Dramatic and Musical

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 59, 17 August 1901, Page 17

Dramatic and Musical

By Footlight.

MR. GEO. MUSGROVE'S Grand Opera Company opened their season on Saturday night, to a house crowded in every part except the family circle. It was a brilliant assemblage. "H Trovatore" was the opera, and I may as well dispense with ail preamble by saying at once it has never been staged in New Zealand on such a scale of completeiness and splendour as it was on Saturday night. As a mere spectacle it was charming. In the first place, the scenic effects, heightened by the play of coloured lights, invested the opera with the true atmosphere of romance. Two beautiful sets from the brush of Goatcher deserve especial mention. • • * One portrayed the Gipsy encampment (Act II.), in a rocky dehle, and its realistic effect was intensified by the care with which the mise en scene was wrought out. The stage was crowded with Gipsies, the costumes were bnghthued and appropriate, the scene was full of animation, and a dance by Gipsy girls introduced the gay and frolicsome spirit in keeping with such a tableau. The other scenic set which proved highly impressive was that of the fourth act. From the ramparts of a stately castle a glorious vista is given by night of a river winding its tortuous course through a beautiful valley, and one side of the view is filled in by the artist with the battlemented walls and turrets of the lofty castle. Ihe ensemble is striking in the extreme, and there was wonderful depth ot perspective in the picture. There is an artistic method, too, about the sceneshifting, which is all done noiselessly, with the lights turned right down. The costumes were rich, expressed in much, fancy, and in keeping with the times in wmeh the story is cast. In ]New Zealand we have been accustomed to very meagre wardrobes tor grand opera, and outside the "star" parts the tew characters who always dia duty as courtiers or soidiers, maids of honour or peasants, were most shabbily clad. Musgrove's company do not work on those lines. An army consists of considerably more than three or tour men, and ail the characters are becomingly attired. • • * Another strong feature and powerful attraction ot this troupe is the orchestra. It consists of some twenty instruments, and Herr Slapoffski, who wields the baton in masterly style, has brought the players to a very high state of emciency. The balance of tone is admirable, and just regard is paid to the lights and shades of expression. Although "Trovatore" is strongly instrumented, no special opportunity is atforded the orchestra for display, but still right through the performance it invited attention to itself by the artistic manner in which its work was done. • • • And now, as to the principals. The honours fell easily and unmistakably to Miss Agnes Jansen, the Swedish oantatnce, whose Aaucena is a masterpiece. It is a difficult and exacting role this ot the savage and revengeful Spanish Gipsy whose mind is unsettled by her lust for vengeance, but Miss Jansen has succeeded in giving it complete embodiment. As a histrionic study, it is remarkable. Not a point is lost, not a trait is missing. The lady has a rich mez-zo-soprano voice, of full volume, very even quality. and exceptional compass, and she pays nice attention to the nuances of expression. Needless to say, she scored heavily in all her numbers. That very striking dramatic canzone, "Fierce now the flames grow, was sung with marked emotional power, and the vocal gem of the entire performance was undoubtedly the familiar duct, "Home to Our Mountains," sung mezzo voce by Miss Jansen and Signor Salvi. Madame Slapoffski, who sustained the role of Leonora, has a handsome face and a graceful figure. Her voice is a light soprano, of extended range in the upper register, very flexible in quality, and thoroughly under control. Her vocalisation is excellent, and roulades, cadenzas, runs, and scale passages were all taken with ease and confidence. Her qualifications as an actress are not so evident. She seems to be at the same level of intensity from start to finish. Even in sing-

