THE OPERA.

Evening Star, Issue 3716, 20 January 1875, Page 2

THE OPERA.

“Martha” was again performed at the Princess Theatre last evening to a very full house. The slight shortcomings of the first representation were remedied, and in every respect it was well played. Miss Alice May has completely resovered her voice, and sang “ The last rose of summer ” with a sweetness and pathos we never heard excelled. Miss Howe succeeded even better than on Monday, when there was nothing to be found fault with. Messrs Hallam and Templeton were in splendid voice, and added to their singing that of appropriate acting. But one opinion was expressed respecting the evening’s entertainment, and that was that there has not been a more pleasing performance in Dunedin.

To-night the “ Bohemian Girl’’will be presented. This is out of Balfe’s best productions. Commenting upon this beautiful opera, the author of “ Musical Recollections ” says it is “ so brimful of taking melody as to secure a more decided and permanent success, and to secure a more lengthened run than any purely English opera had ever before been known to obtain.” . . “ Its real merit may, however, be better ascertained from the fact that it has been translated into almost every singing language, and played in every theatre of note throughout the length and breadth of Europe, and still maintains its hold even upon the German public.” It was brought out in 1843, and is founded upon a simple but interesting story connected with Polish misfortunes and the disturbed state of society resulting therefrom. Thaddeus, a young Polish soldier, who has assisted in the defence of Warsaw, pursued by Austrian soldiers, falls in with a troop of gipsies, headed by Devilshoof, who assist him in eluding his pursuers. They journey towards the grounds ot Count Arnheim, whose only child, a daughter, Arline, is attacked by a boar and rescued by Thaddeus The Count, grateful for the service, invites him and his companions to a fete, and asks them to drink to the health of the Emperor of Austria. The refusal of Thaddeus betrays his nationality, and a hubbub ensues, in which the Count, anxious to save Thaddeus, throws him a purse of gold, and urges him to escape. This gift is refused, and in the meUe that follows Devilshoof is taken prisoner. He manages to escape and to abduct Arline, who, until Thaddeus. remains twelve years with the gipsies. During those twelve years Arline has grown to womanhood, and an attachment has been formed between her and Thaddeus, with whom the gipsy queen is in love. Discovering that Thaddeus is devoted to Arline, the queen, though consenting to their marriage, determines to gratify her jealous revenge, and contrives to have her falsely charged with theft and convicted by her own father. But the means she takes—throwing a trinket round her neck of which the gipsies robbed her cousin—lead to the restoration of the child to her father. Foiled in this plot, the queen still determines to separate Thaddeus and Arline, but is again overmatched, and ultimately falls a victim to her own dark schemes. This romantic story, which is well worked out in the libretto, affords abundance of dramatic situations of deep interest, which, combined with the beauty of the melodies, invariably renders the opera attractive. The cast is a good one, and there can be no doubt of the music being well rendered.