PRE-TALKIE DAYS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 73, 23 September 1930, Page 10

PRE-TALKIE DAYS

OPERA IN WELLINGTON

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

TALENTED AMATEURS

'Fifty-five years of musical endeavour in Wellington! Long service, indeed, but for Mr. E. J. Hill tbosi fifty-five 'years are packed full of memories that are delightful to recall, to think about, to talk about. He talked about some of them at a recent private and convivial assemblage in Wellington, ransacking his recollections for notable musical achievements, names, and nights, mainly associated with the operas of Gilbert and Sullivan. Artistic musical efforts made in Wellington over the past, .fifty years are among the green and pleasant memories of those who took leading parts in them. Time has failed to efface first impressions of persons and performances, and standards set up by many in Wellington who admit to being just past middle age, but not yet old. They are unrepenant in their Victorian musical tastes and preferences. Mr. Hill in recounting his memories of Savoyan opera productions in Wellington of the pre-talkie era, knowingly aud qheerfully risks boing classed with

Tho idiot who praises wltli■ enthusiastic tone All centuries but this, and every- country but his oirn. .

j No matter. To many who listened Ito him he must have carried conviction that in those bygone ,days of which he I spoke with so much knowledge that Wellington was richer in its artistic resources that it appears to be to-day, and that' amateur singers, and actors had more enterprise and hardihood than now in producing comic opera. And what was quite, as important as competent performers,"Wellington could, and did, furnish enthusiastic, intelligent, critical, and discriminating audiences/ Tlie fine "bouquet" of Gilbert's humour was readily recognised and enjoyed, and subtle wit could always'be relied upon to "get over;"'' Moreover, performances were then made to pay. Although prices of-ad-mission were ridiculously small, as compared - with those of to-day, there was usually a respectable balance to credit after.nearly every season, and some quite handsome sums were distributed to local charities from such performances. Mr. Hill in his remarks did no', reproach the present generation for being satisfied with the provender of Hollywood; in fact, he made no regretful comparisons at all- between past and present in. matters of taste. But he did' prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that Wellington in its sailing ship days was quite up to time with London in its production of comic opera,.whether they were presented by professional or amateur, organisations, and especially with the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. He showed, too, that those operas were produced in a manner that conformed to the exacting standards of London, that, in point of fact, person's already famous in the actual casts of the v Savoy productions also appeared in the operas in ; Nj>w Zealand; among them being Charles Byleyy. Henry Braey, and Wallace Brpwnlow. He spoke, too, in terms of admiration of the superb art of Nellie Stewart, Alice Barnett, and Charles Kenningham, also of Billy Elton "and Howard Vernon.

A HIGH STANDAED,

The local standard of: artistic appreciation was high and.rather exacting. Productions had to : , be. good— there was no: question at all.of "anything 'will, do." Audiences, then,' if sympathetic, were decidedly -critical. At the same time any little incidents of unrehearsed or unconscious humour were warmly welcomed. Mr. Hill's memory being well stocked with these he \related a few to the delight" of his headers. ' B.ut dealing specifically with Gilbert and Sullivan's operas, in which he was most interested, Mr. Hill mentioned that the -first performance .of such works in Wellington was ?'H.M.S. Pinafore." This was given in the old Oddfellows? Hall on LambtoL. quay in Julyj 1879. The company was known as' the' Harding, Grain, and Biccardi" Company^ and outside these principals it was composed of Auckland amateur performers.' The company toured New Zealand, and'did remarkably well— artistically and s financially. But "Pinafore" was never played in Wellington, he said, by an entirely amateur company. Although, it was seen here in, 1879 it was first performed at the Opera Comique, London, in 1878. and then it ran for seven llundred nights, a record for the-twelve operas of Gilbert and Sullivan. Mr. Hill just lightly touched on one outstanding performance of "Pinafore" at the old Theatre Boyal, Wellington, quoting from the defunct "New Zealand, Times," which described it as

The most* frightful-fiasco it lias been our fortune (sic) to witness. The. orchestra had no parts,'and tha tenor, as Ealph Raekstraw, was hopelessly drunk. .There was evidently, -no skim-milk criticism in those days. .' '

"The Sorcerer," just produced in London, also at the Opera Comique, in 1877, was performed in Wellington by the Wellington Choral Society, 7th December, 1880, and by the Wellington Operatic Society Bth October, 1890..

R. W. Carey, had the distinction: of first producing' "The Pirates of Penzance" in Wellington. Carey was \ a former baritone singer at penny readings given on the outskirts of Melbourne. The opera was subsequently produced by the Wellington Operatic Society on 20th June, 1889—not so very long-after the first performance of the opera- anywhere, at the Opera Comique, London, when it ran for 363 nigjhts.

