ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 800, 25 April 1910, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

ORGAN RECITAL. MR. MAUGHAN BARNETT'S ■ "CENTENARY." Saturday evening was notablo in a musipal sense at the recital by Mr llaughan Barnett was tho hundredth given on tlio Town Hall organ. Though tile weather was far from propitious, the. attendance 'was very good indeed, indicating that had'tho conditions been more, favourable Mr. Barnett would probably have been honoured with a record attepdanco. It is an opportune occasioil to remark that these recitals, though attracting , growing audiences, are still not appraised at their truo : worth by, tho public, many moro of whom would put in a tranquil hour in tlie Towp Hall on a Saturday evening if they could be brought to'realise tho deep pleasure and uplifting impulse of Mr. Bamett's recitals. Even iieople whose knowledge of tho great masters is necessarily • small 'or non-oxistent should pot run away with tho idea that tlio recitals are ultra-classical and therefore beyond their' understanding, for there is never a programme without' an overture/ fantasia, minuet, or some examples of lighter, and more familiar work. Yet the tone and character of his programmes are above reproach", from an artistic standpoint, and in arrangement ; compare favourably with those of other organists of repute in the world's, centres. His' extensive repertoire (of 279 pieces, according to a souvenir booklet issued on Saturday evening) is the chief aid to that end, and when; that repertoire is analysed, it is borne in on one how fortunate the city has been to secure so talented an organist as Mr.-Barnett. , " Saturday's programme was 'deeply interesting. It opened with Bach's' "Prelude and Fuguo in. G," an impressive and attractive work, embodying fl' very beautiful prelude, a great pe'dal solo which Br. _B«niett played with laoihtj, and a glorious fugue of rolling grandeur •jn the composer's best style. This was followed by Wider's "Andante Cantahile," an excerpt of much placid charm from ■ the composer's fourth symphony. This pianissijiki were ?omewl|f(t'marred by the audible' ingcljpßjoal action probably of some of tho pistons., . It was so noticeable in J'double piano" passages that it wasias if. someono was knocking with a ha'mjner .inside- the organ. This ia a de-. feet that should ho romodied without delay. , Mendelssohn's "Sixth Sonata;'' is riot, perhaps, 'the most-interesting of the master s works, but it is brightened. jby an andante of. unsurpassed beauty and niusieianly elegance. The 1 prelude from Debussy's "La Demoiselle Elue" ivas pretty and unoonventioiia].,. Tho piece-de-resistance, if! it could be so called, : was' the ".Peer Gynt" suite of. Grieg, niado familiar, Hero by tho Exhibition Orchestra. Grieg was a genius. He'.could tako a brief, air and present it in a hundred different tonecoloiirs the"One : melting into tlio other with subt|e charm, Grieg's tions caii be. admirably suggested 011 the organ ap Mr. Barnett demonstrated 011 Saturdiiy evening when' ho played the wholp four mevercents—"Morning," I'TJie' Death, of .Ase," "The Daneo of I Anitra," and : "In tho Hall ;of , the' Mpnntaiii King," Mr. Barflott's tempo in the last mpypment . was open to criticism. W}ien; interpreted by an orchestra the' fantastic opening air—t|ie theme of . tho movement—is played most deliberately by tho basoons, and ) from that works up speed right to the! clashing climax. ' Mr., Barnett took tho opening too quickly, and. reached his maximum speed before it was duo. Tho programme .concluded with, a long fan-, tasia on Gounod's "Faust,", embodying mpst/pf.bes'c-Jnioivn solos, and con r . -eluding.-.^yith''t|ie "Soldier's Chorus.','' During the recital Mr. .Baniett an-' hounced j that the same programme would be presented on Saturday oven-, ing next.' , . ;

. "THE NIGHT OF THE PARTY." It was a jargo and thoroughly satisfied audience .wjiich. rose to depart wlien fclie curtfiiri . or .tho' closing scene of ,"Tho. Night of the Party,", after a' most successful performance of-that diverting comedy by tho members of the Willoughby Comedy Company at the Opera House on Saturday evening.' The,clandestine reception given by that fello)v of infinite resource, Crosby, the valet, to ■ selected members of the- 1 >servitorial". profession from the ."inner" Slid "outer 'circles',". in. liis masters .rooms, thd-.entertaining complications created iby . tho .untoward return of. the "master,'.?- .with-, their amusing -after developments, all .combine to produce a comedy, rich in mirth-provoking tioiis, and in the bands of suqli capable actors as, arp included in Mr, AVilloughbyis company, an entertainment of distinctly-' artistic merit. The comedy will. be. repeated this ■ ovoning. I, The last: three' nights of the season »re advertised-

: ' THEATRE ROYAL. , ■ There was-large, attendance at the Theatre Royal'on Saturday night, whenseveral favourite artists of the Fuller VaudevillQ Company made .their -last appearances. before going on to 'other places in the circuit. A new programme is announced) for; to-night, when Mr. Tom Armstrong and Miss Priscilla Verne,' Messrs. Heath and Lamb, and tho "Three Starrs" will, no doubt, receive a popular welcome on their return to Wellington." •

, THE KING'S THEATRE. ' Tho prize matinee and evening exhibitions of West's and the Royal Pictures at the King's Theatre, on Saturday,, receivod'their duo measuro of support frojn. the public, wiich has. shoW. its unmistakable. appreciation;- of the fmo series of films which were screened for. the first time on Wednesday last. These will be repeated to-night and tomorrow evening, giving place on Wednesday evening to a new selection of films. . . HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Both the ihatinee and evening exhibitions of Fulllers' Pictures at His Majestys Theatre, Courtenay Place, on. Saturday, were very successful. The current programme, which includes some particullarly fine films—"The Cloister's Touch," "Tho Woman from Melloris," and "Rapids, in Finland"—will be shown again to-night and to-morrow evoning. On Wednesday evening an entirely now series will he presented. - f .-

STAR PICTURES. On afceount of St. Thomas's Hall being let to Mr. C. J. Crawford for his Mayoral election meeting this cvoning thero will ho no display of Star Pictures to-night; The management announces that there will be a complete chango of programme to-morrow evening.' t GEORGE MARLOW'S DRAMATIC , COMPANY. Tho box plan for the forthcoming production at the Opera House of tho successful drama, "Married to the Wrong Man," nest Thursday ovoniug (April 28) by George Marlow's Dramatic Company,; will be opened at the 'Dresden.'Music Warehouse this (Monday) morning at 10 o'clock. "Married to the Wrong Man" is a drama that has/hit the tastes of all classes of audiences, with sensational and romantic incidents, and a grand climax, developing intense intorcst a3 tho story is unfolded. The play deals with the doings of an innkeeper in Portsmouth, who has a girl in his charge whom lie believes to be an heiress. After tho wedding with his son, a captain in the .British Army, it is discovered sho is

a pauper, and shortly afterwards there appears upon the scond a "gentleman i anker" who has fallen in love with the girl. The husband, wishing to fly the country to avoid activo service, after a stormy interview, sells his wife to tho hero for a sum of money. - Then thero ensues a number ,of situations, cleverly worked out, and aided by scenic and mcchanical cffccfcs. Day sale tickets will bo available at Christeson's on Wednesday morning next.