THE OPERA.

Evening Star, Issue 3717, 21 January 1875, Page 2

THE OPERA.

The Princess Theatre was well filled last evening to witness the representation of the ’‘Bohemian Girl.” The management deserve credit for the care with which the arrangements were made. The scenery and.dresses were good and appropriate, and. as the cast was judicious, the success of the performance might be said to be assured. Miss Alice May’s Arline was a most artistic effort. None but a gifted actress can do it justice, for it is necessary to express almost every variety of motion in song, speech, apd action. It is seldom that the talent to achieve this is combined in one person ; but .Miss May’s fine flexible voice enables her to give effect to every style of melody, and dramatic appropriateness seems to bp natural to her. The incidental songs were beautifully sung, and it is no exaggeration to say that .the introduced ballad, ‘ ’ You and I, ” was perfect. Mr Hallam never appeared to greater advantage than as Thaddeus. His singing and acting were both excellent. Mr Templeton represented Count Arnheim very effectively ; he saug well, and his acting was very appropriate. Miss Howe was called upon to sustain the character of the Gipsy Queen. It is rather a tax upon so young an actress, whose physique is scarcely in keeping with its requirements; but she overmastered this slight drawback, and exhibited energy and talent that enabled her to play her part with more than ordinary success. She was frequently complimented by her audience in the course of the evening. Devilshoof fell into good hands when the part was allotted to Mr Levisou, as did Count Floreustein’s when Mr Vemon undertook it. fn fact the whole company had carefully mastered their respective characters, made themselves acquainted with their requirements, and, being perfect in their parts, gave each other support. In the course pf the evening Miss May and Mr Hailanj bad each to comply with an encore, and all through the performers were frequently and warmly applauded. The choruses went well, and the orchestia also came in for a very deserved share of the public approbation. Mr titoneham, in the introduction to “The heart bowed down,” played the leading melody on the valved trombone with apurity of tone and pathos seldom equalled, and repeated it equally effectively in answer to an encore; and Mons. Fleuiy received warm plaudits for his fine rendering on the violin of the aria “ When Other lips,’ 1 introduced into the overture to the fourth apt. This evening “Martha*’ will be given, for tho last time, and in Order tp accnmtiioaato the residents of Port Chalmers, a late train will leavtj Dunedin after the tfpbtfe closes, •• ' '