ENTERTAINMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1996, 2 March 1914, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS.

"ALADDLV w'mi 10 performances of Mr. George s Company at llio Opera House Oft Saturday hrtli drew large audiences, which expressed emphatic; approval oi the inn ami frolic of the pantomime "Aladdin," The ragtime music aßaui niwle a strong appeal to the audience s, and the enthusiasm which the performers pat ijito their work made tho hours pass merrily. The picco, as already stated, is excellently put on, mid goes with a siring from beginning k> end. "Aladdin" will hold tho boards through the Week, and there 'Bill he another matinee on Wednesday. The box plan will open this morning for the remainder 'of the season, ana also for the Wednesday and Saturday 'matinee perftrfmanoes.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE, 'lhe new programme to be submitted by the BrfiMnan-Fidier at H's Majesty's Theatre to-night promises to equal :-n all respects its predecessor, which has won such favourable opinion during tho .past week.' Prominent among-the new artists to mate a first appearance to-night are Sidney Bach, a Welsh entertainer, lyith a big reputation as fii expert performer on the piano, ffftd George Rowley, who, in. his character of the Fashioi'i-'pl.lte American Dancer, presents his original dance seena "A Foot Ahead." 'Agnes Rawes, a pleasing soprano vocalist, and Tom Leonard, a well-remembered comedian, will also make an ■ appearance. The Musical Lassies will gladden. the hearts' Of music-lowers for another week, aiid Jolly Fafiny Rice will , again amuse with fresh impersonations oil her miniature mimic stage. Others to appear are; Ztili, a comedian of the sprightly order; Carlton ami Sutton,< patter purveyors; <nid Vernade, a hand-balancer. The box plan, as usual,- is at the Dresden.

THE KING'S THEATRE, lb-night's new ■"star" at this theatre will b® tho big sensational and spsctaculaj drama of life in Italy slid India, entitied "Between Man and Beast," This film is 450.0 ft. long, and it forms tho whole of the second part of the programme. It was re:pr®d : ncfld by tho makers of the famous picture "Quo Vaais?" and several of 'the atitors who became popularly known in eowvectioji With the latter flow tabs pjifts ill the present production. Th-i stoVy of the ■ptay is described as being exceptionally powerful ftud iuterestiiig, and the action of the piece, NVhich begins ill military circles in Italy, subsequently shifts fea the wildest parts of India, . In this latter, section large space is devoted to tlto representation of big-game hunting in the jungle, wilds, and during its screening many .exciting incidents . a,itd hairbreadth escapes aro .shown, included among whitsh is the- rescue of a. child from tho jaws of a fierce tiger, Ati"* ■other striking depiction is said to he "A Fire at Sea," showing tlio "total destruction of a. huge ocean liner. This is .stated tc> bo one:of the most.costly "effects" ever introduced into ,1 motion picture.. Other filing to lie exhibited .ire: "A Bad Game" (Keystone eontedfV, "Baddy's Soldier Boy" (Vitacraph drama), "Floating Woods ill.■ North Swodeii".(pathc-colour industrial). "G-aii-nioiit Graphic," and "'New- Zealand New.?,'-' Bos plans -aro at the Dresden.

THE EMPRESS THEATRE. The iic",v programme of the- Emp-riiss Theatre continnotis j>ietureji to-day and to-night will minidm.o the. Vita-graph Company's -seiisatiOHat "ieaturo" eireus drama "Tiie Fruits-of Vengeance." The film otcUpies nearly three-qiarters. of ,an hoVir.in tlio sareeningi "It is shown 1 itt the story that a former lady circus performer is. not happy in .liftr' wedded life. Her thoughts often .stray back to the happy tsaics when she Was with tho circus. She invites a tight-rope walker, an old-fimo admirer, to visit her, and they chat pleasantly of days gome by. TJie husband is. annoyed at the presence of the tigiit-ropu walker, and when tlio circus performer has departed the jealous husband threatens to kill his wife. The woman tlien takes her title daughter ■rod reaves the homo to join tjie eirctis with tllft tight-rope Walker, The husband is wildly jealous - aiid - disguises i'limseii in order to became a cimis -proprietor, sutl thus ensnaro tho other I man. He advert;ises tor .a tifflit-rope walker and his. intended - victim, - iio.4 r iecognisifi.g his -enemy, acaeiits .111 eii-gagc-ment- How successful the liusi band is in his vicitfns schcmo to cattse ' ilw dc-aih of his ■■ miended victim fe depicted. tit a sensational climax. 'The Ren n ition cl IJuekmgham Palace" (iutcrest), ami "The Cotterini River'' (scevi-ie) arc among the other attractions.

