WELLINGTON.

Southland Times, Issue 1716, 18 March 1873, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(FROM A CORBESPOITDESrT.) March 8. The new theatre, which wa* opened the other day, is by far the best and moat complete in New Zealand, and would do credit to a much larger city. All modern appliances have been adopted with excellent effect. The scenery ia particularly good, and the only defect is in the inconvenience of some of the back seats ia the horse shoe, near the stage, from which little can be seen : thia will probably be remedied ia time. The lighting, too, is admirable — by gas of course. A very strong dramatic company is now performing; nightly with much success, opening the Theatre on the 13th ult. with Boucicault's " London Assurance." Over 1000 were in the house. Some Shakspearian revivals have been very creditably carried out, including " Hamlet," " Othello," and " Macbeth," Messrs Rayner and Sreele alternately in the title-rcles, aud Misses Aitken and Anstead as leading actresses. There is a- famous little band under M. Fleury, late of Dunedin and Christchurcb. In "Macbeth" the singing of Locke's music tras simply atrocious. Messrs Rayner and Steele are both efficient tragedians. Ido not admire Miss Aitken, who is stiff and stagey : she ia best in Ophelia. Miss Aastead's Emilia (in Othello) was very fair. Messrs Howard and Hydes are a couple of very funny " comic men." The season is to last a month. Chiirini's Circus performed here one night en passant — a very mediocre performance; they reserved their beat for Christchurc-h and Dunedin. No less than 3000 persons witnessed it. It is said the nett proceeds of the night were £500 ! The Cagli Opera Company also gave us a night in passing. Bellini's, beautiful oper.i (: i Puritani" (originallycomposed for Grizi, Rubihi, Tamburini, and Lablache) was selected and admirably given. Madame Coy was a charming Elvira, especially successful in the duet with Giorgio, in the Polacca, and above all in the exquisite " Qui la ,voce" and its florid cabaletta " Vien diletto." Signer Coy sang Arturo's music excellently in the pathetic " A te O cara" and " A una fonte" ; he wag less happy in the vigorous " Sprezzo audace," aud •' Non parlar" ; in the lovely duet, " Nel mirarti" (transposed a tone ibwer), and the still more lovely finale, " Credea," in which, of course, he had to omit all the falsetto passages (extending to F in alt.) written for Rubini's exceptional register. Signor Coliva was ill, so Signor Tournerie sang the part of Riccardo fairly, but he was greatly overmatched by the Giorgio, Signor Dondi, a veritable sou of Stentor, especially in the famous " Suoni la tromba" duet, which as usual " brought down the house," and elicited the only encore of the night : a Wellington audience is a very cold one. The grand Christmas performance of the " Messiah" by the Choral Society was probably the finest— certainly one of thefi .est — renderings of Handel's masterpiece which a New Zealand audience has had the privilege ol'listening to. It took place in the large Wesleyan Church in Manners street, a building boasting excellent acousiic capabilities and an organ by Tel ford. The band and chorus numbered 150, who were ranged in Exeter Hall fashion, in front and oq both sides of the organ. The effect was very striking, greatly enhanced by the large number of lady-singers all dressed in white. The performance was thoroughly satisfactory. The band proved itself very efficient in the Overture and Pastoral Symphony, and only occasionally was found wanting in the accompaniments to the recitatives. The choruses were splendidly given, the most impressive being as usual " Unto us a child ia born," '' Lift up your heads," " Hallelujah," and " Worthy is the Lamb," but to a musician the readiness with which the difficulties were overcome in the fugues "He trusted in God" and the final " Amen." was still more gratifying, and reflected the utmost credit on the able conductor, Mr Mowbray, who showed judgment as well as zeal in the way he had drilled his large force. Mr Raymond presided at thejorgan with great skill and taste, particularly in the solo accompanimeuts. The solo parts were generally well filled. The seven soprano airs were divided among three ladies, all abore the usual amateur standard, especially the singer who took " I know that my Redeemer liveth," which was sung almost to perfection, with a voice of rare power and sweetness, and with much expression. A very little training (mainly needed ia recitatives — the common weak point of amateurs) would place this lady far beyond the majority of professional vocalists heard in the Colony. The contralto solos were both delightfully sung by a young lady with a superb voice well under control ; her happiest effort was " He was despised," one of the gems of the night. The opening tenor solo " Comfort ye" was sung by the principal local tenor, who unfortunately had a bad cold, and broke down, partly through nervousness The other two airs — so opposite in style — "Thy rebuke," and "Thou shalt break them" — were given with thorough success by a tenor singer from Nelson, although his delivery of the latter bravura was almost too operatic in atyl© ; he also, I think unwisely, adopted Sims Reeves's embellishments in " Behold and Bee" which needs no such improvements. Three gentlemen shared the four bass solos, the most successful being " Behold, darkness" and " The trumpet shall sound ;" the cornet obligato to the latter was beautifully played. The oratorio occupied three hours and a quarter, including a halfhour interval. The President of the Society, Judge Johnston, as usual made a very complimentary speech at the close. Over 1000 persons attended, and mostly remained to the end. The Society has now put in rehearsal Sir M. Costa'a " Naaman," which is to be giyen in April. An intermediate extra concert took place a week or two back, consisting of

Handel's "Aci« and Galatea," which was ou the whole admirably rendered, especially the very elaborate choruses " Wretched Lovers ' and "Mourn all ye Muses." The solo parts were generally good;" Galatea" wasexcellentthroughont. Acts seemed hoarse and out of sorts in his two first songs, but recovered himself in " Love Bounds the alarm," the long sustained high notes ringing out well ; as in the " Messiah," this singer followed a bad example, and tried to iinprore Handel by a sensational ending of this song an octave higher than written. Polyphemus was good naturedly undertaken at short notice by a bass scarcely equal to the part, hence " O ruddier than the cherry" was accurate, but no more. Thje three principal singers were most successful in the splendid trio, " The flocks shall leave tbe mountains." The 'small second tenor part of Damon was very good. The Hall was crowcfed in every part, but the audience seemed bored. It must be con fessed there is great sameness in Handel's secular music ; the constant repetitions are very wearisome. The Cathedral choir gave tbe first of a series of miscellaneous concerts the following week with gratifying success, both musically and financially. A new organ baa recently been erected in the other Anglican Church, St. Peter's : it is a capital little instrument (two manuals, 2\ octaves pedals, and 14 stops — cost about £250), and deserves a better building. This week is almost entirely devoted to holiday-making. First, the grand Interprovincial Regatta was to have come off on Monday, and thousands of visitors (literally) poured into Wellington during Saturday and Sunday. Tbe Rangatira was specially despatched to Christen urch to bring up the passengers left behind by the Phoebe, and arrived on Sunday night packed like a sardine box inside and out. Unfortunately although calm and bright in town, at Petone, where the race was to come off, there was a strong southerly wind and heavy sea, and as tbe committee of management (stupid and blundering like all committees) bad fixed no alternative course in the event of a southerly wind, although this wind has prevailed constantly for more than a month, the Eegatta had to be postponed until next day, when the fates were propitious and the weather perfect. In addition to the crowds who went by road to the scene of action, a perfect fleet of small boats, rowing and sailing, several schooners, ketches, cutters, &c, and five steamers, the Phoebe, Wellington, Eangatira, Wanganui, and Napier, all conveyed thither a festive multitude. As the said fleet, steamers included, followed the various races and in the intervals cruised about the Bay, it was a most animated and picturesque sight. The boat races in themselves werd not particularly meritorious. The two local favorites stupidly went the wrong side of a flag, and thus lost hopelessly, and the grand prize (£150) was easily won by a Christchurch boat, the Sabrina, the Wellington boat being second. The second race (for £50) was distinguished by a blundering foul ; it was won by Queen Mab. On Thursday, the 6th, the Wellington races came off at the Hutt and were attended by two or three thousand people. It was a one-sided affair throughout, every race being easily won by Mr Kedwood, of Nelson, who ran two mares, Simplicity and Malvina. Thus poor Wellington has had to yield to her rivals in every description of sporting, and at present appears to stand no better chance in the Colonial Prize Firing, now going on at Nelson. The wretched apologies for sewera in this undrainrd town are emitting most terrific stinks, to which 1 add that th« peaches are delicious, and only a penny a dozen. As a natural consequence of these two dissimilar but closely connected facts — there is much sickness, especially among the juvenile population.