MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1234, 16 September 1911, Page 9

MUSIC.

e (Br Tbeble ClefJ An Australian Opera. On the evo of Madamo Melba's ' departure from London, the following appeared in "The Stage":—"Jlmc. Melba, who will tour with her own opera company in Australia, has accepted for production in Melbourne a new opera, 'Stella,' written and composed by E. Marshall Hall. The plot is founded oil an Australian incident, and the two principal characters, are a hospital nurse and a doctor. The librettist-composer 16 a brother of Mr. Marshall ilaii, K.C., and settled in Melbourne as University Professor of Music and conductor nearly twenty years ago." ■ Professor Marshall Hall visited Sydney in July, 1009, to conduct a concert of tho Sydney Symphony Orchestra. He was here again last year,during tlia season of Italian opera in English at tho Theatre H-oyal under Signor llazon's direction. For several years tho English musician was Ormond Professor at the Mclbouriio University. He lias had his own Ccnfervatorium of Music in Melbourne for fifteen years. Lortg-liaired Musicians. One of Sir Frederick Bridge's great dislikes is the amateur musician with hair hanging over his shoulders. "I bog you young men not to let your hair grow abnormally long," said the eminent English organist to somo students. "Boys usually eomo up looking liko ordinary human beings, but if they make tho slightest, progress, in a few months their hair is never brushed, and seldom cut. Tour brains will not be any the better for a big 1 and ugly head of hair." Mr. Rutland Barringtou's story of the barber whose only comment on one of his impersonations was to (he clfect that his hair was rather long, recalls a tale which used to bo told in relation to the lato. Joseph Joachim and another member of the fraternity. The knight of the scissors was struck by the length of his victim's locks, and suggosted a reduction, adding confidentially, in support of his recommendation, "Makes you look like 0110 of tlveni fiddler chaps, sir." The answer of tho great violinist is not recorded. £600 an Hour. One of the best-paid singers in the world is Mine. Nordica, ho recently concluded a brief season at the Royal Opera Honso (London). On one occasion she received a fee of „C6OO for a conccrt of an hour's , duration in Washington. She usually works for twenty-c-ight weeks in each year, from September to March, when she gives ] 100 concerts, an average of four per week, and receives a.total cf •£■.">,030, or ,€350 for each performance. The first foo she ever received was not for singing, but for consenting to sing, according lo an ox- j oliange. As a little, girl at her homo at , Farmington, U.S.A., she used to lovo to j try her voice at all times, and, much to \ tho annoyance of her elder sisters, would ] persist in joining in with them whenever \ they snng duets. So in order to silence ' tile future diva, they resorted to brilvry, | and gave her some money on condition ■ that she promised to keep quiet. !