ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 51, 24 November 1919, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

"11, TROYATORE." Such was tho siiccosh that attended tho choral ]>?rforimuiw> of "II Trovatoro" last year that iho Wellington Chora! Union, at tJio rwiuest o)' many, decided to include it in this year's programme. The work has Iwe.n in rehearsal for Iwo months past, and from tin: form the chorus and orchestra is now in the performance* to-morrow evening should be iin entirely successful ono. The cost is only tho same ns last season in two instnmjo?. Miss Teresa M'Euroe having been retained to sing the rolo of Leonora and Signor Lueien CccMironi will wico inoro appear ns Forrn.ndo. Mnnrico on this occasion will be Mr. Hubert 10. Curler, of Auckland, who (it lato (in "Faust'] and "Moaos in Eijypt") has been winning golden eneoniunis in his own city for his artistic singing. Miss Kileen Driscoll will sinj; tlm famous rolo of Azucenn, to whom falls tho aria "Stuidn Iα Vainiia," and Mr. Reg. Blow, of Wellington, lias been entrusted with the very arduous and important -part of the Count di Luna, sung Inst your by Mr. Len. Harnes. The performance will ba given.under the baton of Mr. H. Templo White, whoeo ability as a trainer of voices in ensemble has l>een established in Wellington for some tinio now. A full operatic orchestra will bo employed. Seats should be booked at once at tho Bristol. PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA. Tho Professional Orchestra is to bo congratulated on tho work it has s>o efficiently . accomplished during tho past season. Excellent proenumnes, involving much study and rehearsal, havo done much to keep alive the interest in orohostrnl music in AYcKinctpn; indeed, without its aid AVellington would be in a parlous way lor lack p_f artistic fare of this kind. Last evening's programme was a fitting crown to a year's effort. It opened with tho Homeric prelude to tap third act of "Loheucrin" (Wagner), with its majestical and authoritative work for the heavier' basses. Following, the orchestra played that gem of purest rav in orchestral oveiiures, Mendelssohn's "Fingal's Cave," played recently under tho baton of Mr. Alfred Hill, This number S3 o£ intrinsic beauty, with its wealth of interlaced melodies for strings and ■wood-winds, and its rarefield spirit, which wero nioely incorporated, and the lovely finale ivas played with a fineness and delicacy altogether -charming. Another number imbued with that alluring sentiment of which Verdi was such a past muster was the prelude to "La Traviata," which employs the strings mostly to extract the sweetness from its melodies. The prelude made such an appeal to the big audience that it hod to '.<> repeated. One never tires of Gounod's "I'aiiet," and the fantasia of airs irom that opera was ono of the moet comprehensive and well arranged that has been heard in Wellington. It was Magnificently played. Sibelius waa represented by his weirdly beautiful "Valsc Triste," marked by eerie gradations in juxtaposition to tiie expected, but. uniformly Interesting and arresting. The Gtrinqs alone played Fariroul's "Plume au Vent," a dainty little piece of much charm, Finally the orchestra played tho heavy and exacting overture to AVngnerV "Flying Dutchman," a eigimfii piece of tone colour, in a masterful mood, su#giisting in a storm of music the chno» of the sea in.its wildest mood, with the "Dutchman"'theme coming through the smothei; from the horns and trombones lit tin frajmentfirily willt flashes of tho purest melody. Tiie authority and force of Wagner were veil depicted in the orchestra's represpiitotiori and the conductor's rending oi the score. Mr. IT. Mosehini, the enih.usiastic and painslakinz conductor, directed the orchestra with fine limWstandim' throughout the evenine. nud ho and those under him are entitled to fin music-loving public's gratitude and -tlni'iks for the pleasure given last ovonh , .!* and throughout the season now closed.

THE CHRISTMAS ATTRACTIONS.

The previous'*' ."•nnoiinred ar'-nugempiit that thp Chrisliiias-and-Nfiiv'-Year dates nt flip. Gnmd finpra Hon*c were; to bo filled by'the Willin-msoii Drnmntic .Com-, pany. Haded !>'" AHa? Muriel Starr; has been altsr'd;- T'lat-ebmnanj, which rouimeiicfs a'iVew" Zsiilini' tour bt Auckland on Pwmher I. i« '.il.» ;, i rhristehiu'ch fc Christmas, ninl the >fp.sio!il Cxinodv fmiwy, plnvin" TT'iele" and "Gcini; Up." wilV fill in the Cliristfiiw ""nsp'i i'i AVellinslon. Air. Till" Pan , " I ', who is at ;n AVnl(iiivfon. will lfav« in n wck's f'tm , for .Auckland to man-j-e tho Muriel Starr" Company. ' .- .