AMUSEMENTS.

Evening Star, Issue 4072, 15 March 1876, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

RLONDIN’S PERFORMANCE,

Blondiu’S dual afternoon performance Was given in his monster enclosure yesterday, when there was a large attendance. The necessary arrangements hav ing been bbmpleted, the chevalier will make his first pyrotechnical Oscent to-night, commencing at eight o’clock. The, display of fireworks has Seen specially designed for the chevalier by Professor Ireland, of the Crystal Palace, arid will be most Complete. The hand is''announced to play Some choice operatic selections during .the performn^'p The Circus. The reduction in the prices has had the effect of greatly increasing the, attendance, and again last night there was a remarkably good house, the pit and stalls being inconveniently crowded. The usual equestrian feats,-tumbling,Ao, secured a huge meed of applause. “ Turpin’s ride to York ” concluded the' entertainment and the manner in which Black Bess, a.Uhrfstcburch-bredhorse, performed 1 or part reflected great credit upon her trainer, Mr Kingsley, rind uhmistakeably proved that Mr Wilson has made a valuable acquisition to his already numerous stud. Morgan, the : spirited hurdle rider in connection with this troupe; takes a benefit on Thursday. An afternoon performance will be given on Saturday, when Mr Wilson has generously offered to hand over the gross proceeds to the Benevolent Institution. The Troupe leave for Sydney on Saturday. We were in error in stating on Monday that part of the Company had left for the South, they being detained in town iu consequence of the accident-to the Comcrang. TSE OPEBA,

“ What a huge mistake the ‘ Grand Duchess ‘ was ” appeared to be the sentiment that prevailed with those who attended the opera last night and were also among ,the audiences of Saturday and Monday nights, and with that opinion we heartily concur. A few performances such as w i were treated to lost night will be the means of making , the Simonsen season the‘most successful we have ! had iu Dunedin. Donizetti's “ Dncia di Xammermoor" was the opera represented, and the audience was very numerous. We need not waste space by alluding to the plot, as it is too well known to require description; it is enough to say it is an operatic adaptation of Sir Walter Scott’s beautiful but melancholy story, “The Bride of Lammermoor." In all operas, although the libretto., is not unimporfant, it is secondary to the music, which is supposed to convey the sentiment; and when, as last evening, ths . language in which the' story : is > written isforeign the idea of passing emotion is conveyed by the action and intonation of the performer. i •- . t . •• , , .

|t necessarily follows that In order to . sus* “*“* the interest of the opera very highly cultivated talent, both musical and histrionic, is necessary, and the effect anon an audience becomes j ts esgenacti Judged by this Standard, apart trom the absolute excellence of the performance, «r , 'o s*a 5 * a ae -h amm Grmoor ” stamped the character of the Simonsen company. The interest in the piece haver flagged, with Slight thb retsitfta lives were well rendered, and the beautiful anas were given with fine effect. The leading characters in the piece are few, and the weiaht'of the .opera Asktdn, who Was reprdSSntfedhy Bunonsen » “id Signor Carmini Morley as hidgar Bavenswood. We do not soy we ware eurSimon Sen, for We weU MCW wa r £ 9 .. tt t u hcfedsß and & tpcaliat, but fio hdvdaSgi Midst evening. Her perfect command of voice enables her to convey precisely the impression she desires to nlLwi a* l ! 5 in ecstatic bursts of paisioh or In tefide2 feenlimeht, flLfiflnSyor in At e H^« t^“ tf i? nelc)dy, . B^ e is equally appropriate. At times she charms with the sweet hriTiianny Q f 1"® e « xe^ oI V the evening there was not a M6i& lieaiitifulfy rendered firU than" ’‘Thb sweet sound of his lov’d voice," which she sang with effective as Edgar. He sang with great taste’and ' ® ffec *rAnd is above 4he average o&lyric actors. In all he had to do he ably secoaded m«i™« Simonsen, alld ttot only Wad his talent evinced in the solos-he had to sustain, but in the duets in which he took part. Mr Bichardson as Henry'Ashton shone principally in duets and concerted pieces. It may be through want of practice, bat .occasionally m solo parts his intonation is dot quite trite; It is . a slight defect, hut oue that with care may be‘overcome. Mr Steinbaoh had little opportunity of singing. .Sid part id oifly subordinate. The little that we heard leads us* to the concluaion that his voice is a fine tenor, perhaps of no peat power, but capable of peat expression. Mr Barrington sang with great taste throughout the opera, and created a very favorable'impression. ■ His solo in the opening sceie of the second act showed him to be alittle nervous at first, which, however, soOn disappeared, big effort so well pleased the audience that a repetition of it was demanded; His l dibwt on-shy operatic stage justifies the prediction that in careful hands he can be made- to occupy a prominent position in his profession. Miss “bun® Fisher and Mr Hvart, contributed their share to the success of the evening, as did also thb chorus, which, with the exception of one slight waver m the final act* went through their work with precision and effect.The famous sestotto in the second act was. done full j ustice to, and received a nchly merited encore. "While thus giving their deserved meed to the vocalists, the orchestra should apt be passed over. It is seldom, in the Colonics, «mt orchestral music is heard to so peat advantage/ , The precision, expression, -and taste with whioh-the accompaniments are played; give confidence to ant support tee singers, and'whendt falls to the lot of one instrumentalists to take a leading part he is fully equal to sustaining it creditably. Tonight Maritana’f will be pertoriqed.and intt'Mr Charles H. Florence will make his flret appearance m Don Caesar. This gentleman is credited with the possession of a rich voice,-ahd is said to be capable . of rendering the popular ballads which fall to his part with unnstou effect, o :?