SINGERS AND PLAYERS

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 129, 30 May 1908, Page 12

SINGERS AND PLAYERS

The coming of Kubelik, confirms the increasing evidences that Australasia is more closely in touch with the current of musical events in Europe than: it was. With the world at his feet, wealthy; and young, this famous violin, virtuoso has not waited for the leisure which: attends on waning powers. That was the case with Mine. Albani, Charles Santley, Edward Lloyd, Chevalier De Konski. Sir Charles Halle, and many other stars who have visited, us in the past. Kubelik, on the other hand, has paused' in; the whirl of multitudinous engagements that fall to the newly risen star to seek out antipodean audiences. Ho doea so in good company, inasmuch as since 1900 Mmes. Melba, Ada Crossley, Clara Butt, Antonia Dolores, Marie Hall, Jean Gerardy and Mark Hdfcibourg have all come here in good time. The tariff of admission for Kubelik'a Sydney recitals.was —Reserved, 21/- and. 10/6; unreserved, a/- and 3/-. The Dominion tour of the Mallinsons will commence here on July 15. A great welcome will: no doubt be given to. Mrs Mallinson, who as Madame Steinhauer Bahnson, was a resident of Auckland! for some years. Her vocalisation, is highlypraised by Continental, as welt as i£nglish critics. Mr Mallinson, who is an Australian by birth, i& the first .English composer to give public concerts in. Germany, devoted entirely to nis own song: compositions. One critic describes his songs as "creations which appear but once in. an age."

Sir Charles Santley has at last consented to write his reminiscences. They will appear in the "Musical Home Journal" under the title "Sixty Years a Singer." Later, of course, they will be published in book form. Patience: Don't you think great pianists are born? Patrice: Well, I don't believe any child is born with as much hair as a pianist has to have! Oscar Hammerstein and his opera company (including Mme. Tetrazzini and Miss Mary Garden) from the Manhattan Opera House, New York, sailed from America on March 31 for Europe, their intention being, as the impresario' put it, to "have a good time in Paris." Mme. Tetrazzini said that New York equalled London in the warmth, of its love for her. She is under contract to sing for Hammerstein for five years at £000 a performance, and will appear sixteen times at Covent Garden in the spring, this being followed by an English concert tour in October. When all the singers were assembled on the deck of the . .North German Lloyd liner Kaiser Wilhelm 11., previous to sai.ing, Hammerstein proudly reviewed bis operatic force. "A pretty expensive 1•* eh of pipes," he said to the reporters smilingly.

A Melbourne gentleman who desires to remain anonymous, a lover of music and an admirer of the work which has been done in Melbourne by Mr Marshall Hall, has notified the managers of the Marshall Hall orchestral concerts that he is prepared to give £ 1000 towards establishing these concerts on a permanent basis. The only condition which the donor has imposed is that the orchestra shall be under the direction of Mr Marshall Hall, as conductor. The fund will be known as the "Lady Northcbte Permanent Orchestra Trust Fund."

Mr J. Kevin Tait has sailed from Adelaide for London, where his chief mission will be to conclude negotiations for a visit here next year of Mischa Elrnan, the great boy violinist.

In a list of Press opinions, quoted on the back of a recent programme, we came upon the cheering information that '"Miss seemed thoroughly at home in Mendelssohn's immoral concerto. It suggests the need for a Censor of Music.

Sir Charles Santley has not a ve*high opinion of the Covent Garden opera to-day. He says he seldom goes to the opera now, and when he does he generally wishes he had not gone. He went tv hear -'Don Giovanni.' , and found "onlTone artiste in the crowd," Miss La Ha Miranda, an Australian. She p!a3 r ed anrt ■sang Zerlina very well. ''The other performers were generally at sea. and the opera was not at all well executed as far as ensemble was concerned.''

Hewitt: Are you a believed in vaccination? Jewett: Most certainly. It kept my daughter from playing the piano for nearly a week.

"Faust" was played at the Geneva Theatre recently to one of the most novel audiences on record. Every one of the 1150 persons present was either a bona fide workman or a member of a workman's family. Ever}' seat had cost the same, whether it was in the pallerv, the stalls, or the boxes, the price being twopenre half-penny. It is believed that quite 30 per cent of the audience had never seen an opera before. The theatre is owned by the municipality of Geneva, and for one night only it had been let to the "Societe dArt Social," which desired to give a practical illustration of its theory that the theatre should be employed in the intellectual education of the masses, and that the State should interest itself in the matter. When the performance was fir.=t. announced the rush for tickets was exceptionally large. Over 5700 workmen inscribed their names for tickets, and a lottery had to be arranged to decide to whom the limited number of seats should go. The Auckland Orchestral Society, which is giving its second concert of the season on June 4th in the Choral Hall, will again present to the music-loving public some rare novelties. The centre of attraction will be Arnold Krug"s symphonic prologue to Shakespeare's "Othello" ("The Moor of Venice"). This work is brimful with realistic situations, and j those who are already acquainted with : Shakespeare's tragedy will fully apprej ciate the many moods of the work. The ■ contrast of the music portraying Desde-' mona's beautiful character to that of j the Moor Othello is of striking original- ] ity. In the closing part of the prologue —the bedchamber scene—where Othello ! (believing his wife disloyal and craving . for revenge) announces his intention to j take her life—the composer has given ; us a description that is intensely drama- ; tic and truly great. ] I The writer of 'The Woman's Letter"; lin the "Sydney Bulletin" has the following:—"Marie Narelle leaves in a few! days on a joyous song tour of the North|em rivers, commencing at Raymond Terrace. The tour route is off all rail- \ way lines, so the singer has bought a j coach and four spanking steeds, and bor- \ I rowed a brother-in-law, who can drive anything that neighs, to dominate the box seat. The coach party will appear at a fresh township every night." i It is not certain whether Mr. Philp Newbnry and Madame Spada, who were expected this year, will visit New Zea- ! land, at any rate for some time, as engagements in the Commonwealth may prevent them coming. I Miss Eva Champion, the promising con-' tralto from Kaiapoi, had a very success-' I ful farewell concert recently in Sydney! xyndar the auspices of the Girls' Realm' ••« New South Wales - She left! on MaT 15tti for London by the Runic. I