Musical

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 21, 19 August 1893, Page 9

Musical

POLLARD’S OPERA COMPANY

Notwithstanding the very unpropitious weather on Thursday evening, Mr Pollard and his Lilliputians had no cause to complain at the appearance of the auditorium of the theatre on the rise of the curtain, the building being crowded. The fact that no professional opera company has visited us for some very considerable time past, also the remembrance of this company’s last season here, probably accounted for the very palpable interest displayed by the audience. The opera staged for this —the opening performance of the season —was Gilbert and Sullivan s “ Gondoliers,” produced for the first time in Invercargill. The plot of the opera—if plot it can be called —would be rather difficult to define, as, like most of the former productions of Gilbert, it is of the flimsiest. The interest, of course, all through the opera, centres on “ the two gondoliei*s,” while the real hero, the lost son of the King of Baratria, is figuring as the drummer boy Luiz, an assistant to the Duke of Plaza Toro. The music of the Gondoliers savours very much, here and there, of “ The Mikado ” and other previous works of Sullivan’s, being written on much the same lines. We all know the penchant Gilbert and Sullivan have for patter songs, with which this opera, like • most of its predecessors, abounds. This class of song is generally recognised as being very difficult to sing, as the words follow each other so rapidly, but it was evident that for Mr Pollard’s principals this difficulty did not exist. They must all be complimented on their very distinct enunciation of the words of the different vocal numbers, which made reference to a score almost superfluous, while their acting was so good that we frequently forgot that they were not “ grown-ups.” A noteworthy feature of the opera —the dancing —in which these little people quite excelled, would have put many an adult danseuse to the blush. Their gracefulness and unity of motion was entrancing, and called forth many an outburst of applause, particularly so the waltz chorus and dance in the second act, which was twice encored. The limelight w r as used with beautiful effect during this scene. In the first act a good point which did not escape the audience, was made by Master Alf Stephens (Duke) in reference to “windingup” and “reconstruction.” Master Harry Quealey, as the Grand Inquisitor, shared w r ith Master Stephens the comicalities of the opera, which w'ere numerous. It is a jnty some of the Duke’s music could not be transposed, as Master Stephens found some of his solos, particularly the gavotte, much too high for him. His splendid acting of the part, however, made the audience deaf to this defect. Of the lady principals, Misses Mitchell and Beatty, as . the two Gondoliers, were very good, Miss Wilson, as Luiz, doing- her part very nicely; while Miss Metcalf, as the Duchess, and Miss Samuel, as Gasilda, were quite at home in their roles. Misses Everett and Stephens, as the principal contadine, deserve a word of praise for their performance. Miss

Foord, as the : King's : foster mother, H sang: the - few : ' bars allotted to "her very—effectively. Perhaps the best solo effort was that by Miss Beatty in ,her singing of “ Act upon it if you can,” for which she received a double encore. A gavotte—rrsolo and dance—deserves special mention for its beauty of music and gracefulness of movement. The opera happily terminated with a repetition of the waltz chorus and dance before-mentioned. At the conclusion it was announced that “ The Gondoliers ” would be staged again next Monday. This afternoon “ The Mikado ” is to be produced for the convenience of the young people.