THE FLOWER QUEEN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1958, 7 April 1885, Page 2

THE FLOWER QUEEN.

The "Flower Queen" or thek"Coronation of the Rose" was nAling.to announcement, presented at OTTheatre Royal last night, and from a financial of .view proved a most unqualified success.' all the seats being taken up by the timp the performance commenced, The Flower Queen was performed a short time a»o at Wellington, by the members of S°t. Mark's Choir, in aid of the Sunday School fund. The members being in good practice it was considered worth while to induce them to give two performances in Masterton in aid of St Matthew's Choir fund That'the venture will prove a success has already been shown beyond doubt by the large atten* dance yesterday. The cantata is the composition of G. F. Root, and tlio words are by Frances Jane Crosby. . The argument of the plot is a very simple one. The flowers meet in a dell in the forest for the purpose of choosng.a queen,-and their sinking falls upiit .the ears of a recluse, who has. s&eht the same spot for solitude. The singing of the flowers touches him, and in theeftd they convince Him that lie will find-true happiness by learning to fill-to the -best of his ability the station allotted to him by Providence, and he resolves to. seek for usefulness and contentment among his fellow men. The recluse was personi: fied by Mrs Webb, and the various flowers as followsßose, Miss JParkes; lily, Miss Garratt; crocus, JHfe McGregor jdalilia, Miss Stanford'; litmrope; Miss L, Grant; mignonette, Missßeoves-; japoniea, Miss Price ; sunflower,. Miss Grant; violet, Miss K„ Francis ; nightingale; Mr C. Hill; hollyhock, Miss McKeegan; dandelion, Miss Gaby; touch-me-not, Miss Mitchell; poppies, Misses Booth, Spence, Marchant, Hall, Leamor, and Redward :• heatherbells, little folk. The performance was under the direction of Mrs Francis, who must have taken corisideracle. pains to bring it to such a success. The singing on the whole was very good, many of the solos being most enjoyable. The rendition of the choruses also proved that they had been assiduously practised. The music throughoutis smooth and thoroughly adapted to the pure poetical subject "of the work, There is not deal of real acting, but, there affso.me striking groupoa, 'which came in for a good deal of applause, . The orchestra, under the able leadership of Mr Isherwood, counted among its numbers Miss Pilcher (second violin), Mr Thomas ('cello) Mr C. Hill (flute) and Miss Francis (piano) and added materially to "the succor of the performance; /.The'Flower Qi'Jfc will be repeated-to-night,. **