“THE STUDENT PRINCE”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 363, 25 May 1928, Page 15

“THE STUDENT PRINCE”

COLOURFUL OPERA To the old university town of Heidelberg, with its bands of roystering students, and the glittering ballroom at the royal palace of mythical Karlsburgh, another large audience was was transported per medium of the “Student Prince” at His Majesty’s Theatre hist evening. Even in this democratic age the theatre audiences retain a strong regard for the monarchical form of government, if only for the purpose of maintaining a supply of handsome young princes and captivating princesses to form the nucleus of successful light opera. “The Student Prince” possesses all the essentials. Its Prince Karl (Mr. James Liddy) is a line, manly figure with a robust tenor of ringing quality and a capacity for love-making which must satisfy all the requirements of the gods; Kathie, the serving maid with whom the Prince naturally falls in love during his student days, is unusually prepossessing,' and in exhorting the Prince to return to the throne shows the correct spirit of renunciation expected of loyal subjects, and which, incidentally, is necessary for the dramatic action of the story; and the Princess, whom the Prince is forced to marry, is sufficiently attractive to console one at the fall of the curtain with the fact that after all his lot was by no means cast in unpleasant places. Troops of gorgeously uniformed dragoons clanking through the royal ballroom, and crinolined ladies, and courtiers grave and gay shipping daintily through the gavottes also add to the colour and charm of “The Student Prince,” one of the best things of its kind we have had for several years. The chorus work was again a strong feature of the production, and last evening numerous recalls were again enthusiastically demanded. In the capable hands of Mr. ..Arthur Stigant, the comedy work leaves little to be desired, the appreciation of a large house being again extended in no uncertain terms.