ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 408, 18 January 1909, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS.

THEATRE ROYAL. At the Theatre Royal a' change of programme was made in .the pictures shown by Messrs. Fullers' Cinema Pathe. One of the most interesting films in the new programme was "The Happiest Day in Her Life." A young girl who has been undergoing preparation for her first communion is talcen suddenly ill. _ While sho lies sick in bed all the other girls who-have been undergoing preparation come in to .'see her, and then file away in their white communion robes. The little one on seeing them go is seized with a great longing to follow, and while.the nurse is out of the room, dons her white dress and slips out into the road. Slowly she drags herself to the church, but she faints as she reaches the steps. She is parried homo and placed in *bed, but, fretful at not having been able to reach the church, she will not take-the medicine which may save her. Then a miracle happens, for sho falls asleep and dreams: that Bne is at her first communion. She wakes up, however, to a strange denouement in which the medicine plays the leading part,- and _ her recovery follows. Among the' other pictures of interest may be mentioned "Wood Floating in France," "The Stonebreaker," "The Depilatory Powder," etc. During the evening musical selections were contributed by Mr. Edgar Collins's orchestra. ■•-'..

'W THE ROYAL PICTURES. There were large attendances at both exhibitions of the RoyaljPictur.es at His Majesty's Theatre, on Saturday, especially in the evening,, when the -accommodation- was severely taxed. The splendid series of pictures were again received with pleasure, especially the too.story entitled "Duty versus Revenge." The programme will be'repeated this and tomorrow evening, a change being made on Wednesday, when'.a special programme will bo submitted to celebrate the first, birthday of tho_ Royal Pictures Syndicate, which will conclude its twelfth month of continuous exhibitions at His .Majesty's Theatre. To-mark the. occasion,.each lady patron will receive a' souvenir..-. On Friday (Anniversary Day) the management will hold a special matinee for children,.when the little ones, who have been consistent patrons "of the Royal Pictures will receive gifts.

• ..-■• ADA CRPSSLEY CONCERTS. Madame Ada Crossley will give the first • A er t»'o concerts in the Town Hall tonight (Monday). Madame Crossley, who has met with enormous success -everywhere in-' Australia and also Zdaland, is accompanied by her talented Company of artists ■ .who havo travelled with her'in England pre--vious to their coming; but here. It is generally conceded that as' fino a combination of' vocal ami instrumental; artists has. seldomappeared together. The. famous contralto will : be heard m three selections; the .first beino•the beautiful largo of Handel, "Oinbra ma! Fu,.. with'organ, violin, and piano accompaniment-; after which Madame Crossley will' smg,_brack<!ted,-the songs '" Traum Duich die Danimerung," by -Strauss, -.-• and- "Leureaux Vagabond," an old French song by Bruneau. In the second part, the devotional . Nearer my, God to Thee,",by Lewis Carey, with organ obbligato, will be Madame Crossley. s. selection. Mr. John Harrison, the noted English tenor, will sing Beethoven's cantata, "Adelaide," and Stephen Adams' iioses. .Mr. 'Jay Ryan, the baritone, is down for the prologue from "I Pagliacci " and the "Toreador" song from "Carmen!" Mr. Percy Grainger will renew his. acquaintance with a Wellington audience by playinom the first part the solos "To tlie Spring! timo and. the Norwegian "Bridal Procession, by Grieg; and, in the second part Romance in F Sharp," by Schumann, bracketed with his own and Stanford's arrangement of an Irish dance. M. Leon Sametini the solo violinist, will play the "Nocturne" by Chopm-Sarasate,,also the gavotte by Bach m the;first part, and the "Faust" fantasia by Wiemawski in tho second. Mr. Harold ; Whittle is the. accompanist, and the organ obbligatos will ho played by Mr. Horace Hunt, the Ml programme is advertised. Arrangements have been-made for a boat to leave for, Day s.Bay after the performance.

NAVAL BENEFIT CONCERT;

.'The men. of H.M.S. Cambrian, now in port, being desirous of doing something to mists those- suffering in consequence of the Encounter disaster (which" resulted in the death of- fifteen Bluejackets), arranged a benefit, concert which was held on Saturday 'm. g - m J he Masoni o Hall, Boulcott, Street, iheir oftorts were rewarded by a crowded house,; arid the entertainment provided was tnoroughiy enjoyed, encores being lustily demanded, after nearly every item. Where all acquitted: themselves so acceptably, -special mention; is perhaps scarcely in order, but the witticisms of Tambo Lawrence were certainly, not the. least successful feature. Tho troupo.was led by Sick-Berth Steward Williams as' Massa Johnson." . A concertina solo Jiy Mr.. Colma. was the only addition to tho naval men's programme, which was as, follows:-Opemng Chorus, "Dinah'sl Wedding, .Troupe; song, "Somewhere," ■lenkins, 0.5.; song,' "Phoebo, Lovely Phoe- 1 be,'.. Clayton, L.S.; song,: "Ma Vergie" l wl ™,, A.8.; song, /'By. the Watermelon Vine," Blake, A,8.; song, r "My Pet Gal " -B ; ; My Annab6lle," Preston, Electn.; song, "Trifling Occurrences,". Semmins, A.8.; song, " When the-Old Church Bells are -Ringing," Williams, 0.5.-, interspersed by jokes from Tambo (Lawrence, Ch. Sto.V-and Bones (Finiiamore _L.S.);.' closing ; chorus, ; "Marching TliroVGeoreia' Troupe; song, "The Singer was Irish," Williams, 0.5.;: song, "Jock T- JIV Taylor, A.B. ;■ reading, "Devonshire Dialect," Preston,:Electn.;.song, "The Longshoreman," Finriamore, L.S.; song, "If I'd Been Born a Girl," Blake, A.8.; diaL ™ r ™ce, Ch. Sto. and' Fowler, L.G.M.; S ong, "The Village Blacksmith,' 1 ii> am ™' B - S ; r 50I ig»' "The Regimental , Pot," Fowler, A.8.; song,- "The Hat M'Guinuess Wore," Semmins, A.B. The accompaniments were played : by Mr. T. Jones ship's corporal. : ■ '

