistic and correct. Iler numbers were "Absent" and (an encore) "An Orchard Cradle Song." song very prettily indeed. Miss Uelh* Gibbons, the "lady baritone." who was one nf the most successful members of the old company, was unable to sina her solo on account of hoarseness, and Mr R. H. Gibbons, the light baritoTn; of the old party, also a great faroorite, took her place, sing-ing Somerset's "Song of Sleep." Tho first verse was sanjr with the hushed voice of which nearly everyone of hi?, race series master, and it was ■ ?ery effective. Ijftter he saiig a ''coon song" of the ordinary type. -'Meiinda." and" hit the popular taste, getting a double encore for it.' One of tho most pleasing items on the programme was the quartette of male. singers, which sanfj "The Soldiers Farewell" heautifullr, nnd in response to the double ensore tlie quaint '"Bull Frog on the Bank,"' and "There were Three Crows, 1 ' of which the audience did not. hear enough. The old plantation songs, which were the. feature of all the previous companies, are, of course, still the mainstay of this company. The choruses were PUHiT in the old -pray —the party grouped round the familiar figure of Profe.-sor White at the or«zau —and with nearly the old freshness and vim. "Steal kway tn Jesus." "The Turd's Prayer," •Vjo,' Man-. Toll the Boll.' , and "The Winter Will >Soon Be Over. , ' were marvels of subdued melody, though the irriixt.ins wasps of the eas-ensfme in the basement spoilt the effect a -rood deal. Brighter and louder songs were "'Good News." ••Stand the Storm." "Rise. Shino.'' and "Het You Ready." rendered with exuberatvfc riponr, and the secular c-horupes "Jingle Bells.' , and "The Rand." which were° an effective relief to the more sombre religious melodies. On the whole the tympany gave a bright, interesting performance, which has much of the old charm to commend it to popular favortr. The company will appear for three or four nights mere only. THE OPERA HOUSE.

"Home Rule" drew a large house at the Opera House last night, when this popular drama was played for the second time by the Tarlor-Carrington Company. As on the previous ni?ht, the hkrhly sensational plot «Jrew frequent "outbursts of applause from the audience. Mr Taylor as Willy Reilly. ■was a great favourite, and sustained his pariTwitb. much sbility. The third performance of ''Home Rule" will be given this evening.