ST. JOSEPH'S SCHOOL CONCERT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1831, 20 December 1888, Page 2

ST. JOSEPH'S SCHOOL CONCERT.

As announced in onr last issue, the musical and dramatic entertainment

given by the pupils attending St. Joseph's Catholic School, in the Volunteer Hall, Terauka, on last Monday evening, was a great success. The Hall was crowded, as usual, and ihe applause was most enthusiastic.. The following programme was'gone lb on,-;. : -."• tl. : Prologue,

Mies Lucy Quinn; overture, ' March of ihe Soudan War,' Miss Quirih ; chorus, ' God Defend New Zealand,'the Singing OlaßB —solo.parts, Misses Gaffaney, Demuth, and Brosnahan ; dielogue, *' The Way He Managed It,' Misses Connolly and Demuth and Masters Clarke and Connolly; vocal solo, ' We'd Better Bide a Wee,' Miss B. Conaolly ; dialogue, 'He Would be an Author,' Masters Demuth, Lavery, Connolly, Polaschek, and Miss Barrett; chorus, ■* The Miller,' the Boys—solo parts, Master Polaschek ; dialogue, ' Tbe May Queen,' Misses Ware- 1 ing, Dslton, Archer, Brosnahan, and I Connell; solo, • Old Blaok Snow,' Master: Louis; drama, 'The Reverse of the Medal' (characters: Countess Errard, Miss Wareing; Isabel, her daughter, Miss A. Wareing; Mme. Morville, governess lo Isabel, Miss C. Gaffaney; Phillips, maid to the Countess, Miss M. Lavery ; Ellen, housemaid, Miss L. Popplewell; Mother Alarm, farmer's wife, Miss E. Gaffaney; Jane, her little shepherdess, Miss Lucy Quinn); vocal solo, ' 1 Really am so Nervonß,' Master Lavery ; vocal duet, in character; 1 Mrs Brown's Luggage,' Miss and Master Connolly. Part II.; Overture,; trio, Vlviani's •SilTeP Trumpets,' the Misses Quinn ; chorus, ' See Our Oars,' the Singing Class ; recitation, 'The Quack Doctor,' Master Louis; vocal solo, ' Dublin Bay,' Miss Connolly; drama, 'Old Poz' (characters : J ustice Headstrong, Master Clarke; Lucy, his daughter, Miss B. Connolly; Mrs Bustle, landlady, Miss Demuth; Old Man, Master Connolly ; William, servant, Master J. Clarke); vocal duet, ' Voices of the Night,' Mi'bsbs Quinn and Connolly ; dialogue, ' Madam Learning and Her Daughters,' MiBB Wareing (Madam Learning), Miss A. Wareing, (Orthography), Miss B. Connolly (Etymology) ; Miss C. Popplewell (Syntax), Miss C. Gaffaney (Geography), Miss C. Barrett, (PoiloBophy), Miss L. Quinn, (Rhetoric), MiBS M. Clarke (Botany), Miss M. Quinn (History), Madam Learning's enemies (Folly and Ignorance) Miss Demuth and Miss Miss F. Burke, her friend (Religion) Miss C. Lavery ; chorus, 'The Dear Young Folks at Horne,' the Boys—solo parts, Masters Louis, J. Connolly, and J, Clarke; dialogue, ' The Dead Doll,' Misses Williams and Horagan ; a little drams, 'Jack in Giantland'— (characters: Jack, Master Louis ; Country Man, Master J. Clarke; the Ogre, Maßter B. Horgan ; Jack's Mother, Miss C. Lavery ; Fairy Queen, Miss M. Lavery ; the Ogres*, Miss C. Popplewell; song, in oharader, • The Ten Little Nigger Boys,' Little Boys; a domestic quarrel, 'All About a Bonnet,' Miss Connolly: and Master Louis ; chorus, 'Lulu is Our Darling Pride,' Singing Class—solo parte, Misses E. Gaffaoey, Demuth, and Brosnahan ; epilogue, Miss A v Wareing; National Anthem. The programme wag gone through to the entire satisfaction of the audience, judging by the enthusiasm with which every item was applauded and the frequency of encores. The entertainment began at 8 o'clock sharp and it was not oyer until loag after 11 o clockj yet no one seemed tired of it, and the wind-up was received. »b well as tbe first item. One of the greatest features of the entertainment was the; graceful and easy way in which the children entered upon and lef| the stage. It wai really a prettysightto Bee some forty or fifty little girls, ranging between the ages of seven and fourteen years, and all dressed in white, file on to the stage and take their places with clockwork-like precision. There was no hitch—everything passed off smoothly, and the minutest i detail was carefully attended to. As will be seen by referring to the above programme, it was a very long one, and of a very varied character. We find it impossible to particularise every item of the programme separately, as \t would take up too much spaoe, and consequently must content ourselves with a general review of it. The Misses Quinn and O. Gaffaney, who presided at the piano, acquitted themselves well, and in the aingiug Miss Connolly exoelled herself. i Her singing of * Dublin Bay' was the gem of the evening, and elicited an encore, to which she responded by repeating the last ; verse. Master Louis sang ' Pat of Mullingar,' as an encore to 'Old Black Snow,' splendidly, and showed a marked improvement since last year. He literally brought down the house. Master Polaschek, a diminutive little fellow of about 7 years of age; sang very cleverly, with due 1 appreciation: of tbe music; in fact, he was surprisingly good for his age, as was also Master Lavery, who is scarcely older than him. In the choruses all the voices of the children blended beautifully together, and showed how, thoroughly they had been trained. The Musical and vocal part of the programme was a great improvement on previous, years, but the dramatic pieces were scarcely up to the usual standard of excellence. One feature of this part of the entertainment was the clear and distinct articulation of the children, and the intelligent manner in which they acted the parts which they represented. Miss Ware-: iag, Miss A. Warsing, Miss E. Gaffaney,; Miss L. Quinn, and Mies L. Popplewell were excellent in * The Reverse of the Medal.' In the play of 'Old Poz'Miss Demuth and all who took part in it spoke! and acted well, and Master Louis, r ( as Jack, in 'Jack in Giantland,' and Miss C. Lavery were really very good. The children were all letter perfect in tlifiir ; various parts, and in the dialogues they spoke clearly, distinctly, and with due regard to elocutionary effect. They all showed that great care bad been taken with their traicing, and they certainly did full credit to their teachers. Tbe entertainment showed that the Sisters of St Joseph had spared no pains in cultivating the young miuds of their pupils, and also that the seed had not been sown in bar-

ren grouud. The Sistera may well feel proud of their pupils, for they could not have a better advertisement of their seal and industry than the way they acquitted themselves, and the that such li'ge numbers attend year after year at tht.se concerts is a flattering recognition of tii« excellence of the work; (he Sisters of St. .Joseph are doing.