H.M.S. PINAFORE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5760, 15 September 1879, Page 2

H.M.S. PINAFORE.

The Academy of Music was crowded in every part on Saturday evening to witness the second repetition of “ Her Majesty's Ship Pinafore; or, the Lass that Loved a Sailor. Many persons were rather dubious about going to see the performance, ou account of the collapse which occurred here a short time back, when there was an attempt made to produce this comic opera, the fame of which had long before reached us. We feel assured there will be no more hesitation, after the two performances which have been given here by the Riccardi Opera Company. It is like leaving a nauseating atmosphere, and getting iuto pure air, to witness the pleasant entertainment given at the Academy, as compared with that placed upon the boards of the Royal. No person need be afraid to bring either “ his sisters his cousins, his uncles, or his aunts,” to the’ Academy. Old and young, grave and o vv, will be able to spend two very pleasant hours there. We do not fay that there are any great stars among the company ; but taking it as a whole, it would not he au easy matter to replace it were it to break up from any cause. ’ Mr. Riccardi (dir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Admiralty) received several flattering testimonies oi approbation during the performance, his fine melodious voice being as clear a» a bell, aud his articulation equally good, with the exception of his play upon "the letter “ r,” which appeared to be somewhat overstrained at times. Mr. Harding (Captain Corcoran, iu command of H.M.S. Pinafore) was equally successful, and met with a hearty encore far his rendering of the beautiful solo, “ Fair moon, to thee I sing.” Mr. Crain’s voice was rather better than ou the preceding evening, but his love-making iu the dialogue” portion of the performance was rather boisterous —at all events, iu the eves of landsmen, many of whom only laughed at some of his most pathetic entreaties. Miss Leaf (Josephine, the captain' daughter) sung beautifully, and will act much better if she will uot be afraid—as she apparently was ou Saturday evening—to trust herself to the generosity of the audience. She has a charming voice, and it only remains for her to cultivate the histrionic art a little more to establish for herself a place ou the lyric stage. Miss Heath (Hebe, Sir Joseph Porter’s first, cousin) entered so thoroughly into her allotted part that she always took the audience by storm with her. Her manner of taking Sir Joseph for a husband, and bidding good-bye to his “sisters, his cousins, his uncles, and his awnta,” had quite an electric effect : everybody laughed, and laughed most heartily; aud none of the male sex, at all events, felt anything like enmity towards her for the plucky manner in which she took captive “ the ruler of the Queen’s navee." This young lady’s fine voice told splendidly in all the choruses, which were exceedingly well rendered throughout the entire performance. Any little awkwardness felt by the band during the first evening had quite disappeared on Saturday night.