Amussements.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1754, 17 August 1874, Page 2

Amussements.

THE OPERA

The Royal English Opera Company gave their initial performance at the. Academy of Music on Saturday night, the opera being" Maritana." The company had only arrived a few hours before from Auckland, which circumstance might be. fajrly considered disadvantageous; but the disadvantage was not apparent, except in one or two minor details. Those to whom the burden of sustaining the opera was entrusted were equal to the occasion. But there were other unfavorable circumstances which operated against the success of the company on their first appearance. It was Saturday night—and a wet night. Business exigencies and a drizzling rain which set in during the afternoon and continued unabated throughout the evening militated somewhat unfavorably in the matter of attendance—noticeably in the stalls, though the gallery and pit were well filled^ The orchestra, which contributes so much to the successful preduc-" tion of opera, is numerically small in the company, but excellent in selection, and efficient, and the overture to " Maritana " was evidently appreciated by the audience, T though from some, cause—possibly owing to the late arrival of the company—it was not apparently as satisfactory to the conductor as it might have been. Mr. G.B? Allen presided, at the piano, and conducted, with M.Fleury, a veteran musician well known to old Dunedinites, as leader. The opening chorus which followed the overture was very well rendered, and served, to show the strength of the company in this'direction. Miss Alice May as the gitana, in the title role of the opera, then gave the rqmanza '• It was a knight of princely mien," and at once placed herseif en rapport with the audience," not only by her charming singing but also by the spirit which she threw into it, revealing the dream which the gipsy maid cherished. The " Angelus," rendered by Miss May and the chorus in the attitude' 6? devotion, was a marked transition from the light heartedness of the previous vocalisation. The duet by Maritana and Don Jose, "Of fairy wand had I the power," further developed the aspirations of the gipsy maid, and the schemes of the designing nobleman to further his Own ends." Miss May's acting was admired no less than her splendid singing. The first act of the opera, however; went just a trifle flat, and though there were not wanting the usual signs of appreciation on the part of the audience, there was an absence of enthusiasm, or anything approaching it. In the second act, however, the performers seemed to have warmed to their work, aadthe vocalifation afforded more scope for display.** Lazarillo sang the plaintive aria "Alas those chimes," and received unmistakeable sign of having made a favorable impression. In this act, too, Don Csssar and Don Jose had more favorable opportunities of displaying their powers; the former in the song, "Yes, let me like a soldier fall," which was sung in a manner which surprised many who had heard the singer on the same stage but three years ago. Don Jose's "In happy moments " was not a surprise, because Mr. Rainford had long ago made a more than usually favorable impression with Thames audiences, and his Derformances on Saturday night fully mainainedthereputationwhichhehadacqutred' The aria " Scenes that are brightest" won for Miss May the first and only encore of the: evening, and in repeating the verse she threw into it so much feeling that a hearty applause was spontaneously accorded. To notice all the gems of an opera like "Maritana" would be impossible. We have indicated but a few; the performance altogether was a treat, especially as it is such a long time since an entertainment of the kind was placed within the reach of a Thames audience; The principal characters were sustained by the following artistes—Maritana, Miss Alice May; Lazarillo, Miss Lambert; Don Csesar, Mr. Hallam; Don Jose, Mr. Rainford; The King, Mr. Templeton. The other parts were suitably filled, and well sustained. A very pretty Spanish dance was introduced in the first act, and gracefully executed Joy two members of the corps de ballet. The expectations which have been raised regarding the opera company were fully realised, and the short season which it is proposed to devote to the Thames should be eminently successful; and it will be so if the Thames people maintain their character for appreciating what is good in the way of public entertainment. The management announce the opera of " Martha" for production to-night. This is essentially English ;in plot and incident, and the music is perhaps more familiar than that of any other opera. The bejautiful air of "The last roseVof summer I is the theme on which the instrumentation is grounded; and the incidents give a picture of Greenwich fair in the days of Queen Anne.