ENTERTAINMENTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 90, 10 January 1920, Page 5

ENTERTAINMENTS

"LA B0I1BME."

i Puccini's melodious opera "La Boj j homo' was performed again the Opera House last evening by the Williamson I , Grnud Opera Company hefore- a large ' ! and enthusiastic audience. The cad of j ! characters was precisely the same as that ol last which is tantamount tn paying that it, was est:Mitel,v satisfactory all round. Miss Amy Castles may ahus.vs be relied upon to vocally sraci: tiie music of Puccini, mid it is an uncommon plea?ure to hear her liquid tones flowing through the score. Physically Vis" Castles is not; the ideal ,'tlimi, lisit if pucli a cousiilcratiou were to constitute a bar to performance the majority of the prima donnas of the world would have to stand aside. Tlierein grand opera stands on a diffrrent plane to the drama, where suitability cf personalis is a prime essential. In the cose of Mimi. Hiss Castles not oiily'eing- 'her way into favour, but her actin;r, notably in uie first act, js quite acceptable. 'j'lio male cast of "La lioheme" is particularly strong and well suited. Mr. Walter Wheatley, probably the most experienced performer of the company, not only sings tile role of Ifudoii with sympathy and charm, but his acling-i.3 ingratiatingly free of self-consciousness. aiid etTpctiv'e without effort. Mr. Fred Collier's Schaunard is a bieezy, purposeful characterisation; Mr. Carl Formes is admirable as Mnrccllo. and-Mr. Alfredo Yalenti well cast as Celline. The latter's pinging of the fine ''Song of the Coat" in the final act was a feature. Brightness and mirth were infused into the licit; .role of Jlusetta by Miss Eileen Castles. The opera was sung in English. Special mention should he made of the splendid work of Mr. Gustavo Slapoliski, and his notably good orchestra, This afternoon the. company will lie heard in the popular double bill, "Cavalleria Eusticana" (Mascagni) and "I Paglincci," and this evening the initial performance of "Carmen" by this company in Wellington will be given. The first act of Carmen discloses a public square in Seville, where Don Jo-je is in command of a squad of sol- — diers. Mieaela, a. villagp maiden, rno time his sweetheart, enters with' a message from his mother. Don Jose spurns her, being now in love with. Carmen, a Sj'ipsy girl, who presently enters ill company with other girls from the cigarette factory, where she workf. She tosses Don Jose a rose, which net tills him with delight. Carmen is arrested for wounding another factory girl. Don .Jo«e plans her escape, and they arrange to meet at a lonely country inn. Act II shows the inn, where Carmen flirts with Escamillo, a popular toreador, amidst a band of gipsy smugglers. These persuado Carmen to tempt. Don Jose to abandon his regiment and join them. When they have left, the sergeant enters, find Carmen so fascinates him that, .when his superior officer appears, and orders him to join the colours, he refuses, and escapes with the smugglers after a nieleo arranged by the gipsies. The third act finds .Don Jose in the mountain haiint of the smugglers, still enamoured of Carmen. She, however, lias now turned her affection towards Esaurillo. The latter declares his passion, and is. challenged by Don Jose. They are 1 kept apart by the gipsies, and the toreador departs, inviting them all to the coming bull fight at Seville. Mieaela enters, and, stiil loving Don Jose, seeks to draw his mind away from Carmen. On learning from her that his muthcr is nigh to death, the sergeant returns to liis home. In Aft IV is shown the ante-room of the arena, where Escamillo and Carmen plight their voivs. As the toreador is called to the arena, Don Jose enters to upbraid. Carmen for her faithlessness She repulses him, and the sergeant driven tomadness, plunges a danger i t< her heart at the moment when Eseamilli enters in triumph from the arena. • THE KING'S THEATRE. The initial screening of a superb sen (rational drama of New York life, entitled "Mary Regan," attracted a crowd _ ed house to the King's Theatre liisl evening :on the occasion of the wecklj . change of programme. . "Mary Regan, 1 i, in which the part of the heroine i; ™ played by that doyen of film actresses I? Anitn Stewart, has as its principal tliemi |5 tho daring operations of a polished ganj S3 of blackmailers who gathered within theii W meshes a young society "high-flyor," nr,< a Mary Regan, a girl of fortune and char Q actor on whom, however, the sins of li« m father (an ex-crook) are visited. Th< I? scenes, which aic mostly laid in the ten W derloin joints of darker New York, or< A vividly reproduced. Indeed, there is g action in every foot of the big &even< '§ reeler, which is easily one of tho most § acceptable stories of itr kind presented S tn local theatre-goers. . A new bill wa< |l also submitted by the talented 'Lyric g Concert Part-v—dainty, clever, and ena torb'tiniug. Choic numbers were giver a by Miss Belle Pollard, the gifted Vic--8 torian soprano, Mr. Walter Wliyte, the s well-known .Australian tenor, and Miss j| Stuart, comedienne. The three performft ers also gave several delightful concertS ed items. Tho whole programmes was » rounded off by n series of admirable S selections by the King's Orchestra. I EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. | A "Rogue's Romance," featuring the | accomplished Vitagraph star, Earle Wil- | liams, which was screened at Every- | body's 'Iheatro for the first, limo'yestor- | day, ft a story in which Earlc Williams | has one of tho strongest roles that he ? has ever undertaken for the screen, lie i plays the part of M. Pieard, one of the. ft greatest characters ill French criminal I history. Always known to the police, yet | never brought to justice. Love finally 4 shapes his course, and tho scene iii j which he turns the tables on his police > enemies by uncovering a crime greater | than he ever attempted is remarkably |> forceful and dramatic. He retires from i tho profession of a society "crook" and ? becomes a greater mystery. Tho picture f is full of surprises, and there, is a (■.harming love story. The story, briefly, f is that Mons. Pieard returns from lite i war with the Croix de Guerre, and rei mimes his trade as a "crook." lie lives i at Montoir with three little war orphans J he has adopted. One of the youngsters I, i.s (alien ill al; night, and in hurrying i for the doctor his car breaks down near \ the villa of Anton Deprenay. He enters ' the villa and forces Mile, iloleii to give the keys of the garage, and he gives her * his cross, agreeing to return the car the 1 next day. Then follow complications and exciting scenes, such as the theft and restoration of a valuable necklace. How Picard spoils the scheme .of a notorious "crook" who is try-ins to float a "wild cut" corporation is delightful in its cleverness. "A liogue's Romance" will appeal to all who love n thrilling and exciting story. The Patlie Gazette deals with topical events, and the leader of the Oslend Raid is shown in the United States. A very fine comedy is also screened. RETURN OF MURIEL STARR. Theatregoers will doubtless be delighted to learn that the popular dramatic artist, Miss Muriel Starr, is about to make another visit to Wellington. The season will commence at the Grand Opera House on Saturday night next. She will have .s'upportiug her a powerful organisation of artists," with Mr. Frank Harvey at. the head (who will be remembered for his fine prfornianco as the hero in "The Man Who Stayed at Home"). Also in the company arc Misses Ethel Morrison, Marion Marcus Clarke, Bertha Ballenger, Mollie Taylor, Beryl Bryant, Mat tie Browne, Tessie Lester. .Messrs. Arlhn.r | Styan, J. B. Atholwood. Harold Moran. : Fred Coape, Frank Hatherlev, .Norman . Lee, Frank Alhtnby, Victor Tatnall, , lm j ! the producer, Mr. E. W. Morrison. The piece chosen for the opening production is tho drama, "The -Man Who Came Back." This is not a war play, the plot having nothing whatever In do with any incident of the late war. The "coming back" in lite fogineratmn of i; voting and foolish man. led by a good aml'ljoaii- ■ tifnl woman. This play is said to have i proved the, grrutc.it dramatic success Ausj Ualin, ha l ) had for many years, "It will bo staged for tile first, five nights, and ' will givo way to "The Bird of Paradise," j | a romantic dmnia. with a locale oili-lm! ; ' in Hawaii, and a plav that come,-; will: ; I a fine forwaul reputation, tn "The linn Who Came Back," Muriel Starr will b seen ad Marcello, a cabaret singer, : role said to give her many fine opportunities for the exposition of her art. T'he box plans for the t-vo productions will open at tho Jiristol next Thursday 0 • T(1 ,

