SINGERS AND PLAYERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 287, 2 December 1911, Page 18

SINGERS AND PLAYERS.

The "Sydney Daily Telegraph," referring to the singing of Miss Valeric Collins, of Dargaville, at the annual concert in the Sydney Town Hall of the pupils of 1 4he Garcia School of Music, says: ''Miss Valeric Collins snng in consent style | End with dramatic spirit '0 Love, from , th.v Power , ('Samson and Delilah'), and i g:iincd one of the successes of the even- 1 fcg.' , < Two new songs are 'Since Miss Gibbs Came to Town," composed toy W. E. i Kaughton; and "Baby, Good-night" J 4"Cookoo''), composed and sung by Albert Kees. They are excellently print- I ( «i; the former is bright and catchy, , She latter is a sweet little lullaby, and ' iboth are likely to be popular. 1 have ' to acknowledge copies from the Pianola ' (Company, .Melbourne. ■ : ' The reappearance of ivTme. Carreno i < at. the. Queen's Hall was eminently sin- i cpssful (says the Pall Mall Gazette"). i The distinguished pianist was in splendid 1 form, and gave of her very best. There < is ><onicthiiig -wonderfully exhilarating i about her playing; it is so firm, decided, 1 superbly clear technically, and so warmly I coloured by the rich beauty of her tone. i Her performances proved that her position among the finest executive artists o* i the world must remain, us ever undis- ( puted. I Mi?s Winnifrerl Carter, Auckland's ( talented young harpist, who has just ' finished a tour of Australia, has been en- j paged by J. G. Williamson as harpist to , " The Chocolate .Soldier. , ' , Mr. Oscar Hammerstein is spending ■ £250.000 upon his new Opera House in i Kingsway, which is being rapidly push- i ed forward towards completion, and was to be opened in November, when Ed- ' mond Nougues'3 "Quo Vadis," an opera t which was performed on ninety-three occasions at the Gaiete-Lyrique in Paris ' last year, was to be presented for the first ; time in London. Seating accommodation will be provided for 2,700 persons, and ! ■when filled to its utmost -capacity the house will hold £2.000. The frontage is ' 275 ft in length, with a height of 75ft, i th"o main entrance being placed at the • south end. There will be a special en- ' trance for the King and the Lord Mayor. With regard to the interior, the decora- 1 tion wilt be carried out mainly in white '■ and gold, cJid after the Louis XVI. style. The stage, one of the largest in London, ■will be 'JOt't wide and 70ft deep, and perfectly flat, but 'the stalls have a fine rake* and in. excellent view of the stage ' can be obtained even from the back rows. ' There are fifty-three boxes, arranged in two tiers, each, having a retiring-room attached. Included in the upper tier is a. suite of rooms designed for the use of . Royalty. As telephones will be fitted in : all the boxes, friends in different parts , of the house will be enabled, without ' leaving , their seats, to discuss the opera or any other matter that may interest them. In the lighting arrangements, C.OOO electric lamps will be employed, and en artesian well is being bored to furnish the house with an independent supply of water. For the encouragement of English vocalists a school of opera singers i 3 to be established, but there is no intention of presenting the. operas in English. Some three hundred dressmakers now find employment at the London Opera House is making the 15,000 costumes which will be worn in 'the thirty-two operas forming the repertory. A series of colossal groups of statuary, upon which Mr. Thomas Rudge is working, •will later on adorn the front of the building. Two of these are to represent 'Harmony" and "Melody," while other figures ■will be "inspiration," "Composition,"' "Tragedy," "Oomedy," "Song, , and "Dance." Mr. Hammerstein"s declared policy is to rely not so much upon names as upon voices, and he asserts that he has been able to retain the services of numerous artists who should speedily make a reputation for themselves in London. It should he mentioned that, according to present arrangements, the season will extend over twenty weeks. To what extent the musical public will support the scheme of this energetic and plucky impresario remains to be seen. New Zealanders mil read with great interest of a fresh success of Mr. G. H. Clutsam, the well-known composer. Significantly observing that a Britisher is fortunate nowadays who gets an opera produced anywhere, and especially in Germany, the London "Telegraph" records that Mr. Clutsara, whose clever work, "A Summer Night," was brought to a hearing last year at His Majesty's Theatre by Mr. Thomas Baecham, has flince completed another opera, entitled "Konig Harlekin," and it has been accepted for production by Herr Moris, director of the new Kurfursten Oper. Berlin." The book is by Rudolf Lothar, ■(he librettist of "Tieftand." Tt is understood that the work is highly dramatic, and fashioned musically upon distinctly novel lines. There are four acts, and many opportunities for spectacular display. The London ''Era," October 7, published a portrait of Mr Cole Aspina.l!, with these personal particulars: —''A native of Victoria, Mr Cole Aspinoll is a sou of the late Hon. V. C. Aspinall, imd a 'brother of Mr Butler Aspinali, the Admiralty K.C. Like Mr Oscar Asclie, he ■was educated at the Church of England Grammar School, Melbourne. Upon the completion of his education he •became a 'clerk 'in the Bank of Victoria i>u£ .ledgers cad Injures hud no attraction for him, and upon the advice of the late Hon. George Coppin, who had seen him play as an amateur at ths Melbourne Opera House, he determined to adopt the stage as a profession. Ho ■made hi 3 first appearance at the Opera House. Auckland, N.Z., in February, 1883. In 1887 the young actor came to [England, and was engaged by Mrs Oscar P?ringer for the part of Hig<rin3 in 'Little Lord Fauntleroy.' lie made his first appearance in this country at the Crystal Palac?, after which he went on tour in the same piece. A little later he .v.is f njr.iged by the la it* Charles TJornton to play Criprps 'in 'The Silver King.' Then followed an engagement with Capt. Warren Wright for David in the farcical comedy, 'The Balloon,' foll.'Mvrd by seasons with Mr George W:I----loiwhby and as prin-cipa! eharr,cter actor with the Charles Dwkens Dramatic Syndicate. Mr Asr>in:i!l then -.vent out to fay in Australia. Upon his return to 1 j'.ncl^-'l 1 ! in ISO? he was engi««jcd by Mr .7ohn 1 ,, . Preston to create the part of Mntt'irw Grabhem in 'Rich and Poor of I/ondon,' which he played for three •Teirs. An engagement with MeKord and Pel::'*; followed, and his npxt manager* vc-,p Messrs P.tlini and MaiUand, with n-li.mi hi- pteved the t;t!f-r<i*e in Th» Con! Kin™.' Mr A?pinal! Ins also fu'.H'.k\l hntli in England aid nbi'nsii! with the late John Coleman. Abud nn'l IJaehford, Frank fSateman, Wybert Hceve, and Miss Junette Steer. The ac4or, who is veiy fond of outdoor life, spends most of his vacations with some Australian friends-of his in the Highieflds, yachting, shooting and fishing."