Round The Shows

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 339, 26 April 1928, Page 15

Round The Shows

BOHEMIAN ORCHESTRA

CONCERT AT TOWN HALL At the Town Hall last evening, in the presence of a large audience, which included their Excellencies Sir Charles and Lady Alice Fergusson, the Bohemian Orchestra gave the first concert of its 15th season. The programme submitted was not a particularly interesting one, and at times the playing was scarcely as finished and satisfying as it might have been. Cherubini’s overture, “Ali Baba,“ was the opening number, and received a spirited performance—it is a fine example of the form, and lias a freshness that will endure.

Goldmark’s Tone Poem, “Sakuntala,” the succeeding orchestral item, is a pretentious and rather dull piece of programme music. Cleaner phrasing would have enhanced the performance of the work, but the climax and coda were well done, and gave a lift to the interpretation.

The string orchestra was heard in a Sibelius “Romance,” the “Bird Scene” from. Coleridge-Taylor’s “Hiawatha,” and Jarnefelt’s “Berceuse.” The two latter works were well done, though the heavier strings were a little too weighty at times in the accompaniment to Miss Whitelaw’s nicely-played solo in the “Berceuse.” This charming little trifle was repeated, in response to much applause. Gounod’s “Saltarelio” was given with great dash and warmth of colour —the orchestration in this work is . delightful.

The most interesting item on the programme was Liszt’s E flat Pianoforte Concerto, in which Miss Theo Halpin very commendably played the solo part. Miss Halpin has a nice touch and style, secures a good tone, and has a sense of rhythm and phrasing; but her playing is not always clean, while sharper relief and individuality in relation to the orchestra would have added to her distinct success. The Concerto is effective, but does not ring very true as music. The “Allegretto Vivace” is perhaps the most genuine portion, and was nicely performed by both soloist and orchestra. Miss Gwenyth Evans and Mr. John Bree were the vocal soloists, and were well received. Miss Evans possesses a pleasing mezzo-contralto voice, and sang with acceptance “A Summer Night” and “The Great Awakening”; both songs, "however, needed more emotion and contrast in their portrayal. Her encores were very attractively sung. Mr. Bree has a baritone of good quality, but his style and vocal colour were not very appropriate to Leoncavallo’s great scena. He was more satisfying in his encore number, “At Dawning.” Mr. Muston conducted with skill and decision, and Miss E. Whitelaw ablyled the orchestra. Mr. Towsey's pianoforte accompaniments to the songs left little to be desired. S.K.P. Jobyna Ralston, who for many successful pictures was the heroine of Harold Lloyd, is playing the principal feminine role in the Universal production, “The Count of Ten,” starring Charles Ray. The story is from the pen of the well-known sporting writer Gerald Beaumont, and deals with the boxing ring.

NEW REGENT

“SECOND TO NONE” TO-NIGHT “Second to None,” the British naval film which will be the chief pictorial attraction at the New Regent Theatre to-night, opens with the burning of a tramp steamer, from which the only survivor is an orphan-girl stowaway who is picked up by the battleship “Bellatrix” and adopted by the vessel’s commander. On the way to the home of the officer, the child meets her former playmate and best pal, Bill, newspaper boy who is persuaded to become a sailor. Fired with the ambition to be worthy of his sweetheart in her new life, he works hard, becomes a petty officer and returns to renew his boyhood courtship. He finds that the girl has become engaged to the commander of his vessel, and, his hopes dashed, he deserts. The news of the outbreak of war brings him back to his ship and while reconnoitring, the latter unexpectedly discovers a superior enemy force and “hangs on.” Successive salvoes of shells make the ship’s deck a shambles and his gun put out of action, the hero gallantly goes to the torpedo tubes and registers a direct hit .on an enemy ship which turns turtle and sinks. This success does not minimise the plight of the British ship but the eomander refuses to surrender and when the ensign is shot away, the ex-deserter climbs to the masthead with a new one. He is

shot down and dies in his commander’s arms. “Second to None” is founded on stories by “Bartimeus” and was filmed with the sanction and co-operation "of Admiralty, on H.M.S. Tiger, Champion, Tara and Tarpon and certain other auxiliary vessels. Moore Marriott, Benita Hume, lan Fleming. Micky and Aggie Brantford, Johnny Butt and Alf. Goddard are in the cast. Preceding the British feature “Second to None,’.’ an elaborate descriptive prologue will be staged on the deck of the battleship. Mr. Hilton Porter, baritone, who has just completed the Rose Marie tour will sing “Drake Goes West,” supported by Miss Cecil Hall’s ballet in elaborate numbers. Mr. Maurice Guttridge has specially arranged the music for the prologue in addition to the entracte “Freedom’s Flag.” Mr. Leslie Harvey will play Mikado selection and Chansonette (Friml) on the mighty wurlitzer.