ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 487, 21 April 1909, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"THE MERRY WIDOW." The theatre-going public are held, by tho glamour of "Tho Merry Widow." Who shall • Bay whera it exists —in tho music, tho dresses, tho smart dialogue, tho haunting waltz theme that obtrudes through the mazy orchestration? It is;not in any ono of these delights, but in tho gay ensemble that,tho. '■ fascination of the opera exists. Ono would be incomplete without tho-other. "Tho Merry Widow" was to have closed her Wellington season to-morrow evening, but owing to tho spoil which has charmed play-lovers into sooiug tho opera over and over again— , the same faces liavo boon seen there moro than twice—a judicious management lias do-, cided to run tho '.'Widow" up till Friday evening. Many suburban residents, who aro unable to get into town at night, will' bo v.' atforded-a last opportunity to see tho opera ' at the matinee porformaiico to bo given this' afternoon. . v : ' • , I .... On Saturday evening tho Royal Comic Opera Company will bo seen for tho first timo m New Zealand in Paul Ruben's greatest 6Uc- • cess, "Tiio , Dairymaids." "The Dairymaids" is said to bo 0110 of tho most tuneful aild, pleasing productions cf ita kindj differ- '•••■ ing completely , from tho "Merry Widow." It is far lighter and moro irresponsible, full ' of bright fun and clover comedy, bordering ■ on faVce, In its, own way it has rivalled ' the ..success' of tho " Widowthroughout Australia. It can oi)l.v bo played for fivo nights, and a maitineo will also bo giveh. ROYAL PICTURES. Tho public-are reminded that tho usual - complete clnuigo of programme will bo made ■ at His Majesty's Thcatro this evening. Tho now series of pictures aro said to includo tho beautiful and the oomical, tho artistic and > tho dramatic. • . ' .THEATRE ROYAL. "Lured to London" is still tlio dramatio ' . attraction* at the Theatro Royal, where-tho . Edwin -Geftch Dramatio Company is enjoying a successful season. Tlio play: is of tho, "villainy .vanquished and virtue triumphant" order, and thbugh lacking in subtlety it is well , presented by v a 1 company of experienced players. .Capital performances, aro given by Mr. ■ Robert Iriman as Leslie Carrington, Miss Ethel Buckley as Natty (ail outcast), Mr. .. Kenneth Hunter as tho arch-villain - Geoffrey Carrington, and Mr, J, P, O'Neill; , as Jako. Gamble. Tho play is well mounted, and: runs smoothly throughout. ' ■ Noxt Saturday evening tho Wellington public will bo introducod to a now drama that has proved a great success; wherever pro- ' duceu—"Tho lirolicn Home." 1 WEST'S PICTURES. . ."Tlio Mystery of Edwin Drood," tlio fino ' - film now being shown at tho Town Hall, marks a now departure in kinbmatography. : In this mannor tlici chief incidents of any " novel eked out hy an occasional nqto of ex- •• planation, i can bo presented With'startling clearness in tlio spaco of a fow minutes, au'd it is only ii : matter of tinio when tho latest ' success in .fiction will bo. acted at oiico beforo the 'kiiiematographio, camera, and sent 1 out to all parts, of. the world, mayho,in advanco of tlio book, itself. Thc.\wo'rks of Charles Dickferis alono open up a' wido field for .animated photography, / aud ' would bo welaimcd with ; more warmth than the ofttimes overdrawn tabloid. dramas' so vividly r onacted by'tlio; French.' J Tho present pro- ' gramme contains a fino assbrtment of .scenic, > comic, and v dramatio pictures, calculated to please tlio most fastidious. . MADAME MELBA. 'Perhaps the greatest compliment over paid' Madamo Alelba ! is 1 that, implied in; tlio oiHoial statement , by \ tho ,'. Coveut Garden Royal Opera Syndicato',' which shows that' in tho matter, of .remuneration tho Australian prima donna'.'stands -.in • a class by . horself. Every; season..the greatest, men and women / singers of all Countries foregather at Covont ■ Garden, and, among air theso operatic artists there' is, none who can.ioommand .or justify the fees paid to Madamo Molba. Dur- -:■ mg tho twenty years since her debut up to , the present timo, tho only two singers who during auy' season ' received remuneration at '>v all near that regularly paid to Molba . season after, season, wero Calve and ' Jean do. Reszke. In view, of tlio rumours that liavo been jfublisljcd concerning fabulous sums - paid to ditforftnt' singers, this authoritative pronouncement from tlio managerial syndicate is interesting, doubly . so since, prior to Melba's;day, British singers had to bo oontont with a tenth part of tho. sums paid to' continental singers-, of lesser talent. By her great gifts she lias created for tlio - singers of her own ; race, tho inspiring procedent of an unequalled supremacy. .. . WELLINGTON . SOUTH; CARNIVAL.' The Skating, Rink was the scene of a gay and'busy gathering last evening, wlion tlio ' sthllhpldors and assistants mado a special eifort for the; second last night of tho Catholic Carnival. .To-night tho. art union will be drawn, hnd, at ,ths close of tlio evening, tlio'remainder of the goods-.will-bo sold by ! : auction. The management is highly pleased with _Mie .results,, : and .to-night, patrons'aro promised good entertainment. . ; Tho Ladies' Auxiliary of tho Y.M.C-A- is - advertising a,concert to bo held to-night in I tho V.M.C.A. hall. The programme includes tho comcdjetta. "Up-to-Date."