The Opera Maritana

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 54, 25 July 1930, Page 11

The Opera Maritana

To be Produced by Orpheus Society Pe ee

THIS charming and well-known opera by Vincent Wallace will be presented in its, concert form by the Orpheus Musical Society on Tuesday, July 29, in ‘the: Town Hall ‘Concert Chamber, and broadeast . by 2YA. "Maritana" is probably one of the best-known works produced by musical societies, and under the capable direction of Mr, Harison Cook patrons of the concert can be assured of an artistic performance.

The opera is an old one, for it was first produced in the Drury Lane Theatre, London, November 14, 1845, where it was accorded immediate . success. Since then it has been produced countless times and rarely fails to please. It is a regular item over the air from the British’ Broadcasting Corporation, and has been heard from New Zealand stations on more occasions than one. The principal characters are:Charles II, King of Spain .... Bass Maritana, a.gipsy singer .. Soprano Don Jose de Santarem, his Minister Baritone Don Caesar de Bazan ...... Tenor Lazarillo ............ Mezzo-soprano Marchioness de Montefiore .. Soprano The story. by Fitzball, like so many operas, deals with the love affairs of a gipsy, but is different, in that it ends happily. n Act I the Spanish King, Charles II, while wandering about his kingdom in disguise, falls in love with the beautiful young gipsy girl Maritana. The king’s companion, the crafty Don Jose, is in love with the queen. He sees in this meeting of the king and the gipsy a chance to further his love love affair with the queen. A jolly young roysterer, Don Caesar, appears on the scene just in time to prevent the lad Lazarillo’ from ill-treatment from the hand of his

a cruel master. A duel between the master and Don Caesar results, although it is Holy Week, when duels are forbidden, Caesar is cast into prison under the penalty of death. py Act II Don Jose comes to Don Caesar and Lazarillo in their pyrison cell. Caesar here sings the soldiers’ song, for he cannot reconcile himself to the death of a® common eriminal. Don Jose makes a proposition. If he, Caesar, will go through the marriage ceremony with a veiled lady he may die by being shot, for Don Jose sees the chance of introducing the widow of a nobleman to court, where he could not have brought the gipsy girl. The wedding takes place, and the veiled bride is led away, while Caesar takes his place in front of the firing squad. The faithful Lazarillo has, however, removed the bullets from the guns, and Don Caesar’s last dying groans are but feigned ones. Don Jose, intent on compromising the king, has taken Maritana to a ball as the niece of the Marquis of Montefiore, the host. Caesar follows as soon as his executioners have left him, and arrives at the palace..,Don Jose, though astounded at the presence of the man he thought dead, immediately seizes the situation and unveils and presents as Don Caesar’s bride the elderly Marchioness de Montefiore. Caesar is taken aback, for he had not imagined this his veiled bride. CT IIL is an unravelling of the complication. Don Caesar comes to Maritana’s rescue, as the king is making love to her, and later kills Don Jose in a duel, revealing the dead man’s malignant designs toward the king, who, seeing the unworthiness of his conduct, seeks the forgiveness of the queen. On the happily united couple the king confers honours, and everyone is satisfied. For ‘details of the music of the opera see the Gramophone Notes in another section of this issue. "THE soloists for the principal parts of the forthcoming presentation have been carefully chosen, and can be relied upon to give finished interpretations of the tuneful numbers for which the opera is famous. The part of Maritana is being sung by Miss na Rapley (soprano), who achieved such great success in the recent production of the "Arecadians" by the Dennis Operatic. Company. The part of Don Jose has been undertaken by Mr. Brnest Short, Wellington’s leading and popular baritone, whose artistic and musicianly work is always appreciated. Miss Ngaire Coster’s charming mezzo-soprano voice will be heard in the part of Lazarillo, the orphan boy. Mr, Charles Edwards has been engaged for the role of Don Caesar, and his fine operatic tenor voice should be well suited to the part. The small but exacting bass parts of the King of Spain and a Captain of the Guard are being undertaken by Mr. R. J. D. Madigan, who possesses a splendid voice of adequate range!

and power. With the efficient and artistic chorus work for which the Orpheus is already well known a fine evening’s entertainment can confident‘ly be expected.