MONCRIEFF SEASON

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 134, 23 June 1937, Page 10

MONCRIEFF SEASON

• Merry Widow To-night To-night at the Municipal Theatre the J. 0. Williamson Ltd. pianagement will present the popular and brilliant eomio cpera soprano Misg Gladys Mon» criefl, and a splendid company of singers, dancers and eomedians in Fraiiz Lehar'p deliciously musical, very picturesque, and highly humorons operetta MThp Merry Widow," the recent revival of which in Auckland ereated a perfect furore of entkugiasm and attracted record andiepces during its season whielx had to bo considerably estended. Only thp one presentation can be staged of '*The .Merry Widow," and to niorrow evening the company will present the exquisite musical play "The Maid of the Mountains," in which Miss Moncrieff will again delight ns with her brilliant performance of the rple of Teresa, in which she has aehkved oue of her greatest triumpha. Tbat Miss Moncrieff js as just as popndajr here as.ehe is in Auslralia was emphatically proved in Auckland wliere on ihe opening night of the MMerry Widow" §he reqeived the njost enthupiastic reception ever accorded a tlieatrjgal artist in the northorn city. Bhe received no less than four encores for her glorious xepdering of Prqnz Lehar's exquisite nuniber "Villia," and the famgus "Merry Widow" waltz, which she dances and sings with Eric Bpsh (Prince Danilo) had to be repeated three times. At the final curtain there yvere cheers from all parts of the theatre and a speech was deinanded from the, popular soprano. There is probably no ' better comedi&n pn the operatic stage to-day than Cecil Kellaway, and as Baron Popoff in "The Merry Widow" and General Malona in ^^The Maid of the Mountains," he has parts that may have been spocially ereated for him, and it is said that he has his audience laughing with him, and at him, during the whole time he is on the stage. Eric Bush posBesses all the natural aesets that are esseutial for a lcading juvenilo lead, including a good stago prescnce. Ho is a brilliant dancer, and has an excellent baritono voice. Jle pluys Princo Danilo in "The Merry Widow" and-Baldasarro in "The Mai.d oi the .Mountains," Don Nicol is an oatstanding comedian, and as Nisoh iu "The Widow," and Tonio in "The Maid," is said to be pxceedingiy hijmorous, Others in thp east are Arthur Qlarke as De Jolidon, Garmen M&scagny as Nathalie, Isobelle Oue as Erou Erou, Lpslie Cranc as Olga, Oecil Pawley at Cascada, Gerald Conuolly as De St. Brioche, Peter Dawson as Novikovjeli, and Leslie Donaghey us tho wftitcr. Tlie i'ull operatic chorus and orchestra are nuder Ihe direction of Mr, Ered Qnintrell, and tho stage mauager is Yictor Tatnajl, To-mor/ow night Miss Moncrieff and the J, 0. Williamson Btd. Comie Opera Company will present a magnificent production of the delightful musical . romance "The Maid of the Moun-

\ tains," in which, as Teresa, Miss Moncrieff will delight playgoers with her glorious singing of tho well-known number "Love Will Find a Way." The part also gives the famous soprano opportnnities for the display of her talents as a dramatie artist. Perha'ps more noticably than in the majority of other operas "The Maid of the Mountains" shows intelligence in its construction, in tho development of its legend, as well as having that flrst essential of all niusical plays — charm, The musie is as captivating as wken it was flrst heard. Geeil Kellaway, Don Nicol, Eric Bush aud the other principals are all at their best in tlieir respective roles. . Box plans for both operas are at Fail's.