THE CHERNIAVSKIS. ' • ' ; ' The Concert Hall was crowded on Saturday afternoon when the; wonderful Cherniavski boys gave a final performance. The'"Peer Gynt". Trio, in which they mado their first appearance, was marred by the constant interruptions of lato. comers, for whom tho musicians chose, to wait Wween the parts. Mischel, the sinall 'cellist, played Popper's "Hungarian Rapsody" in: a manner phenomenal for his age, ,and ■ responded to an encore. The pianist, Jan, showed his remarkable quality in the solo " Sigolotto" (Verdi—Liszt), and Leo, the violinist, took the house by storm by his fino rendering of Chopin's "Nocturne" : and- Vieuxtemp's "Grand Polonaise." •.Finally the brothers appeared together in Mendelssohn's "Spring Song", and Grieg's "Norwegian . Dance." They returned several timea to bow their.

acknowledgment of tha' applause which followed theso selections, but the audienco would not let them go, and after an interval of vociferous suspense thoy gave a brief encore number. Madame Marie Hooton and Mr. Percival Driver sang several songs very successfully. SACRED CONCERTS. The Opera House was filled last evening, when a sacred concert of considerable merit was given. MissA. Dobbie sang Del Riego's "Spring Song" in a very pleasing manner, and with Mr. Ernest Archer sang Tosti's "Venetian Song." Another enjoyable item of Miss Dobbie's was her singing of Braea's serenade, to which Signor Vitetta furnished a violin obbligato. Miss Florence Hay ward sang Mascheroni's "For All Eternity," and Temple's "An Old Garden," in artistic style. She was also creditably successful in the highly dramatic music of Verdi's "What Voices of Sorrow," which she sang as a duet with.Mr. Archer. Mr. Archer, who was in good voice, was also heard in Godard's "Angels Guard Thee" (with violin obbligato by Signor Vitetta) and Allitsen's "Song of Thanksgiving." Signor John Vitetta played a couple of harp soli, Godergoord's "La Sylphej" and Obcothur's "Sylvana," in an enjoyable manner. A concert will be given next Sunday evening at the Opera House, when Mr. W. A. Robyns will be among the vocalists. . The Town. Hall was crowded last night when a sacred concert was given' by the Wollington Professional Orchestra under theconductorship of Mr. F. J. Oaljes. Miss May Driscoll's rendering of ''Beloved, it is Morn," with organ and'piano accompaniment, was one of the finest items on the programme. Mr. David Kenny's initial appearance as a soloist was marked by two exquisitely played solos—(a) Andante (LefebvreWely), (b) "Offertoire";. (Th. De Bois). Mr. Claudo Allan, baritone', sang "The First Christmas Morn," and-a duet for flute and clarinet was played by .Messrs. A. M'Dbnald and H. Moschini, whilst another duet for cornet and trombone..was given by Messrs. L. King- and H. Oakes. Three items werecontributed by the orchestra, the selection from "Elijah" (Mendelssohn) being exceptionally good.; ■ CLEMENT L.WRAGGE. Mr. Clement L. Wragge, tho world-famed astronomer and meteorologist, will give a series of'scientific entertainments in tho Town Hall, commencing, on Wednesday evening next. Mr. Wraggo's ability as an entertainer on scientific subjects has been loudly praised in every country he has visited. The Kentish "Advertiser," during his recent visit te:England, said:—"He has a finely-modu-lated voice, which he uses with toarvellous effect, which ono might almost term 'musical emphasis,' and enhances his descriptive powers, which are of ho mean character. The splendid' negatives of; photographs taken of tho heavens,', through the agency of gigantic telescopes and. tho sensitive plate,-conveyed to hjs audience some idea of tho incomprehensible hugeness of the universal scheme in which our own little' solar system figures as an ■infinitesimal group of mere atoms, unhoticeable amongst the myriads of suns a'ad planetary systems in. which the surrounding' immeasurable space is filled. : Picture after picture of marvellous beauty, showing portions of the vast space beyond our earth, sparkling with'yet countless myriads of other spheres'," were shown." The reserved seats plan is now open at the Dresden.. . • " SCARLET TROUBADOURS;" The popular "Scarlet Troubadours," who appeared before a crowded and enthusiastic audience on Saturday night* will conclude their season with a matinee performance'in the Town Concert • Hall this afternoon. An. excellent' programmo has been- selected. . BURNS-JOHNSON PICTURES. The Burns-Johnson Pictures will be shown for the first.time in Wellington at the Theatre Royal to-night. : .The promoter of the contest, Mr. Hugh D. M'lntosh, whoso representative, Mr. Harry. Keesing,'is now in town; retained half the rights,in the moving picture interests, and consequently tho operator was given carte' blanche ns - regards position (with tho/exception of the hempen square) space; hence'the day: being most; favourable, the highest results wero obtained by the camera man. The rounds are run off with a .variation of'.-'only-'five' seconds more or less than'the three-minute rounds. So the audience. to-night will see tho contest from start to finish; and as there will be no uncertainty as tot the result, will be able to see it in .greater comfort than those who actually saw it a't the Stadium on Boxhi" Day last. _ . °