Theatre Royal.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 791, 6 April 1905, Page 2

Theatre Royal.

THE VAX BIENE COMPANY. The interest with which the ap- j pearance of the celebrated actor- } musician Van Biene and his company ' 'had been looked forward to was I evidenced by the langc audience which 1 greeted tho performance at the ] . Theatre Royal on Wednesday rfiglvt, , all parts of the house 'being filled. 1 !I ' The Broken Melody," which has won great laudation wltgrcyer pro- ! duced, is one of the most artistic [ productions ever staged in New Plymouthl, 'delightful melody being i heard in conjunction with a brilliant land powerful dramatic setting. The beautiful theme, with its incidental ' 'stirring scenes and situations and ' strong human interest, mode a I great impression on the audience, • and the '''star's"- inspiring 'cello I paying aroused round after round ■ of enthusiasm. The story is writi ten around the life of a musician, , lVul llorinski (Van Bienc), in reality ! a prosciibod Count, who, except for the devoted lovo of his wife and the possession of an opera, which he has Vainly offered lo managers, is In L a condition of poverty. The Duchess . do Verviers, madly enamoured of tho musician, secures the production of , 'lis opera, and consilient fortune I and fame. She, however, separates _ tho wife from her husband by telling her that hor presence will i:etruy , J lcr to the Russian secret police. _ 1 aul, jubilant at his 'good fortune, , rushes home to tell his wife. Finding her absent, he sits down to play i j the melody of the opera, when sud- ' denly his eye faWs upon the letter of I farewell left by his w;fe, which, however. has been cunningly transposed 1 ■ ( by the Duchess. The melody ceases 1 ? s how falls from his hand, arid _ is lulled to rest amid subdued lnumo "y r '' om th e Then follows a very dramatic situation in ; which the musician realises tln-.t l,e 4 I*«n forsaken a', most at the ] f'oment of a great musical tiiun.ph. ' In the last £K ; t the intrigues of the Duchess are made clear to the doub- 1 ,ting Ivudbaiid, and In despair o< ever | efTecting n reconciliation he turns to i his IxMoved instrument for solace, and breaks off to find his faithful - wiie in bis arms. The uctor-musi- I _ cian s presentation was a maslerlv 1 clTort from every point of' view, anil ! - the cello ploying was an urfistio Ueat, the beautiful-toned instni- ) nient being a revelation to musiclovers. 1,, t i,e hands of the renowned flr-tist the music expressed emo,tion sadness, ami gaiety in turn and the audience, moved at will, .'is.tened to the interpolated s.-leet'iojis jttith rapt attention, breaking into . a storm of ap[.lanse at the conclur ,°',!' Ac l 1 ' Kv 'iry ,iv-ai)pearanee of I the cello into Hie piny was enthusiastically anticijxited,. a IK I ihy en- I _ trancing melodies will I inner long in : l ;° .'WW* of tho airdience. The ' ,° f " Uomo - S, WI Home" in , ; ,T he 1 1 * nu ' ; , acl - "as superb, and prolouiidly stinging. As might be ex- ' B tho l *°. lvUsort,in K interestt around I i id (I,^l? S °" ,ewh ' u overshadow- 1 od the dramatic talent of the otho.- - Sout S th f tho c ' 0 "'l ian . v . "ho car- | abilitv Mi'*' ' ,nl - ts " Uh considerable i Miss l/ena Burnloitrh as • ' 'fuifll 0f n B ° ri r ki ' a t'vtg role to : , fulfil and played the pan of a d ° | ! "' on,nn with distinct

i success the emotional scenes when She moots her husband and scorns the 1 e . I>ucht'&s being clever pieces of acting. I , The impersonation of the Duchess ' ■'Z S n2" tnsk ~- hut MW Marie 3 J was one ot " n 1-08 of thc Production, ■ especially Jn the final act when, although her mtentiont have been ex- • | posed she delles the wife and later on makes an unsuccessful appeal to -1 the musician to fly with her to a - foreign country. As the Russian i police agent, Mr Henry Ludlow was • forceful and convincing. a good deal of humour was suffused into the , play hy Mr Horace Lingard, as a • ch .eerfu pushing theatrical agent, , who will let nothing deter him in his [ attempt to get the righ'Ui of the new opera, and lets no opportunity pass of talking business, while he is always aiming to circumvent his riva';, a French improssario (Mr Arthuc lErdrod)1 Erdrod) A number of minor characters are also included in the pieca | which was exceedingly well mounted; , the scenery and stage accessories being identical with those used In the, Melbourne and Sydney productions. | The New Zealand tour promises to ' Ibe a great success. =====