“IOLANTHE.”

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9134, 1 May 1908, Page 4

“IOLANTHE.”

I<» ■ i-.MV of i he foot that the Feildieg Opmal.c- Society is staging *’ “loiaat. o ’ on Tuesday next at Marten;, f short history of Gilbert & Srdiivnu’? plot should prove interesting leading. The opera opens up in an arcadian landscape, with a bevy of fairies imploring their Queen to pardon Iclaur-he, cue of their number, who was banished from fairyland for marrying a mortal. She has been twenty-five years in exile. The Fairy Queen is moved, and summonses lolanthe to appear, lolanthe emerges from the bottomof a stream, clothed in weeds,whereupon the Queen pronouncing her pardon the weeds drop from lolanthe and she appears clothed as the other Fairies. lolanthe’s son, Strephon, who is half a mortal anti half a fairv, fails in love with Phyllis, a beautiful ward in Chancery. His love is returned, hut the Lord Chancellor refuses to give his consent to the marriage. The whole of the members of the House ‘.of Peers are affected by Phyllis' beauty, and beseech the Lord Chancellor* to give her to whichever one she may select. Phyllis is brought before the Lord Chancellor. Lord Tolloller and the Earl of Mouutararat press their suit. Phyllis refuses to listen, and announces her love for Strephon, who appears and defies the Lord Chancellor. Phyllis is sent away from him. While Strephon is in tears, lolanthe appears, aud consoles him by promising him the Queen’s protection. While they are in conversation, Phyllis returns with the Peers, and sees Strephon with lolanthe (who, being a fairy, looks younger than her son). Phyllis, not aware of Strephon’a fairy origin, accuses him of faithlessness, aud in a, fib of pique promises to marry one of the £Lords —but does not decide which. Strephon invokes the aid of tho Fairy Queen and she comes to his assistance. The Poors resent the intrusion of the Fairies, and a quarrel ensues. The Queen decrees that Strephon shall become a member of Parliament; and the first act of the plot closes, iu the second act, the scene is transfrered to Westminster Abbey. Strephon is a member of Parliament, and rules both Houses, much to the discomfiture of the Peers. Lord Tolloller and the Earl of Monntararat cannot agree which should give way to the other in their suit for Phyllis’ .hand. The Lord Chancellor also becomes an aspirant for that honour, aud in the end awards Phyllis to himself. In the meantime, Phyills aud Strephon are reconciled. lolanthe, to secure her son’s happiness and prevent the Lord Ohame’.lor’s marriage with Phyllis, appears before the Lord Chancellor without her veil, and disJJ cioses herself as ids wife, whom lie had thought dead. By this action she incurs the penalty of death. The Queen, however, is prevailed upon bo forgive her, as all the other Fairies have fallen in love with tho Peers. The Peers consent to become fairies, aud the plot closes with all preparing jonruey to Fairy-