the" tender cavatina, "The Night was Calm," which describes how her lover had serenaded her, she seemed in an agitated and distressed state of mind. This mood suits the third and fourth acts, in which she made her "hits," but was out of place in the early part of the first act. Madame Slapoflski, it is but fair to say, speedily got en rapport with her audience, and won a hearty round of applause for every one of her numbers, while the celebrated "Miserere" seena, between herself, Signor Salvi, and hidden chorus had to be repeated at the imperative demand of the "house." • • * Signor Umberto Salvi, who filled the part of "The Troubadour," has a clear and resonant tenor voice, which was quite equal to the requirements of the music. Its timbre is very agreeable, and he sang with much taste. And yet one was never able to forget he was Signor Salvi. His action was tame and listless. Herr Max Eugene impersonated the Count di Luna with the robust vigour that it calls for, and his baritone voice was heard to advantage in the declamatory passages. He gave the well-known aria "Bright Her Smile" very satisfactorily. Mr. Charles Tilbury is entitled to a meed of praise for his Ferrando, which was carefully done, and for his singing of the descriptive cavatina at the opening of the first act. • # • Some of the principals left a good deal to be desired in the matter of clear enunciation. Miss Jansen was the best in that respect, and Mr. Tilbury was rather better than the others. Although the chorus had few opportunities for display, enough was heard to convince one it is exceptionally strong and well trained. The Soldiers' Chorus was given with great spirit and effect, and the Gipsies' Chorus was most admirably done. And the smaller concerted pieces, with which the opera abounds, were all rendered with signal success. • • • "Faust"' was produced on Monday night, with a complete change of leading artistes. The house was crowded in all parts, and the applause was frequent and enthusiastic. Strange indeed had it been otherwise, for the performance was magnificent. The opera was mounted in a style of realism far above the traditions of the colonial stage. The costumes were rich, varied, and picturesque, and the different scenes and situations were presented with remarkable fidelity to nature while the action was marked by the closest attention to harmony ot detail. . • • In the Kermesse scene there were fully fifty people on the stage, and yet there was no confusion, all the characters seemed at ease, and moved about as if perfectly at home. And in this scene the choral resources of the company came into admirable relief. Ine various groupings of the choruswomen, students, soldiers, citizens, and old men — gave their several parts ot this particular number with the nicest effect, and the ensembles were delightful. Another triumph or stage effect was the military display in the fourth act, first tne children and the women stealing out at the distant sound of martial music, then the gathering crowd, and finally the entrance of the soldiers, preceded by a brass band, whose quaint costumes did not altogether conceal features that are quite familiar at Wellington parades. While the foreground was filled up with the chorus and the band, the procession of soldiers — in groups or twos and threes, with an occasional officer on horseback— continued to march past the line of vision bounded by the back of the stage. • • * The celebrated Soldiers' Chorus was sung with splendid effect, and the audience promptly encored it. Warm praise might also be lavished on the church scene, and the impressive finale which closes the act with the tragic death of Valentine. But my space is too brief to permit of much dalliance with detail. Suffice it to say the action was as smooth as clockwork, and that the chorus-singing was superb. The orchestration, too, was executed with the utmost taste, and the nicest regard for expression. I offer my best congratulations to Herr Slapoffski, the highly-talented musical conductor. • • • Taking it all round, I regard the cast for "Faust" as being stronger en bloc than that for "Trovatore." It contains no greater artist than Miss Jansen, but, as a body, the "Faust" cast leaves a deeper impression. Miss Lilian Coomber makes an ideal Marguerite. Her girlish face and figure suit the part and she invests it with artless grace and sweet simplicity. Her voice, too, is singularly fresh and c'ear, her enunciation is perfectly distinct, and she sings with much feeling All her numbers in the garden scene- — the Sninning Song, the Jewel Sons;, the tender little passage "My Mother is Gone " and her share in the exquisite

