LES CLOCHES DE CORNEVILLE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3215, 19 October 1881, Page 3

LES CLOCHES DE CORNEVILLE.

The production of this opera by the Cary Company did not draw the large hoase we anticipated. This is to be re- 1 gretted, as a more admirable and enjoyable performance of the charming opera ', it would be difficult to conceive. The , opera was remarkably well mounted in - every respect, the dresses superb, and < everything done by the management to < secure the success it deserved. It is < almost needless to say, with a company < including Miss Murielle, Miss Leaf, and i Messrs Morley, Wentwortb, and Porter, 1 that the music was well rendered. The ' first named lady as Germaine acted and ' sang with a charm of manner and a ' thoroughness which have won her many ! admirers during her short stay in Napier. , M The Legend of the Bells" was admirably '. done, and brought a most enthusiastic , encore. The air "From pallid cheek" 1 in the second act was rendered with great ; sweetness, and was received with applause. ; Of Miss Leaf's Serpolette it is almost j impossible to write in too warm terms, i From the commencement of tbe opera 1 the vindictive, mirth-loving, and vain- ' glorious Serpolette was the life of the < piece, and although in Miss Leaf's render- i iog of the character there is an absence I of anything boisterous, there is a suffi- ' cient amount of "go " to make it very ' effective. She led the song of the house- ! maids with great success, and received the warmest recall of tbe evening. The ; rondo " I may be a Princess,' was also ( beautifully sung.and loudly applauded. Mr 1 Porter's Marquis was a genuine success, - and received thorough acknowledgement ' from the audience. Signor Morley sang i in bis usual finished style, and we have j never heard him to better advantage than i in " On billow rocking," for which he i received a loud recall. Mr Wentworth ' as Gaspard was fairly good, but there ' was a lack of force in the latter part of ] his performance. The beautiful choruses ! with which this opera abounds were rendered with a precision and a power ' that took the audience by surprise. The { etiring chorus at the commencement of ; the second act was magnificently j given, and fairly brought down ] the house. Of Mr Wilkinson's contortions , we can only say that they were marvel- ; lous, and that they pleased a portion of '. tbe audience was evident from the fact ' that he was twice recalled. We must ; again congratulate Mr Cary upon the admirable way in which the piece was j placed on the stage; we have seen few more effective scenes than the commencement of the second act, and with a larger Btage no doubt the effect would have been Btill more striking. To-night " Les Cloches " will be repeated. A change ■ will be made in the advertised arrangements of the company for the week, the management having wisely yielded to a request that the Pirates should be repeated on Friday next. Pinafore will be postponed until Saturday.