THE OPERA.

Evening Star, Issue 3713, 16 January 1875, Page 2

THE OPERA.

Everyone in Dunedin will be glad to learn that Miss Alice May (Mrs Allen), who has been suffering lately- from a severe attack of influenza, has recovered, and that on Monday evening it is purposed to perform, at the Princess Theatre, Flotow’s charming opera of “Martha.” This work is essentially English in sentiment, scenery, and plot, although time and circumstance have rendered obsolete some of the customs on which the drama is founded. The historic period is the time of Queen Anne—a century and a-half or more ago. In those days, and at this present time, in the South of Scotland and North of England, it is customary for farmers to hire their domestic and farm servants annually, at meetings which are termed “hirings, ’ and in many places “statutes ” ; probably because of the statutory re gularions, binding both master and servants to the due performance of their agreements made at those times. As these who have finished their year’s service have received their wages, such gatherings are generally characterised by merry making and amusements; and until within a few years ago fairs were held, at which were cheap shows, dancing booths, and theatrical perform .nces. “ Arm in arm ” (says a modern writer) “ would the squire and his dame, and other members of the family, move dignifiei Hy through the fair, receiving universal homage as a reward for the sympathy they thus showed with the needs and enjoyments of theirinferiors. ” upon these conditions, the story of “Martini” runs thus ; Lady Harriet, one of Queen Anne’s maids of honor, apparently disgusted with Court frivolities, sighs for a change. Her maid, Nancy, and her friends fail to render her content with aristocratic employments, or to reconcile her to the attentions of Sir Tristan, her admirer, whom she dispises for his effeminacy. While in this state of discontent. a number of lads and lasses proceeding to R.c imond hiring fair attract her attention by thblr tfght-h&rfca merriment. Struch with

the contrast between their state of mind and her own, in a moment the whim seizes the capricious lady to try for ouce the excitement of a new station in life. She will not be said nay, and Nancy, a fine, spirited girl, ready for fun, enters at once into her mistress’s humor. The two disguise themselves as farm servants, and, much to his disgust, compel Sir Tristan to attend them in the disguise of a farm laborer. Lady Harriet takes the name of Martha, Nancy becomes Julia, and Sir Tristan sinks into Bob. In these disguises they go to the fair. Blood will show itself. The ladies attract general attention, and carrying the joke beyond prudence, through ignorance of consequences, allow themselv s to be hired by two farmers, Lyonel and Plunkett, who are living together. In the meantime the maid servants have twigged Sir Tristan, and ma e a butt of him, and he, leaving the ladies to their fate, makes his escape. The ladies having accepted the hiring penny in fun, find that they are entrapped in earnest, and being adjudged hired for a year by the Mayor, they are compelled to go to the farmers’ house. There their troubles begin—they are utterly useless—they cannot turn their hands to anything ; but, although the two farmer fr'ends find they have hired servants who cannot ful til household duties, they fall in love with them, and the passion is rivetted on the soul of Lyonel by Martha’s singing of “ The Last Rose of Summer.” Lady Harriet, to her own vexation, regrets the consequences of her freak, but is herself in love with Lyonel, and Plunkett and Nancy appear mutua'ly attracted through mutual sauciness. Sir Tristan, though driven off, has not lost sight of his responsibility to the ladies, and through his aid they escape from the farm-house, wounded in heart, and regretting the wounds they have inflicted. They next meet their employers at a boar hunt, where their services are claimed by Lyonel and Plunkett, the latter of whom is driven off by ladies, headed by Nancy, armed with boar spears; but it has been discovered that Lyonel is the son of the exiled Earl of Derby, whose estates had been estreated for rebellion, and Lady Harriet having made interest with the Queen, is enabled to restore them to him, with the more grateful gift of herse f. Nancy too in her own peculiar way rewards Plunkett with her saucy self. This slight sketch of tlm incidents of the drama may tend to more thorough enjoyment of it by those who have not befoie seen it. Although it is termed a comic opera there is nothing strained or out of place, and Flotow’s music is appropriate and beautiful.