POLLARD'S JUVENILE OPERA COMPANY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9549, 22 July 1909, Page 5

POLLARD'S JUVENILE OPERA COMPANY.

"RIP VAN WINKLE." There was an exceedingly good house at the Town Hall, last evening, to greet the favourite entertainers, Pollard's Opera Company. The weather conditions were most unfavourable for theatre going, yet in spite of this the audience was very satis- j factory. The piece chosen for the opening night of the present season was "Rip Van Winkle," this being the first occasion the Company have played it Masterton. It is to be hoped it will not be tie last, as the youthful artists made a splendid success of the fascinating o/jera. which is easily the most tintful in the whole of the Company's repertoire. The story of Rip Van Winkle is sjcb a well-'tnown theme as not to need recapitation in an operatic nc'tice, and all that remains to be described in detail is the manner in which the modern conception of it is crystallised by modern players. Planquette has clothed the weird theme in music at once exquisite and exhilarating, and the tuceful chorus is suceeded in quick tim 6 by the dainty solo, duet, trio and quartette, which sparkle in effervescent melody. Pollard's choruses are always unimppachable—always correct and vigorous. The soloists in Rip Van Winkle were withoui exception capable, some excellent. Charles Albert in the role of Rip Van Winkle fully sustained the reputation he had earned in other centres, and his representation of the gay young Dutchman was versatile and clever. Later on he made an equal success in the "Rip" who had risen from hi? sleep of twenty years. His singing was also good. "Rip" is the central figure, but characters with a fair burden of duty tn shoulder are "Gretchen" (Miss Minnie Topping). Rin's wife, "Katrina," a village flirt (Miss Cissie O'Keefe), Derrick Von Slous (Mr J. Wi lisl, and Nick Ved ltr(Master Beet Nicholson), f'hese artists are so well-known to the Masterton public t'lut it goes without saying that they thoroughly satisfied the audience with their interpretstion of th" composer's idea. The inimitable comedy of Master Nicholson was as usual a very distinctive feature of the piece, and this eleveer lad earned unstinted applause. Two dots who sang with unusual sweetness and power were Misses Trixy Ireland and Alma Aldous. They were loudly encored for their somewhat aggressive though captivating love-making. The scenery was of a description I, y . d even Mr Pollard's usual best. 0-t-kiil Mountains was as fine a fitting as has been seen on the Masterton Town Hall stage. The orciestral music was again distinguished by its ample volume and gentrai efficiency. "MANOLA"- TO-NIGHT. When legitimate opera was the popular form of amusement there was one name that stood out. and that was the tamous composer Lecoq. The prolific originator of charming melodies was responsible for such successes as "Madame Angot," "Girofle Girofla." "The Little Duke," etc. One of his greatest successes was the three-act romantic opera "Manola," which the Pollard's will produce in Masterton to-night for the first time. When originally played in London, close on thirty \years ago, it drew the playgoers of the World's Metropolis for over four hundred nights. Mr Pollard has spared no expense on the production, 1 and as the scene is laid in Portugal in 1 the 17th Century there is ample scops for the wealth of spectacle that the public associate with the name of Pollard. "Manola" can only be played for one night, as the season finishes this evening. Thy plan after 1 p.m 3 to-day will be on view at the Town Hall.