GABY’S Juvenile Opera Troupe.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1021, 10 January 1882, Page 2

GABY’S Juvenile Opera Troupe.

Fbom the times in which Gulliver is said to have made his celebrated travels, to the present, anything that came from the land of Liliput has always proved of almost exceptionable interest. The Liliputians, as graphi* rally described by Swift, live in our memory still; but, although we look in vain for a reproduction of their wonderful achievements in their content "ith an equally fabulous Brobdignagian race, we find that the lilipvitians of the present day hold their own in this world with more orc* of character, and with more pertinacity of purpose, than do their brobdignagian. brethren and compeers. It has been reserved for the Pollards and the Carys of the 19th century to produce in this, the youngest and most distant colony of the British Crown, a liliput ian hand of songsters — male and female—who can draw their brobdignagian friends and admirers to wonder and applaud. But it is of Mr. Cary’s troupe that we now wish to write. Last night the public of Gisborne gathered in large numbers in the Academy of Music to hear some fifty juveniles, whose ages range from 6 to 16 years, take part in concerted music, the rendition of most of which was, if not marvellous, exceedingly creditable to the performers, and highly entertaining to the audience. From the “little boy in blue,” not exceeding in stature the height of our office table, to the “ blushing maiden ” of some dozen summers, who implores her lover not to leave her “ to pine alone and desolate,” we find that the liliputians display an aptitude for learning, and capacity for histrionic eminence that fully demonstrate what can be done by the brobdignagians in moulding the liliput mind so that its future shall be a faithful and honorable reflex, and fulfilment of the promises of the present. In paying these general encomiums, however, and in selecting a few names as the more prominent, and worthy of distinction in Mr Cary’s troupe, it must not be thought that we are oblivious of many obvious, but, under the circumstances, pardonable defects. And we make this qualified remark more in the interest of the youngsters themselves, than that of Mr Cary. Mr Cary's reputation as a judicious and successful caterer for the amusement of the public is well established. That of the girls and boys he is educating for a career yet before them, has to be made and can only be done by permitting them to see, in an intelligent and kindly way, where their errors lie; by preparing them to receive adverse criticism, not as an act of hostility, but of friendly warning and advice ; and, above all, to teach them to wear the honors they win with becoming grace and modesty. Nothing is so fatal to the future success of those who wish to win public fame, than a vain-glorious self appreciation of youthful aspiration. That Mr Cary’s “ chickens,” as some facetiously call his troupe, have achieved wonders, there is no gain-saying; that they, individually and collectively, are developing, in voice and action, into what will make them notable men and women, cannot be disputed, but it will be a great mistake, as well as a most pernicious injury to them in after life, if they arc not taught, stage by stage,

with their successes, that they are still in the cradle of their profession, and that cultured exhibitions Js/bre the curtain can come solely from the good use of the time made by each performer JeitnUit. One of the principal efforts that, the youngsters we heard last night should make is to sing and speak plainly, so that intonation and music may blend and harmonise. There were one or two unpleasing defects of this nature observable last evening, although we forbear to signalise by name. Poetry and musical utterances depend so much on grammatical construction that it is as impossible to separate them, without prejudice to the performer, as it is to build a house without a foundation. But of this we shall write no more. Our object is to encourage, not to depress ; and, as, we fully appreciate Mr Cary’s endeavors, and the huge labor he has undertaken, we are sensible that our remarks will be accepted with the same spirit as that iu which they are offered. Last night’s performance opened with Gilbert and Sullivan’s opera entitled “ The Pirates of Penzance,” of which so much has been heard, and with which many of our readers are familiar. The hour at which the curtain fell was too late for us to make an extended notice of the individual merits of the principal performers, in this morning’s issue; and we shall forbear to do so until we have had an opportunity of witnessing the young people again. Of the lady personifications there can be no doubt that Miss Lena Robinson has been well cast for the part of Mabel. This little girl is not new to Gisborne boards, having appeared as “ Littleßuttercup” in Mr Pollard’s Pinafore Company. We noticed an improvement both in voice and mannerism in this young lady, which, if cultivated with care, will place her in the foremost rank. Her “ business ” is very good, and although her voice is at times weak, she displayed so intimate an acquaintance with what she has to do, that a little generosity on the part of the audience will always pull her through. She sang her solos and concerted pieces with much taste aud feeling, eepecially “ Poor wandering one,” and “ Did maiden ever wake,” in the first act; while in the second act her distinct articulation was noticeable, and the duet between herself and Frederick was a really artistic display of youthful talent. Also in the ensemble “ Oh, here is love,” the two voices blended together with appreciative effect. The part of Ruth was taken by Miss Lizzie Schlierkihe, and we need not say that she acquitted herself to the entire satisfaction of her hearers.

Master George Williams, as Frederick, was the herb of the piece, and gave evidence of careful training. Ills elocution is good, his stage presence correct, and he has a tenor pitch which which will develop both iu quantity and richness.

The Pirate King was represented by Master Willie Carey, and wit i his tige (IV years) taken into consideration, he is a little wonder. Master Ernest Wyatt did duty as Major-General Stanley, and acquitted himself in one of the most, difficult of word songs with great eclat, but the ■effect intended by the author, was a little marred through want of a more pronounced expression of the final word in each line. A little more deliberateness would be of mutual benefit.

Master Harry Smith acquitted himself well as the Police Sergeant, and sang the “ Tarantara,” and “ When a Felon’s not engaged in his employment,” with infinite zest.

We have only room left to notice Master J. Petersen who, in the unimportant part of “■ Samuel,” made his tenor voice heard to good effect. The choruses were capitally rendered throughout, and the prayer scene, and the chorus of police and pirates towards the end—“ We Yield at Once,” gliding with deliciously harmonising effect into “ With all our faults we love our Queen ” —were received with rapturous applause, and the curtain fell at the conclusion of the best performance ever held in Gisborne.

Too much praise cannot be awarded to Mr Cary, whom we heartily congratulate ■ also, Air Salvatore Cimino to whose labors as musical conductor is to be largely attributed the success we now record.

The orchestra was full and effective without being too powerful, and when we say that the musical department was presided over by men of such professional merit as Mr Walter Hydes and Mr Salvatore Cimino, there is little left to say in commendation of one of the most artistic and complete Companies that has ever bowed before a Colonial audience.