ENTERTAINMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 197, 17 February 1912, Page 4

ENTERTAINMENTS

MISS ROSINA BUCKMAN.

It is necessary for a person possessing striking talent in any of the arts to sojourn abroad to be appreciated in his or her birthplace. Australians did not know that Nellie Armstrong could sing until, as the incomparable Melba, she had won. the plaudits of the cognoscenti Miss Rosina Buckman has for some years now demonstrated that she is among the first flight of vocal artists,'and has.been able to charm the most critical audiences. In the opinion of the present writer there is hardly a better woman's voice in Australasia, and it has since ler successful debut attained a, maturity that cannot come to an artist except by direct contact with life, with passion, with joy and with sorrow. These things are necessary, apart from all aids of training and culture, to add soul to singing. Miss Buckman has interested Melba, and therefore Miss Buckman is introduced- to a career. But even the artistic aid of the greatest singer cannot give to a people the divine gift of singing to the heart. Miss has this gift. In the mechanics (if one may use the phrase) the singer is accomplished, and the voice itself is of very fine quality indeed, and in the past few years she has felt the magnetism of her art and has been able to transmit it. On February 29th New Plymouth will hear this gifted singer. It is not merely that the local people may go to see her, because they knew her as a child, but because she is a recognised artist whose brilliancy is never questioned outside Taranaki. She will be assisted by Mr. Hamilton Hodges, the fine Afro-American vocalist, and others. On February 29 she sings at Stratford. Miss Buckman is later proceeding to England to further her studies. '

EMPIRE THEATRE,

A happy, good humored crowd again cheered Lady Menschikoff's. brilliant win at this popular house last evening. At the matinee this afternoon and again to-night the Taranaki Gup and all the accompanying interesting scenes will be shown for the Jast time. The programme will undergo a complete change at the afternoon session, when the following fjictures will be screened: "Elephant Racing at Kerak," "The Cinematograph in South Africa," "Five Graceful Girls" (another of those popular vaudeville pictures). The dramatic subjects are a brilliant collection of entrancing photo plays, including "Jim Crow," "One of Nature's Noblemen," "Ranger Pals," and "Baby and the 'Bomb." The comic •section will raise many a hearty laugh with "Madelline's Rebellion," "Foolshead, Sonambulist," and "His Best Girl's Little Brother."

For Wednesday next the Empire management has secured a genuine treat for local pictuer lovers, when Nat Gould's great sporting Novel, "The Double, Event," will be shown in picturedom'. The well-known actor, Mr. Alf. Boothman, has been specially engaged, and will graphically describe the picture as each succeeding scene is thrown upon the screen.