AMUSEMENTS.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 731, 23 October 1876, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS.

CANTERBURY MUSIC HALL. “ Transported for Life” was again repeated at the above Hall on Saturday night. The house was crowded in every part, and the drama most successfully enacted. The same programme will be repeated this evening and to-morrow, and on Wednesday night the management intend to produce “ Life in the Backwoods ” and “ The Rose of Auvergne,” which, we have no doubt, will meet with general support by our playgoers. Both pieces have been in rehearsal for some time, and will be produced with new scenery and mechanical effects. SIMONSEN! OPERA COMPANY. The season came to a conclusion on Saturday evening, when the programme included a vocal and instrumental concert, and Lecocq’s opera bouffe “La Fille de Madame Angot.” The concert opened with the overture to “ Madame Angot,” excellently played by the orchestra. Miss May Somers sang “ The Wishing Gate ” well. This young lady has a very good voice, which, with cultivation, will enable her to appear in concert to advantage. Mr M. Steinbach sang Sullivan’s “ Once again ” very well indeed. He was in good voice, and rendered the ballad with much taste. Mr Florence was very successful in the charming ballad (i How fair art thou,” which gave him a very good opportunity to display his really fine voice to advantage. The instrumental portion of the concert com :?ed a violin solo “ The Carnival of Venice” by Mr M. Simonsen, and a violoncello solo “The last rose of summer,” by Mr 0. J. Thompson. In the former of these Mr Simonsen played this celebrated composition most artistically. Mr Thompson made his dehut as a soloist here, and is to be congratulated on his success. There was a depth and purity of tone about his playing which shows him to be a thorough master of the instrument. He was encored, and played a fantasia upon wellknown airs in a manner which evoked loud applause. In the opera bouffe Madame Simonsen played with such spirit and success as to make it go even better than on any previous occasion. She sang the political song excellently, and was also good in the duet, “Oh happy days of childhood.” The quarrel scene was intensely amusing, and throughout her singing and acting was marked with great humour. Miss Lambert as Lange was very good. She sang the spirited “ Men of Augureau’”with vivacity, and also the waltz song. Miss Blanche Harris sang “ The Legend of Madame Angot” well, and was encored. The Misses Blanche Thompson, A. Morris, Kaye, and Thompson danced the incidental ballet very gracefully. During the season these young ladies have been very successful in the various ballets introduced into the operas. Messrs Morley, Steinbach, Hodgson, and Levison contributed greatly to the success of the opera by the admirable manner in which they played and sang. The comic quadrilles, in which Messrs Derbyshire, Thomas, Stoneham, and Markham appeared, were intensely funny, and were encored. During the evening Mr Simonsen announced that owing to the Arawata not leaving until Tuesday, Mr Hoskins had arranged for a grand promenade concert tonight at million prices, viz, 2s and Is. SONNY SIDE ASYLUM. A most enjoyable entertainment was afforded to the inmates of the Asylum on Saturday, by the kindness of a number of the ladies and gentlemen connected with the Simonsen Opera Company, mustering upwards of thirty. Being unable to give an evening performance, they very generously tendered their services to Mr Seager on Saturday afternoon, and they were amply repaid for the trouble taken by them in the gratification experienced by the inmates. The programme, which was a very varied and excellent one, opened with an organ solo finely played by Mr C. B. Foster. This was followed by the “Angelus” chorus from “ Maritana,” which was loudly applauded. Miss Blanche Harris and chorus sang “ The legend of Madame Angot ” with much spirit, greatly to the delight of the patients, who enthusiastically encored it. The letter song from “ The Grand Duchess ” by the Misses Beaumont, Somers, Thompson, and Harris, were also highly appreciated. Miss Somers and Mr Foster sang “ The gipsy countess,” and the latter also played a fantasia on popular airs on the piano. Mr W. Thompson’s violin solo on themes from “ Lucrezia Borgia ’ elicited loud plaudits, and in response to aa encore, he played one of the popular American song-and-dance airs. Mr J. Barrington sang “The heart bow’d down,” with trombone accompaniment by Mr W. Stoneham; and Messrs Steinbach, Thompson, Ewart, Barrington, Foster, and others sang the quartette “Banish O maiden,” very creditably, Mr Markham’s comic song, “ The hungry man,” in costume, created great amusement, and ip. response to an encore he gave “’Tis hard to love,” which elicited loud laughter. Some really excellent gymnastic feats by Messrs F. and H. Stoneham, and a few tricks of legerdemain by Mr Jacobs brought r* most enjoyable afternoon’s entertainment to a close. The visitors having sung the 'National Anthem, Mr Seager, on behalf of th e inmates, expressed their warm thanks for the kindness displayed by the ladies and gentleman who had so kindly come out to amuse them, ending by assuring them that the thoughtfulness which had prompted their visit would not soon be forgotten. The visitors were then shown over the new building, and were loud in their praises of the excellenceof the arrangements of the institution.