THE BRITANNIA. • To-days now 'programme at the Britannia includes'.to star attraction a two-reel soiisaticivial drama of the Far North) U A Shroi.id' of Hnow.'' The [ story is described as a remarkable -one 'of love and adveiits'ufe, and is laid amidst scenery of grsnde-ur. Part of tb'.. plot is'unfolded-in tho extreme north oi: Europe. Th©: Supporting cubjeets include a Lubin drama. "Be.tween the Dances," a delighUul little st.ory of a qtrarrei and the. .pleasu.ro of. ffi.tik.ing tip.- A special comedy subjcct is • 'lite Rival. Pitchers," a story of happenings on a baseball field, Another laughter speciality is "Tweed-lediifl), Estoi'tki'Her;" All interesting cdueatioiial subject is "British Birds of Prey, " while the latest important events from ■ditorent parts of the wotH ate shown .'per tho "Topical Gazette,"

[ THE WA6NEE RECITAL. | Tho recital of Saturday sight can only bo described in one way—as a veritable ' triumph for tho executant. Tho oxer--111 res to "Tannhauser," "I'arMfal," and "The Sleistcrsi.ngers," intetsjpersqd with ■sucli trifles as tho "Tosgpiel 1 ' to "Tristan"* and the. "Siegfried" Idyll, formed tho major part of "tho programme. It •was a stupendfltis taSfc liiost brilliantly carried-out, dotrbt, as ; far iiitjue aud flie niere playing-of the ltotes go, there are many organists who could do as « ell, but iu jliterpfeting 01l. ehcsUaS swos and adaptuiß tlieru to Ihrs i capabilities of even such'a fine; inslruI mnnt as thai in the Town Hall, ait in- ' tipiate ktmrledge of tho full sroro is vital, and. tho player must know the actual notes so well that ho can give ...the. whole of his time to registering and altering Iris stops' its Occasion requires, Ooupicd wtih this, a fastidious taste ■ and a dominant personalis in- interpretation are essential, if the. music, is-to convey the meaning tfc 'composer intended. la -cadi otto of these particulars Sir. Pago excelled. Even in the. moist intricate passages in tho "Tai.wwise.r" awl "Mcistersmger" overtures he was faithful in his instrumentation to the score, and, especially in tiro yenusbsrg... .music, h« exhibited that q-iiality so tssseirtial ill tiiis class of music—restraint. Ik irai no jiiero blaring poise. Each motif stood out, and even when the I'iigriros' chant (thumbed v.ith the left hau-il 011 the great, while tlie same ilitiid is playing; 011 the manual above), thundered out in the last section., t-lio descending passages for strings could be distinctly heard 011 the full choir. Perhaps the gem of the programme .was the "Parsifal" averture- Mr. sccnicd to imbue it with a, sense of religious fervour. The exquisitely i« ain " tivo Melody the openiiig; piU't 0(1 by the glorious "Giaitbcus Motif'' (faith ntoii-i'e), fortissimo'oil the brass, again siiiMiieuKl hv (lie _ Dresden Anion pianissimo for strings, with a reiteration of the first subject, form im overture whio.ii, despite same' modsf)'.. critics, shows Wagner at, his best.. The pec* foramiice was a triumph of registration.: Listening with closed ej.es, it w as easy '

t<s think that a full orchestra was play- 4 ing. It was ti.lo sftMe with the Good Friday music, which, though it. sounds simple, in some parts is of great difficulty. In alio ply.co live different melodies have to lio kept going together, which requires ft coal head and- übiquitous hands and foot, The. "Moistersingor overture perhaps lends itself less to adaptation on tlio #igan than do either or the otlici' two. Til 6 p#rts ai'c •tfx* trejn-ely. involved and arc apt to become . bluffed, es])e?iaHy where there is a .marked eelio, as in the Town Hall. Nes-ertheless, the marvellous skill of the organist triumphed over most of the dilficultics. Mr. Page in this juttnhor occasionally allowed his technique to rim aiv»y wit'i liijji. rather the tempo, with the result that some parte oi' the overture were not distinct, It, was, however, tho last item, and ho must lave been hegitihing to feel the strain of such a programme, , Of the lessor pieces may be cited the "Siegfried Idyll" and "O'Star c>f Eve" as being played in perfect taste, and .anyone who has heard tho former given by tho full.orchestra, Mr, Page's registration 011 tho .organ was a revelation. Tjie latter, was encored and part of it repeated, ...

• ttaacGttriug the programme notes, these were conrailed hv Mr. Page himself-, and must £aye occupied liis attention lor a long tine., and involved no little research and trouble. They ans accurate and most helpful in making .clear the composer's ifteaniiig. Such notes, even to the. intelligent reader, are. a great aid to understanding Wagner's music.

The attendance was- ij.uit'e three times as large as on .an ordinary Saturday; night, and some fifteen .hundred peoplemust have been present. . Such an audi* i enco gives- food*for thought. It toll*: sisted not of tlr: tyjo which goes to heaor music because "it is tho right' thing to do," but of the kind that- listens keenly aiid intelligently) and it may bo not unfairly inferred that there is a section,, and a growing section, of the oeirtmu-niiy which has a sotil above ragi timft. .SjHcVl an. attendance should. b& a sufficient answer to tho critics of tfc city onanist who want him to p:l».y variatiwis on "Annie Laurie" m uegrO nu-'odies.' • ' :

In .Mr. Pa.gfr. this city lias an org'anisti of whom it may wcli.bo.p/roud. 11l technique, ' powers of registration, and tiro abieitv 'to give a poetib rendering ~f the works of the great masters, he is second' to none. ■