MISS MARGARET COOPER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1489, 11 July 1912, Page 5

MISS MARGARET COOPER.

A DELIGHTFUL ENTERTAINER^ Wellington; has /never heard or seen anyone Jiko Hiss 'Margaret Cooper, tho brilliant entertainer who commenced a bnet season at tjie Opera House last evening before an audience which simmered, then bubbled, and finally boiled with enthusiasm. I'riuiarily .she is a. singer of light SDng» but there arc thousands of such oI id bJio is not one of a crowd. Albvcry songstress deems it a duty to f?' v p right; relief in an encore to her more staid, ;md pretentious opening solo, often will/out the slightest appreciation of tho tad; that the airiest of songlets demand jis much art, if not voice, as the most It'iJrHl of arias. Miss Cooper has realised 'Jiac, and more. She lias welded licr gift i . KOU £ ? 1 )d refined comedy to an admirable facility as a, pianist, with a result v,-holly delightful. True, her voico' is diaphanously light in texture, but it is ono of peculiar sweetness and penetration, and thanks to a perfect enunciation it is almost impossible to miss a word, even in iho speediest of lier patter songs. With a dainty gaiety sho snaps her fingers, at the accented.couons of accompanying, and makes the instrument express the esßonco of the- spirit of the song, be it broad comedy, pathos, or tragedy. Her every offott. is graced by delicacy null artistio point, even to the warning gesture sho makes to check t ilo applause even as she sustained a note ■when thoro was something more to follow, khe w-as accorded the reception of an established favourite, a confidence/ which was not misplaced. Her opening number was "My Moon," a nrcttv little song by l'elissicr (of tho London Follies), a dainty conceit to which Miss Cooper gave romantic expression. Tn "Agatha Green," a gay lit.tlo airship lilt of the Berio-eomic order, sho opened her comedy shop, nnd ]Ust romped into tho affections of the audience,- and followed;it up with a catchy song entitled "Let ns Waltz Round Tof l'/lr'' " m '° a tragedy in humour ?o il ps of Skin's," end in "Peter" (Scott Gnlty) brood humour was associated with a tono of tenderness in n delicious manner. Then camo a few excursions into character in "Catch Me," and hanpy naivete in "Philosophy," "Jariio 1 ' was exquisitely comic, and "My Dusky Maid, was rippled through with vivacity. Another gem was "Hullo, Tul"> m which she personated a poly-' f;' lot of lovers with engaging humou/.'. W hat Hot and "Waltz Jfo Aroiuid Again, \\ lllio, were also lively contributions to the list of songs. To add to her manifold qualities, Jlis9 Cooper has a lissome figure, an expressive face, au.d a luce taste in frocks.

Miss Cooper is supported by a qu.artet of thoroughly _ chpable artists. Mr. H. Scott Leslie _ is a humorist nnd raconteur of ability, with an easy "at home style oil the platform. He sanga.song of boredom, entitled "Nothing Now," which mas deliberately rather' than spontaneously humorous, but he was quite convincing in a sketch of the London shims, entitled "Don't Know, Don't Care," and reached the risibilities of his ftudicnco in a disquisition on "Pa{>er-bag "Cookery." In the monologue, "Tho Green Rye of tlio Yellow God," ho scored dramatically, mid raised guffaws with a few snap-shot stories, ancieht and'modern. Mr. Horace Witty, tho baritone of. the company, is a. distinct acquisition. Ilis voice is musically resonant, <lmd is Used witlrn. Rood deal of artistic restraint:. Ho sung "Rose of My Heart" (Lohr) very pleasingly, but was even better in tho same composer's jovial «Mig, "The llingei's," a song which is bound to bo popular amongst baritones with a seilso of humour. "The Admiral's Story" was another capital song in tho same veiii from this prepossessing artist. Signor Manzoni succeeded admirably in demonstrating that there aro possibilities in tho mandolin, an .instrument a little, of which visually goes a long way. Ho induced effects almost ■ orchestral in a fantafin 011 "Zainpa" (Hcrold,) and Ills brilliant Angering in Papini's "Tarantella" and Ovidc Musin's "Concert di Mazurka" proved him to bo ((.'skilled exponent of thp' instrument. Mr. Charles Lawrence nccompanicd efficiently. The programme will be .repeated. this nnd to-morrow evenings, and 011 Saturday a complete change will bo presented.