AMUSEMENTS.

Evening Star, Issue 4270, 2 November 1876, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

At'the Princess’s this evening “ Faust and Marguerite” will be withdrawn in favor of “ Belphegor,” which was so successfully played on its first production as to warrant'its being again put forward. On this occasion Miss Willis will impersonate Madeline, and Mies Vivian Pattypan. “ The Hermit’s Bell,” played last night, is a descnption of opera m which the Simonsen Company excel. The music is light and sparkling, and, while not taxing too heavily the resources Of the company, is sufficiently brilliant to allow the exercise of considerable taste on the part of the performers. Bose Moineau, the laughter-loving, misohievois, but warm-hearted country-girl—was represented by Madame Simonsen, and we think few will differ from ns in classing this as one of her most effective characters. Such a compound of fun and earnestness, love and raillery as Bose was invested with last night, is rarely seen on the stage, although the portrait strikes ns as being exceedingly natural. The arch and piquant manner in which she sang—especially in the duet with Mr Morley—“ Call me pretty?”—was something to be remembered; and, even without a previous acquaintance in a long list of characters, would stamp Madame as an artist of very high degree. Her air “He loves me" was encored s but the demand, very wisely, was not complied with. Mr Morley was the rustic lover, Sylvian; but we have seen him ‘to better advantage. _ He atoned fer a somewhat cramped representation by his excellent singing of “ Betray me not,” and one or two other tnprceaw*. Excepting Miss Heanmont, who made a very pretty and careful Georgette, the other ports were not very prominent; hut all assisted towards rendering the opera in a remarkably smooth and even manner. The choruses are numerous and weighty, and they were done ample justice to, particularly that one by the refugees at the_ end of the second act and the finali. The distinctness with which the words were uttered last evening is a great' improvement, and one by no means so trifling as app-ttrs at first sight. Often the interest of the plot lunges on a sentence, and when the audience lose that the clue to the business is gone also. We hope the company will progress further in this direction. To-night Madame Simonsen is to take a benefit, end, apart from the unusually good programme advertised, that fact alone., should ensure a crowded house. This lady’s talents are undoubtedly, as we have said, of tie highest order, -and it would he a strange thing if in Dunedin—the premier city of the Colony —such abilities should be not recognized in a marked manner. The season, besides, is drawing to a close, and those wuo allow the Simonsen ComEahy t« depart without having seen them can have ut little interest in encouraging the visit of legitimate artists to Dunedin.