AMUSEMENTS.

Evening Star, Issue 3256, 28 July 1873, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

THE QUEEN’S. Owing flonlitlews to the fact of the Choral Society’s concert taking place on Saturday evening, there was not aa good an attendance iipthe dress circle of the Queen’s Theatre as mk'ht ha ve been anticipated ; the lower part of the house, however, was largely patronised. The performance commenced with “Leah,” Miss Colville sustaining the principal part. We are com polled to admit that Miss Colville did not distinguish herself by the manner in which she represented the loving, self-sacrificing Jewess; it was an unequal performance, and lacked intensity. To our mind the part of Nathan, the apostate Jew, ranks after that of Leah ; and we can cordially congratulate Mr Booth for the excellent interpretation he gave to this difficult character. Miss Anstead’s Anna was a true womanly piece of acting ; Mr Steele played well as Rudolph ; Mr Hoskins’s village doctor was to the life ; and Mr Hydes contributed to the mirth of the audience as Jacob. The remaining characters found tolerably good representatives. The farce of “ Little Toddjekins” concluded the evening’s entertainment. “ Leah” will be reproduced to-night. THE princess’s. There was a fair attendance down stairs, but a rather indifferent patronage of the circle, on Saturday evening, when the drama of “ Tire Flying Dutchman” was played. Mrs Hill, Miss Bnshe, Messrs Mnsgrave and Collier played well in their several characters ; and Mr Macgowan was thoroughly at home in the dual character of Peter Yon Brnmmell and the old pedlar woman. Some excellent scenery by Mr Willis was loudly applauded; jbut though frequently called for, he did not respond. “ Cupid and Psyche ” was the afterpiece, and it was as well received as on any former representation. “The Flying Dutchman” will be repeated to-night, “ Cupid and Psyche” giving place to another burlesque, entitled “ The Field of the Cloth of Cold. ”

CHORAL SOCIETY’S CONCERT. As was expected, the University Hall was crowded on Saturday night by the subscribers to the Choral Society and their friends,_ who were entitled to be present at the concert in virtue of their subscription tickets. We should have been glad could room have been found for a fair number of the public, admitted on purchase of tickets, as we consider one great object of the Society is to foster a taste for high class music, and this can only be done by rendering its services as widely available as possible. The Society, however, are not to blame for not admitting the public. They could not do otherwise than they did, considering the size of the hall, which was literally crammed. Mendelssohn’s “Hymn of Praise” (Lobg-ang) was selected as the duel attraction on Saturday evening. Beautiful as the composition is, it is little known in Dunedin, and the public are much indebted to the Society for having produced it. Those alone acquainted with the music, and who understand it, can comprehend its difficulties, and thus fully realise the vast progress made by the Society in the steadiness and taste manifested in executing it. The symphony was well got through, considering the few instrumentalists. They were led by Mr Little, and assisted by Mr Svkos on the piano. When we say this is the weak point of the Society ,_ we merely mean that number and variety of instruments are required to give full effect to such masterly compositions ; had not those present been well up to the mark, Mr Towsey would not have ventured on “The Hymn of Praise.’’ <L’he opening chorus “ All things that breathe,” was well rendered. To Miss Marshall was allotted the sweet soprano solo in “ Praise thou the Lord,” and we thought her much improved in style. It was very effectively given. The tenor solo, “ Sing yo praise,” was rather weak. In fact, it is difficult to select a tenor voice, nonprofessional, capable of filling so large a room. Perhaps the gem of the evening was the soprano and alto duet by Miss Sinclair and Miss Thomson, “ I tarried for the Lord.” Both ladies sang with taste and feeling, and evidently understood the piece and each other. Mr Winter, who was in good voice, gave “ The sorrows of death ” and succeeding recitative, very effectively, and the choral “To God, the Lord of all,” was taken with fulness of harmony and great smoothness. The subdued mass of voice in the tenor and bass divisions, enabled the few alto to be distinctly heard in this chorale, and they acquitted themselves most ably. It is to be regretted that the contraltos are not more numerous ; for in forte passages their voices are overpowered by the ■weight of the other parts. The bass solo, “Ye people, bring unto the Lord,” was sung by Mr Campbell in his best style, and the concluding chorus was steadily aiid accurately given. In the second part, there were some pretty vocal varieties. Perhaps the most artistic effort was Mrs Murison’s “ Ya Pensiero,” which was given with much taste. Miss Sinclair contented herself with singing the soprano in a trio, in which Mr Winter and Mr Campbell joined. It was well snug. Mr Winter sang “ Come into the garden, Maud,” and was much applauded. For our own parts we think it a song that not even a seraph could render tolerable, and owes its reputation to its having been unaccountably adopted by Sims Reeves : it could not possibly be on account of its merits. Mr Lewis sang “The Owl,” a song that suits his very superior voice, but he and the accompanyist did not hit it exactly. We leave them to settle whose fault it was. Mr Lewis is, however, capable of achieving success. Few possess a voice so rich and flexible, and his ear is very accurate, Mr Campbell's “ Warrior Bold” was given in a martial, manly i style, and was much applauded. The instrumental portion was the leading feature of the second part. Mr Towsey’s pianoforte solo from Beethoven’s Op. 10, No. 2, was a brilliant performance, and equally so Mr Martin’s clarionet solos on selections from “ Ernani ” and “ Puritani.” Much of the success of the concert is owing to Mr Towsey’s efforts as conductor; he has evidently given attention to many points on which the Society were formerly deficient, and the effect is apparent in the steadiness and precision of the choruses and the attention given to the crescendo and diminuendo passages. We do not feel it just to Mr G. E. West that he should be left without a word of notice. He labored hard to bring the Society into form when it was first established, and lias shown his desire for its success by resigning the baton to Mr Towsey. But he has not left the Society, and we were glad to see and hear that he did good service by devoting to an instrument, very necessary in aii orchestra, but not generally chosen by amateur musicians —the double bass. We think the example of unselfishness set by Mr West ?n being content to follow where he once led, is one that) should commend itself tq every: one who desires the success pf the Society and the spread of musical taste.