"Patience," the opera which ridiculed the aesthetic craze, was first performed in London at the Opera Comique,, in April, 1881, but it .was the opera with which the specially built Gilbert and Sullivan house, the Savoy Theatre, was opened. Not only was "Patience" itself a great attraction to the new Savoy, but only second to it in importance was the lighting of the theatre with incandescent, electric lamps. They were then used for,the first time in a London theatre, and: with most agreeable results as compared with the heat of the - gas lighting, as a youthful habitue of the galleries of certain London theatres at the' time could testify.

But "Patience'■'was very soon after seen in "Wellington, for the theatrical firm of Williamson, Garner, and Musgrove produced it' here on 2Sth April, 1882,, at the old Opera House.

The name of the abovo firm, suggests a true story which Mr. Hill did not tell. An Australian local newspaper received a cablegram from London relative to an acquisition by the firm for Australia, and the- dispatch appeared in print—"Messrs Williamson, Garner, and Musgrove have secured the brilliant operatic artists Signors Cavalleria, Rusticana, and Pagliacei for an Australian concert 'season."

CHURCH CHOIR IN OPERA.

But to return to Gilbert and Sullivan in Wellington. "Patience" (no less) was the ambitious effort of tho choir of St. Peter's Church in Willis street on 24th May, 1886, and was repeated by the same "company" on 3rd September following. Mr. Hill mentioned that the part of Grosveno?

in these local productions was admirably'taken'by Mr. W. R. Bock, who retains his keen interest in all of Wellington's artistic activities, although he is over 80 years of age. To Williamson, Gainer, and Musgrove Wellington was indebted for the first presentation of "lolanthe," on 9th May, 1887. The Wellington Operatic Society produced it on 24th July, 1888, 26th May, 1891, ana 22nd May, 1901. "lolanthe" paid the society, for although the dress circle seats were but 4s, yet the 1901 season averaged £120 a night. Incidentally the part of the Lord High Chancellor was allotted to the present High Commissioner for Now Zealand in London. Sir Thomas Wilford. Was his selection the shadow of a coming event, the first step towards the Wool Sack? It was certainly a congenial part for Mr. Wilford (as he then was), and those who saw him. in it aver that it fitted him like a glove. • "Princess Ida" was also presented by Williamson, Garner, and Musgrove, 23rd.May, 1890, and six years later was performed by the Wellington Operatic. Society. But it proved a very expensive production, and the society lost money over it. "The Mikado" and "The Gondoliers" have always proved in Wellington as elsewhere the most popular of Gilbert and Sullivan »s operas. It is a moot point whether the firm of Williamson has ever sent out a company U play "The Gondoliers" the equal, certainly- never the superior of that which first came this way in 1892. For singing, acting, orchestral performance, mountings, lights, and everything to the utmost detail this company approached as near artistic perfection as one may ever hope to witness. "The Mikado," said Mr. Hill, was first played here under the Williamson auspices 29th April, 1887, .and then by the Wellington Operatic Society >on 6th December, 1888; again on 19th September, • 1894, and finally Ist' November," 1919- Amateur performances of the opera usually ran for a, week, and were emphatically successful ,in every respect. "The Gondoliers" was also played by the Pollard Liliputian Operatic. Company, a highly talented juvenile organisation Jhat toured Australia,1 as well as New- Zealand, its country of origin, and delighted thousands on thousands of playgoers. Pollard's is now. but a name,, for it had no successors. ■ The Wellington Operatic Society's presentation of "The Gondoliers" was a money-maker, and so it was elsewhere in the early 'nineties. As Mr. Hill suggested, it must have made a fortune for the publishers, . Messrs. Chappell and Co. "The Yeomen of the Guard," also first produced here by Williamson, 14th May, 1890, was thrice'played by the Wellington Amateur .Operatic Society, viz., October, 1592, June, 1902, and March, 1903. The last night was for Miss Ettie Maginnity's benefit, and this lady Mr.; Hill included in his list of distinguished amateurs with whom he was associated, others being Mrs. Mil-* leiy Ernest Widdop, CM. J. Edwards, and W. D. Lyoii.

A noteworthy incident in the opev; atie history of Wellington was the first performance south of the Equator of •Euddigore." This honour fell to the Wellington Operatic Society, and the performance was on 20th May, 1895, and ;the next by the society on. 3rd July, 1903. "Euddigore" was also a monetary as well as ah artistic success. It was produced professionally by Williamson 's -at the" Grand Opera House as recently as -19th- October, 1927.

Much more ■ ahent Gilbert and Sullivan, and the splendid performance professional and amateur did Mr. Hill tell his engrossed audience. Of his own parts he said almost nothing, and what he'did so he told against himself. It was a display of treasured musical memories by one who has accumulated them over a period exceeding half a century. To conclude.; Mr. Hill sang "Is Life -a Boon?" from'"The Yeomen of the Guard," and he sang it with all'the freshness: and vigour of youth.

What.sort of an account of its. artistic stewardship will the Wellington of 1930 give; to the Wellington of 1930?..