ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 220, 10 June 1908, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

. ORGAN RECITAL. MR. MAUGHAN BARNETT AT THE . : TOWN. HALL. . Organ.-music is an acquired taste, and, thanks to Mr...Maughan-.Barnett,- the most cultured' and enthusiastic exponent of that class- of music in Wellington, tho public is week 'by week demonstrating an- improving palate. ' There .was'/qflite.a good audience present at. the Town Hall last evening, despite tho- unfavourable weather, and they .were more- than' -ordinarily' appreciative. - "In'several instances last evening Mr. left the beaten track in .order to treat his audience to-the works of lesser known composers,; an innovation altogether acceptable to those not-absolutely wedded .to the classics. The included an-attractive " Marcho '.Celebre" by Laclinor, a little-known''but gifted German composer, who died nearly a-Score of years ago; the' Andante in .A of Borowski, whose compositions for ;tho piano are better known than-those for'the organ, but are always •musicianly. and graceful. -.: Still another num;ber that' pleased; tho; popular ear was the, overture ". Si j'etais Roi" by .Adolphe Adam,,a French composer -of; light, opera - of half a centuryvago.' This overture. was. marked by a ; delightful .-'airiness - that characterises' tho'French bits' of the purest melody that lent themselves -to pretty combinations, thrown into, bright contrast with flambuoyantly j massive ' periods, played with artistic discretion by, the organist. A quaint Composition .was; the .Pastorale of Zipoli— really an imitation, of .the itinerant musicians of rural' Italy—a -flowing 'air on tho piccolo meanderrag through'.'a. resonant bass drone.' Easily the best , number on : tho programme was- Mendelssohn's, Sonata,- No. 6,-fwhich takes the form of. masterly, variations of the old German chorale. "Vat-er. unser in Him'mebuch.". The .chorale ,is first given out in manner -religious, followed by the same air fin.' various solo forms, leading-up to a. bright fuguel movement incurring some merry work ;6n; the. pedal organ, and ends with a tranquilly sweot andante of' rare - beauty. A very charming • transcription of Schubert's weird song "Am Meer," was delightfullv played, a judicious use of - the vox humana", a. stop towards the' end, suggesting the soul of song spilling its transcendent sweetness through tho clear night from its stellar home. Bcccherini's .familiar: Miinuet still remains a favourite.

, • OPERA. HOUSE. The .last performance '.of ('The Prisoner of. Zenda" by the ' Julius Knight-Humphrey, company took place ait the Opera House'last night. This evening the successful chssical drama, ' " Claudian," which has been very highly spoken of by the Australian press,' will be staged. '.The costumes are said to be very handsome, whilst the icenoi-y I\ts been admired throughout Australia. A Sydney paper says:—"Mr. Knight suggests with admirable art the contrast between the arrogance of the haughty and. pleasure-loving aristocrat jn the,, prologue and the gioomy oppression which . has overwhelmed him in the play. . . As Almida Miss Ola Humphrey achieves one of her most notable successes. . Her : qualities as an emotional actress eria.ble her to interpret very gracefully the love scene with Agasil in the vineyard, -while the perplexed ; anxiety with which the girl realises the enchantment cast upon her by Claudian is artfully portrayed." Oiily two v performances can be given of "Claudian," as the three farewell nights will be devoted to a-revival of "A Royal Divorce." . ELITE SKATING RINK. The Elite Skating Rink is proving a popular attraction these winter evenings. The rink is": also open in the . mornings and afternoons, and large numbers ,of beginners avail themselves of the day sessions.' For Friday evening next the management' ■ announce a twelve-lap handicap race, when a large;.number of accomplished skaters will participate. The winner is to receive an engraved gold medal.''

; LECTURE-CONCERT. : Robert Schumann will be the subject of, to-night's lecture-concert (at ' the Sydney Street Room), tho fourth of the series arranged by Miss Beatrice Richmond and Mr. Robert Parker. MK Parker will lecture on the great'composer's work, and a fine selection of musical illustrations, will be . given, including the Sonata for piano and violin, piano quintet in E;'flat,, andante and variations for two pianos) and several, soncs bv Sirs. F. P. Wilson and Mr. P. Hockley. Tonight's concert promises to be one of the best of-the 1 series. -■ <- ■■ ■ Mr. Geo. H. Barnes, manager of Meynell and Gunn s Draimatic-. Company, telegraphs that the company, headed by Miss Madge Macintosh and Mr. Harcourt' Beatty, opened in Auckland on Monday evening to a packed house. The; opening drama was entitled Her Love Against' the .World."

Writing • editorially, the Christchurch "Press" sa)'s:—Tuaneka has long been a pockot borough of the Ministerial party, so that it is not a matter, of surprise that' Dr. Chappie, who. promises a general support to the Ward Government, has boon elected. It is a noteworthy, fact ■ that both Dr! Chappie and Mr. Horn, .who also stood as a "Liberal," aro supporters of tho freehold, and that Dr. Chapnle devoted somo time and enorey'in his speeches to exposing tho singletax heresy, of which the Hon. Mr. Fowlds is such an enthusiastic advocate. It is alßo worthy of note that Dr. Chappie, although a, prohibitionist,'is opposed to any interference with tho three-fifth's majority vote. It was no doubt a great adyantago to him in his campaign that ho w;as born and bred in the; district. Some. of his views, especially thoso ori taxation,' appear to us decidedly crude, but ho is now a man of leisure as well as of considerable energy, and there is" no reason why' he ."should "riot become a very useful member of the Houso when' he has had time to study economic and social questions a;little more deeply. ■ : \ Wood's Qreat Peppermint Cuto . for Coughs and Colds never fails, Is.'6d, and 2s, 6d, CBl