ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 816, 13 May 1910, Page 6

ENTERTAINMENTS.

GEOEGE MARLOW DRAMATIC ■COMPANY.

The last performance of {he. dramatic success, "As Midnight Chimes" \rill be given by the George Marlow Dramatic Company at the Opera House this evening. To-morrow (Saturday) evening the company will present, for the first time here, another English and Australian dramatic success, "That Woman From France," by Frank Thome. An Auckland journal, in referring to , this piece, ■which recently ran there for several) performances to packed business, said of it: "The latest of the new plays is every whit as sensational as its predecessors, but the vein of comedy running through it acts as a relief to the, tense situations developed as the, play proceeds." Further on the critic remarked: "The play, -is particularly well, mounted, the scenic attraction's being very noticeable. The characters are all woll sustained. The story deals witli the doings of the Countess Donati, who is the Queen of a gang of swindlers, and her various efforts at securing a fortune and getting rid of obstacles from her path provide numerous thrilling situations. "That Woman From' France" will only be produced on Saturday and Monday evening. The last two nights of the season, Tuesday and Wednesday next, will be devoted to "East Lynne," which drew very largo houses by the company in Auckland. .

THEATRE ROYAL. A good programme is provided for lovere of bright vaudovillo at the Theatre Koyal this week. Among the principal performers aTe Tom Armstrong and Priscilla- Verne, Raleigh, the high-wire cyclist, the Klimos, Cecilev Stephano, Ivy Goodwill, Victor the Great, and Frank Yorke. Sucli a list of artists must lighten the cares of the theatre-going public. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. There axe few who do not appreciate a good picture show, to judge from the crowded audiences that are drawn along Courtenay Place of an evening;. This week's programme at His Majesty's is a particularly good one, and deserves well of the public. A matinee performance will be given, to-morrow afternoon. KING'S THEATRE. A number of new pictures were introduced into the programme at the ,Kmg a Theatre last evening. These included a fine series of views in an Italian cotton mill. Other good pictures are The Power of the Press," "The Jump to Death," "A Box of Chocolates, and a good Foolshead comic. A matinee performance will be given to-morrow, when each child will receive a present. STAR PICTURES. A good programme of animated views is being presented at St. Thomas's Hall this week. There will be a matinee performance to-morrow.

GRAND OPERA IN ENGLISH; This morning at nine o'clock the box plans will be opened at, the Dresden for the first six nights of J. C. Williamson's grand opera season. Heavy advance booking is anticipated. "Madam Butterfly" will be presented with Mile. Bel Sorel and Miss Amy Castles alternating the part of "Madam Butterfly," the simple-minded and devoted Geisha girl.' Although the setting of Puccini's work is Japanese, and from that fact derives its colour and picturesqueness, the intrusion of Western civilisation is typified by the uniform of the United States naval lieutenant, Pinkerton, the white lounge suit of Sharpless, tho American Consul, and tho Paris confection of Mrs. Pinkerton. In this there is the dramatic value of contrast, while there is also marked significance 'in it. The Dresden . correspondent of tho Now York "Musical Courier," the recognised musical journal in that city, recently reported the first performance in Dresden, the most conservative art centre of Europe, of Puccini's "Madam Butterfly," thus:—"ln emotional intensity the music is a monumental testimony to the adaptability of the Italian school. Such a continual and gradually increasing climax, with not even a moment of anticlimax, is rare, and further it is a tribute to the composer'., sustaining power." It is perfectly wonderful the way that Puccini weaves in the emotional themes, now American, now Japanese, combining Japanese music with lus own Italian art. It is wonderful. Signor Roberto Hazon has the direction of a remarkably fine orchestra. The musicians having been selected 'as tho very ltest at present in Australia. .Signor Hazon will make his first appearance here with this organisation This gifted musician must be ranked as one of tho world's foremost conductors Of Puccini, the composer of tho opera, a well-known English critic has observed:— "Essentially he is a man of his own generation, the one whoso music has caught up tho spirit of his time, and he has mado his compact with that time in order that he should not lose anything which a contemporary generation might £JYo him."