"WILLIAM TELL."

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1928, 10 December 1913, Page 7

"WILLIAM TELL."

WriLLIXOTOX .IHJSICAL FXIOX. A!Ukiii-|i (li t . Town J !a)l w«;; nnf liliod bi-t ovemii}.; ivhen tin: WcHiuyliiii ALusiI'iiM'ninii. simp; .l(i>s:-iilii';; J'ainotis <ipera, "Wiliiaiti Tell,'' thero was i!i't<'i'i.holfss a (ioiKt :ih(lk.-iio(>—and .-iiijirec.-iiifive. 'file n-.H.sifi of "Willitun Tolf" is more or less well known to Xew Zealand audiences, alihoiii.;h iierformaiiceK of the opera as such are extremely rare. in I'tiw,, it is diiiiiil.l'u! if Jiossini's inaster[lioeo has (!i-pr heeii in-riornied on the sta",i> in New Zealand. Kvery (ipent must nf ennrsu xnll'er by the ;i!.iKeii;:e oi"ida(.;csidlinji and driunalie ai-lion. "William Tell" is an opens full of life ami action, am! many of the conuinsor's most subtle paints are lost when the music i« not accompanied by the appropriate action. There were several most noticeable inKt.iiH'cs of this in last night's tierfonniince. In spit? of fhis litindie.ip, hmvever, (lie. Jlnshial Uiiinil, under the liaton of J.lerr Car! Slauer, gave a, incut pleatdns runderiit"; of the. opera. "Vi'illiam Teii" is a very luiie; ivork, and it Jidd ti> he "cut" considerably in order that tit" performance blhji'iM jiot extend over an imreasunahlo length of time. Tho "cut;;" were- .iuiiiciotisly i.nade, aj-

tiiouj;li il seemed a pity that ko in Will of the orchestral music, which is a feature, of thti opera, should have to he omitted.

The principal artist was MndauieHvelyn "Ashley, who sails t'ho part of Jlati'lda, u prineess of the House of jUapsbm-fr. Aladamo Ashley possesses a sivout, yet resonant, voice, which was ailini'rab'lv suited to the music of Jier

IJiirl. Klio had so oral beautiful songs t;> sin;;, both .'iloiie or in conjunction with other.principals, and on every occasion i'lie was heartily applauded. Air Frank Graham was cast as Arnold, perhaps the most arduous part in the opera. Although lis had a" great deal of singhi}.;, Air', Graham's line- . tenor voice was as swv-ci and true at tho end as at -the begiimins; of the pei-forniance. At limes ho iras diffifilit to lionr, his vcico bciiio drowned l>v the orohestra, hut his siiiffing on tho whole was distincilv o.ood. Airs. 1!. M. Wilson as Jemmy (Tell's son), and Miss Mm) Driscoii. as lln<lwifca (Toll's wilV). both had onerous parts, in wiiiuis they acquitted I'lienisclves with credit. Air, L'oniteiiay V. Aiohr instilled a fair amount _of dramalic fire into (iesler's nr.isic, while J!r. Charles Clnrkson was also efkctire ;;<3 Toil. 'I'lieso two singers Here ;d t!;cir host in the hist scenes, where (ho tyrannical (.'osier orders Toll to snoot the iioplo from his toil's head, and afterwards p::vs for his crsioUy with ins Inc. Air. Jlo'h'r also sMVi the musio oi Lculhold "'iio other principals were Jlr. Kdwin Uro (Walter I'urst and Alelciili,ah, and Air. James Calvert (Rudolph ami iluodO. Tho chorus was-not large, but was excellently balanced, and sanj; uniformiv well throiighout. The opera abounds with line rlßruses. several of which wero exeellcntlv rendered. 'J'l'.e orchestra— which eoiitained an unusnnHv large proportion of ladies—suffered considerably liv lliu necessary "cultinp;" of the opera, niaiiv fine nieces of instrumciual wusic haviiiS to he omitted. The players, however, acquitted themselves with credit. Tho 'overturn was skilfully, played, ana tho accompaniments throughout the performance wore intelligently rendered To-morrow eveninc t1»o mop. will glvo a ooncrrt, at which all the I>rmcinais will appe.ir.