THE THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 264, 27 July 1918, Page 11

THE THEATRE

(By "Sylvius.") Capiiclli To-night. Cappelli, this gifted tenor nf the O'on"/..iles Upem Company, and the oi one ui. this iiitet tenor voices tieard by (lie present generation in .New Zealand, is to sing at tho Crand Opera House tonight. Tho announcement should be sufiicient to fill the tbeuli-e. tjood tonor.s lire as iv,re as perfect pearls. There are Unors oi' a sort, ionic with a' chronic irhueze, some with an incurable hnskiness, others just baritones with a kink lor the upper regisier. Ku.ro birds lira your true tenors. John .U'Cormick was one of I.lmm, and. he has made thousands by using his talents to please tho public and not attempting to soar above their heads. Phil Newbury had a glorious tenor voico a qtmrier of a century ygo, but something in it went a-uiissing and it never camo back, aud now his voico is simply an empty echo of what it was. Gasparri, tho very admirable tenor, who visited its with Emma Calve, inoro nearly, approached Cappelli than any artist I can recall off-hand. Gtisparri was, like Cuppelli, a. handsome man, aud a good actor, but his tone hud not tlio velvety quality of Cappelli's. Away back, Armes Beaumont was an ideal tenor, following the Sims Heeves model, ulwuys artistic, always wonderfully sympathetic in the old ballads. Otto of our later loves wits Paul Dufuult, not really a teuor "assolnta," bill with tenor cjttiility in o. high-pitched baritone voico. Dufault could never, for example, sing the leading teuor rots in any grand opera. To do 'that a tenor must have tlio C above tho clef in his range—Paul could ninmige the A natural, His peerless artistry as an interpreter made him deservedly popular. Now wo aro to have Cuppelli again—Cuppelli of the impeccable tone. Ho (lid not project a deep impression as an actor, though always picturesqua and in the picture. It was tlm suave liquidity and music of lm tone that held tho'public entranced. It will bo interesting to hear him in concert; programme. Cappelii is- well supported. .Tolin Aiutidio is an artistic flautist—a wonderful executant and a tine tnnisl. Miss Veronica Bedford, the soprano, is a daughter of Mr. Kandolf Bedford. ALT,.A., tljo well-known .'iu<i;raliiin journalist, .and-, Signor Lncipn Cisaroni is a basso (also late of the Gonzales Company). Mr. John Ilopkins stands behind the enterprise. "Tlio Bing Boys Are Here." i Though not here yet "The Bing Boys" will certainly be hero next Saturday, when they will frolic and frivol in the mode and mood of the moment through tho whole of this merry revue's fuse,in,uing eleven panejs. "The Bing Boys" lias probaby had its biggest advertisement from tlio soldiers who have returned from tho Old Country after ' gallantly doing their bit. Its run in London was not measured by. weeks, but years, and with eucli joy frivollcrs as Geo. Koliey and Geo. Grossmith it looked as though the revue would go on for over, but tho inevitable changes in the cast, and the eternal craving for something new at length brought tlio run 'to a conclusion. In Sydney the Williamson management staged tho revue, not without a doubt that tho matter was rather Londonesque, but it proved a veritable boom, running for fourteen weeks to amazing business. Tito chief, fuu-makers are Jack Cannot and Leslie Holland (us tho Buys), who are aided by such talented people, as Miss Minnie Love, Xellie Payne, Maie Bnird, and-Clyde Cook (who does some astonishing dances). The spectacle in "The Bing Boys" is said to be on a 'pantomime scale of elaboration—only more so. "The Deemster." Hall Caine, tlio author of "The Deemster." which is to be screened at tho King's Theatre on Saturday, A2l, wider the direction of E. J. Carroll, is probably tho best-known writer of l-eal-istiv, iietinn in tho world. For thirty-iivo years he has never been output the public eve, ami to-day his articles on tho l-iuropean war are eagerly sought for. - Pruducci-s claim there aro three essentials lo success in the making of « special featuro -film—a story widely read, an.author widely known."and a convincing dramatic'• aud pictorial interpretation of the .subject, It is claimed that Hall Caine, his work and his company strikingly fulfil thesu requirements. Mr. Dei-went Hall Caine, the author's son and 0110 of the best romantic actors of the English stage, takes the part of Dan Al'ylrea. Mr. Edward Branseotnbe, who organised tho original Scarlet Truabadours and the Bandies Companies, has decided to [ 'teach singing and music in Christchnrch.