SIISS DAISY IvKNXEJDY-TO-MCill'r. C'nvpA'il -iriHi liomiiir.i gained in tlio inufioal coiilros of Kuroiic, aiul triuinplis rcroiilly wnn in Auslrnlia, Miss Daisy Jvi'iinrtiy, (lie Ijrillianl Australian violinist, v.ill j;ivo the l'i]■•:!, of licr i'uiii' Wellington rpciial-- in I lit' Town Hall Concert Chamber (n-nii'iil at 8, njitl>T (lie direction of ,T. and N. 'fait. The young vioiinist ['xieiitkiiially foriunatu in posst'ssing ii; mldi'ini to hor v-markabic jnii.-'ical talents, grnat personal charm, nil'!, u'xivc all, youth. A. [jartii'iilnrly interesting has been drawn up, ivilii a fjrotir» of three Out World elaf-io"':--Variiifioi'is «n a Theme V Corelii (Tnrtini); Chanson Louis VIIT, ot Pavane ,(('(]'.:iiei iu); and Praeludiimi and Alloiiio (i'ii,«nani), followed Ijy the first movement oi the famous Tschaikow.sk, y Concerto in D major. Three unaccompanied piecrs by Uaeli, liourrce in B minor, .tiidaiile in C maioc, and .Prelude in K major. The modern composers' croup includes "The Lark'' (tilinka-Bala-kirelT, Russian Dance (Zimbai.'st), berceuse ('for Aulin). ami two compositions by A'andor /Isoit, "Dragon Flies," which was n great favourite with Australian audiences, and Valso Caorice. The ]iroStraiil'Jie eoiichides with Introduction and Honda ranriecioso by the I'rcnch composer S.-iitii SiiciK. Miss Topsio Doenaii, wiio has b?en associated with Miss Kennedy in her recitals for many seasons, will lie the pianist. The second _ recital will be ijiven on Tirs'iay, the third on Thui'suMV, and the fourth and last 011 Saturday ne.\t. The niaus will bo at. the Bristol this morninj, and this afternoon at X. Perry's, together with the day salo tickets. ,

EIIPJSESS THEATRE. The final s.-veciiur at the Empress Theatre of the. Vitamaph feature. "Tho Dawn of rmlorsh'itidins." took place yesterday. CommenciiiK to-da.v tlie third of the series of l'enuiiiont. Smith's clover Australian productions, entitled _ "Tho Hayseetis' M-.'llimirne Cup," will bo screened. The latest picture deals with n new phase in the life of Dad, Mum, and the Hoys. They are now in Melbourne.- where "Dad" has bought a

•'moke" for sixteen "ouid." Dad lakes the animal home and trains it—afterwards winninc the Cup. The advenlures of the Ifaysecds with the "books," jockeys, etc., provide n sood entertainment. The eishth episode of Pathf-'s serial. "T.'ie T.ijilitnina Haider." will he included in the programme. The episode is entitled "The Cave of Dread."