love duet — were given with marked taste and delicacy, while in the more intense situations ol the subsequent acts she appeared to great advantage. • » » Mr. Lempriere Pringle is the best Mephistopheles I have ever seen. The part fits him like a glove. His hne athletic figure, his rich bass voice, his mobile features, make it easy for him to assume the role, and he plays it like the artist he is. He gives it just the requisite suggestion of diablerie. All his vocal numbers were highly successful "Make Way for the Calf of Gold," with its abrupt style, the mocking "Serenade," and the "Incantation" passage in the garden. • « • Mr. Barron Berthald is a capital Faust. He has a carefully-trained tenor voice, of good range and sweet and sympathetic quality. He uses the vibrato style in moderation, and is graoeful in action, although he has contracted a certain mannerism of extending the arms while he is singing that might be varied with much advantage. Taste and refinement, coupled with nice expression, distinguished his singing, and his vocal work throughout was of a high order. • • • Mr. Laurence Mooney made a splendid Valentine. His voice is a mellow and most tuneful baritone, and he fairly "brought down the house" with the cavatina "Even Bravest Heart May Swell." In action he is easy and natural. Miss Lilian Boanas was a charming Siebel, and displayed a nice and clear mezzo-soprano voice by her singing of the lovely Flower Song and the charmine romance "When all was Young." She sings with taste, and her enunciation is distinct. Miss Enriqueta Crichton gave a good account of herself as Dame Martha, and Mr. Gilbert King was a capable Wagner. There were several calls before the curtain, and frequent rounds of demonstrative applause. •♦ • • "Carmen," George Bizet's masterly work, was performed before a large audience at the Opera House on Tuesday night. Produced with t»he magnificence the work demands, and with an admirable attention to correctness of detail, the highly dramatic opera, with its vocal charms, its gay and striking scenery, and the masterly acting of the artistes engaged in it, was welcomed with gratifying enthusiasm. • • * Madame Jansen, as the coquette, carmen, instilled into her woik the utmost spirit and abandon. me aemanas maae upon tins lady in ncr duncuit part were met with grace and vivacity, her tones were mellifluous, and iier dramatic interpretation ot the splendid music charmed the audience thoroughly. Umberto toaivi's ease 01 vocailsauon, and his passionate pourtrayal oi the love-sick Don Jose, weie entirely aitistic. Ihe "Toreador,' Max Eugene, whose physical and vocal gilts ht him so well tor his "Escamuio, " lntused into the part the vigour requisite, and won quite an ovation with his finished rendering ot the tamous ''Toreador' song. Miss Lilian Coomber, as Micaela, used her sweet voice with much charm, and the opera went with a phasing swing from the opening chorus to the tragic death of Carmen by her lovers hand. • • • " Lohengrin " was given on Wednesday night on a scale both grand and imposing. I have only room now to say that it was a superb success. Madame cUapoffski as Elsa, and Barron Berthald, in the name part, are entitled to unqualified praise tor the really splendid manner in which they both sang, and enacted their exacting roles. A truly remarkable performance closed with rousing cheers from the delighted audience. • * * The recurrence of Saturday night brings with ib a new programme at the Gaiety, and a full house to witness it. Interest in the bill of fare is not allowed to wane, and novel ideas in the way of entertainment, new methods of producing laughter, quaint efforts to amuse humanity, are in perpetual evidence. Johnson, Riano, and Bentley, the men monkeys, have wriggled themselves into popular favour during their short season. The trio find that their arrangements demand their appearance m America. After giving Auckland the benefit of their quaint antics, they depart for the land of stars, stripes, and big salaries. Mr. Arthur Morley, of the fine bass voice, is still nightly giving the Gaiety habitues the benefit of his finished sine^ne, while the evergreen Mr. Wallace Kinp charms with his tuneful renderings of tenor songs. • • • Professor Tom Almond is a particularly versatile entertainer. His graceful and difficult skate dance is a welcome novelty. Those who have merely seen skates on terra firma should see Professor Almond dancing: on an elevated pedestal of prescribed area, to appreciate the finish to which the art can

be brought. He is entertaining as a songster, and a comedian of good ability. Miss Ethel Gwynne, a fresh " star," has many quaint sketches, and, as she handles her business well, the said business being new, she makes a "hit." George Dean has turned up once more. He has brought with him good things, and fires them off in his up-to-date style. Olive Lenton, who is billed smaller than usual, does not deserve it. This lady's interest in her art, and her easy manifestation, of it, give her a claim to good-sized black letters. However, the brightest stars must wane, if not in popularity, on the play-bill. Other favourites, new and old, keep the chairs full, and the cashtaker busy. Many novelties are promised at an early date to keep the Wellington public amused. • • • Musgrove's Opera Company while in Auckland averaged close on £240 a night — an aggregate of something like £4800 for the season. This sum is in excess of Mr. Musgrove's most sanguine expectations. • • • Mr. J. C. Williamsons Italian Opera Company's nine weeks' season in Melbourne was most successful. Eight operas were produced, of which the palm was given by the critics to Puccini's "La Boheme," described as the chef d'ceuvre of the modern Italian school. The company are due in Wellington in November. • • • Hr. Harry Musgrove and Mr. T. P. Hudson, the general managers of the Grand Opera Company, are both well and favourably known throughout New Zealand. This is the eighth professioal tour that Mr. Harry Musgrove has made of the colony, while everyone has heard of, and surely most of us have seen and enjoyed, the versatile gaiety of Tommy Hudson's Surprise Party. • • • It is more than likely that Madame Belle Cole will be in Wellington about the time that Mile. Dolores (Trebelli) is due here, and, as Mr. John Prouse will likewise be within hail, a splendid opportunity may be afforded, if there is sufficient local enterprise to take up the project, of giving an oratorio performance — say, of "Elijah" — that would be quite unique in Wellington. I commend the idea to the notice of Mr. Robert Parker, who, in the past, has done so much for the cause of music in this community.