Shanghai hed a musical feast abundance during the week-end, with the excellent production of "Elijah" by the Choral Society at the Lyceum and the finished presentation of Bizet's "The Pearl "Fishers" talented Russian operatic company at the Alliance Francaise. Bizet's opera is not as well known as, his "Car~ men," but it has a great popularity among connoisseurs and as it is to be given again this evening, a further opportunity is afforded for music overs to renew or make acquaintance with-it. Nor will English opera enthusiasts be deterred by the eircumstance that the performance is in Russian. They are too well accus tomed to the practice of Covent, Garden to allow that factor to weigh, especially as the vocalists are artists of admitted merit. Good support for {his opera is eminently desirable for, with solid encouragement, the organ: ization hopes to be able, next autumn, to stage other operas to the advantage Jot Shanghai which does not often have the opportunity of enjoying that type of musical entertainment—at any. rate In so artistically satisfactory a form, Reverting to the Choral Socie. ty's success, it is appropriate here endorse the tribute pald yesterday to. the work of Mr. W. J. Dexter on. S- whose shoulders fell, not only the conducting but the general organiza. tion and production. Mr. Dexter was fortunate—as were the audience—in the services of so competent a chorus and such delightly soloists Pullam, Mrs. P. D, G. Gain, Mr. D, McGavin' and Mr. W. T. Fulstow. whose volees contributed enormously the performance, rightly described lby this journal's reviewer as "we erful," but it will be generally multed that a special meed of praise due to. the firm wielder of an inspired baton and an enthusiast to whom musical Shanghai is under particularly deep obligation,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.