SONG, STAGE, AND STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 184, 6 August 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

SONG, STAGE, AND STORY.

Perrier's Juvenile Opera Company brought their brief season in Auckland to a close last Saturday evening-, and are now touring the goldfields.

: A complimentary concert was tendered to Miss Celia Dampier in Christchurch last Monday evening, under the patronage of Mr Justice Deaniston, Bishop Julius, the Mayor, the Musical Union, Motett Society, Liedertafel, Society of Professional Musicians, and the Natives' Association. The girl violinist was assisted by Miss Hatherly, Mrs Burns, Mrs Howie, Mr H. M. Reeves, and the local musical societies. ' - ' '"'■-'■' ' '■■■ '-■ ' '•"•

Pollard's Opera Company opened in Wellington on Monday evening, after playing for four nights at Masterton.

Amongst the passengers who arrived by the last Vancouver mail at Wellington was Mr M. B. Curtis, a celebrated American comedian. Mr Curtis brings a variety company with him, which includes Professor and Madame Dante, and will probably begin his NeAv Zealand tour at Dunedin. Of Dante a Hawaiian paper says: 'In the realm of sleight of hand and legerdemain, as a conjtirer, as a wizard with the magic wand, as a magician who creates the most inexplicable illusions, and. mystifies with the most startling impossibilities, this young man, only 27 years old, is as clever in performance as he is original in his conceptions.'

Last Saturday night 'The Little Minister was replaced at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, by 'Sweet Nancy,' with 'A Bit of Old Chelsea' as a car-tain-raiser To-night the bill will be 'The Country Girl,' a comedy, which has been presented in Sydney before, and which will be played by Miss Pattie Brown and her company for five or six nights. That will end the season. The 'Firm's' opera company, at present playing in. Adelaide, will open in Sydney at the conclusion of Miss Pattie Brown's occupation of the theatre. Mr Charles Kenningham, the recently-arrived tenor, made his debut in Australia last Saturday night in Adelaide, in 'The Gondoliers.' He was accorded an excellent reception. He is described as possessing a pure sweet tenor voice, free from all suspicion of vibrato, run and fuli in quality, and of extended range.

Me'ssi**! Wiliamscfti aMS Mtisgrovfc have engaged Miss Dorothy, a wellknown English light operatic soprano, for their resuscitated Opera Company.

The Birthday honours this year include a knighthood conferred upon Dr. Hubert. Parry, the principal of the Itoyal College of Music, and a composer, who has contributed many Works to the programmes of the'provincial festivals and of the more important English cocieties.

Miss Katherine Hardy has retired from the stage, and is about to be married to a resident of Aiickland.

The 'Australasian' relates the following amusing incident:—'An unexpected hitch arose during the performance of "La Pille de Madame Angot" by the Sherwin-Shepherd Opera Company at St. George's Hall on Saturday evening. During the interval at the close of the first act, a small man in a long overcoat ran rapidly through the place reserved for the orchestra, the members of which had retired, and gathered up all the band parts of the music, with which he disappeared. Only the pianoforte score was left, and with that the performance was continued, the other musicians playing from memory, and doing as well as could be expected under the circumstances. Later on in the evening the band parts were restored, after the small man with the overcoat had had a satisfactory interview with the treasurer.'

Pollard's Opera Company commenced a short season at the Wellington Opera House last Monday night, with the ever-popular fDjin-Djin.' During the season Mr Pollard will produca for the first time by his company Yon Suppe's charming comic opera, 'Patinitza,' a work that is too seldom heard, as it is one of the moat melodious of all modern light operas, • _..^,

A mummer, well known to the backblocks, tells the 'Bulletin' a yarn of a country yokel "who filled the role of mechanist for one night only. The piece was 'The Shaughraun,' and the mechanic was told to light the beacon on Rathgarron Head at the cue 'Robert Ffolliott has escaped.' When the time came, the amateur mechanist, who had quite forgotten the cue, stood trembling in the wings, and no light appeared. 'See, the beacon is lighted on Rathgarron Head' came from the stage," and the mechanist promptly applied the light to the back of the cloth. ' 'Tss lighted too late,' said Harvey Duff —and then from the mystic region 'behind thescenes,' a terrified voice was heard to exclaim: 'I knew a— -well it would be; I'm quite new at this 'ere business.'

Mr Robert Brough has secured the Australian rights for several plays which have proved successful in the London theatres, including 'The Master,' by Mr Stuart Ogilvie; 'One Summer's Day,' by Mr H. V. Esmond; 'Jedbury, Junior,' by Madeline Lueette Riley; and 'A Happy Life.'

Miss Maud Beatty, of Pollard's Opera Company, attained her twentieth birthday on Monday, 4th inst., at Christchurch. Miss Beatty was the recipient of"a number of congratulatory cards and telegrams and received an enthusiastic reception when she appeared on the stage that evening.

Heller's Mahatma Company open at the Opera House this evening. Among the attractions are Madame Heller's 'Rosicrucian Psychomancy,' Mr Heller's 'Illusions,' the Lumiere Biograph, and songs by Miss Hilda Talma and Mr Percy Abbott, the comedian of the Company.

The Christmas attractions of the Pollard Opera Co. at Auckland will be the 'Gay Parisienne' and the 'French Maid,' the New Zealand rights of which have just been secured by cable. In order that the production may be made as complete as possible the 'Firm' will send the complete wardrobe and scenery that were used in Sydney and Melbourne. Mr J. B. Watson, who came out specially from England to superintend both productions, will act as stage manager for the Pollards. 'Fatinitza' -will also be staged in Auckland during the season.