MIMES AIM MUSIC. [By Orpheus.] COMING EVENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 56, 3 September 1904, Page 13

MIMES AIM MUSIC. [By Orpheus.] COMING EVENTS.

or i:n a unusK. J. O. Williamson's "Marriage of Kitty" Company, in beaaon. Puderewski Concerts, 12th, 13th, 14th Sop (em her. StepUonson Comedy Company, 20th October to 2nd November. Hariy Rickards' Company, sth Novemver to 15 November. J. C. Williamson, Boxing Night to 14th January. lUB UAJKSTT'S THHATBB.. Fuller's Entertainers. TUKATUS KOYAL., Dix Gaiety Company.

Mr. H. 11. Vincent, who is "tho man of the hour," so far as the stage mniiiigeiHont of the comedies produced by Mr. J. O. Williamson's touring company, now in Wellington, is concerned, hns not been through Jfcw Zealand for upwards of a quarter century. Ho was hero about tho end of t»be seventies with Mr. George ltignold, snd assisted 1 in tho joroduetiou of "Henry "V*.," later toured with William Oreswick, and afterwards assisted in tho production of opera at Dunedin. Then ho returned to Melbourne, and helped in the establishment of the wellknown firm of Williamson, Garner, and Mmgrovo (ho had been, with Mr. and Mrs. Williamson in this colony), and finally returned to England, os his health gave way. He bus some recollection of Wellington's ilrst Opera House, and of the city «s jt was in ' those days, aud its progress is something of a revelation to liinij inasmuch, us he has nmnagfed to got effectAiully "lost" in his endeavour to pick up old. land-marks. He renews his acquaintance with the colony with feelings of pleasure, and hopes his future visits wjll not be divided by such an extended interval. Speaking of Mr. Williamson's arrange* meuts for the future as far ah this colony is concerned, Mr. Vincent says that the Kui^'kWeffreys Company, which has lately been establishing recon's in Adelaaofe, will piny here lor tho Christmas season, anA wo shall have among other things revivals of "The Sign of tho OroHs 1 ," and "A Boyal Divorce, 1 ' and productions of "Monsieur Uuaucaire" and Tolstoy's "Resurrection." Tho company in which Miss Tittel Brun«, tho American actress, ia now leadiug lady, will bo in the coUuy next Easter, and \yill present "Sunday" (which has met with an excellent reception in Australia), "D'Eglat," "Tho l&tgleO," i» which Miss JJnino plays tke youn-g Napoleon, "Fedora," and other pieces. As to wkether tho concert companj \vkich Mr. Williamson is farming, with Miss Parkins at the head, will visit tho ckluut, Mr. Vincent is a» yot \inakle to say. The company will arrive in Australia before tke oni of the present y«ar. The "Marriage of Kitty" Company, now in Wellington, is to play Chrii,tm«is dates at tho l'rinces* Theatre, Melbourne, with tke comedies which nro now being played thiough this colony. ' The NftwiHi are to open with the Fuller proprietary at His Majesty's Theatre on Monday, 12tli September. Tho Musical Johnstons arrivod by thia week's Sydney steamer, and have gone South for their opening. Madame Albnni contemplates a concert tour throug Australia hi February next. Two engagements made by Mr. Oeorgo Musgrove for the coknies for next year include Mt. Charles Warner and Mr.' Van Biene. Quo of tie features of Mr. Warner's season will be a reviral of "Drink." It is about sixteen years since the creator of "Coupeati" was seen in Australia, but, according to English and American critics, he has lost none of his caectivoness in tko character. As to Mr. Van Biene, who is a. 'cellist as well as an actor, he will appear in a comedy drama entitled: "Tho Broken MslodyV A new c»medy by Mr. A. W. Pinero will be produced at WyndhanVs Theatre, London, during tho forthcoming season, and tkougk uo definite announcement has been made regarding the cast, it is understood that Mr. John If nro and Miss Dorothy G rims ton, a daughter of Mrs. Katidal, will appear. The objection raised in Sydney to tho burlesqueing of tke Hon. George Reid in tho Maori opera "Tajm" has been met for tho Melbourne representation of the opera by the substitution of another character in tho place of tko Australian politician. The principal comedian is sow an English M.P., ou his travels, securing infoimntion for a new book. The fact that tho character travestied would qow represent the Prime Minister of Australia would (says (ke Sydney Telegraph) naturally have made the comedy moio objectionablo to those who think that the license with regard to the representatiop of public men on tke stags was exceeded in "Tapu." Mr. Williamson, however, had decided: before this new honour was secured by the public man rcfened to, to alter the character. In its 'altered 'form "Tapu" should be more successful. Mr. W. T. Stead, after 33 years, of active journalism, has decided to undertake a personal tour of enquiry through j all tho London, theatres. The editor of The Review of Reviews, explaining why he has not been to the theatre before now, sa.ya that when he was 20 he was for days "out of himself" after merely hearing a stout lady in evcing dress read "Antony aud Cleopatra," and at the age of 16, too, he conceived a romantic devotion for an actress he had never seen. The temptation to go demented over actresses is, he thinks, one from which few entkusiastio young men are immune. The Musical Unionp in the large .Arne'rionn cities, made up of professional orchestral players, a-re making great efforts to unionise all organisations. The latest throat is that composers — this would apply to those residing in tho United Sbctes— must becomo members of the Union, or tho latter will refuse to play their compositions. The report conii'S from' Boston that Mr. Higginson, backer of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, will disband the organisation rather than rc-oogni-e the locnl Musical Union. Mr. Charles Frohmann has written to Mr. J. 0. Williamson with tho object of arranging for the visit of a musical comedy company to Australia next year. It seoma that Miss Edna May, who was the heroino of "Tho Schoolgirl" at tho Princo of Wales' Theatre, London, -this season, is now appearing in the samo pieco in Now York with ono of Mr. George Edwardes' many combinations. Mr. J. E. A. Mnlone has gone ovor to stage tho piece, and as that gentleman represents Mr. Williamson in Loivdon, no doubt his meeting with Mr. Frohmann had something to do with tho proposal under discussion. The Edna> May Company will bo touring tho United Statt?" till next year, and in the event of their coming on here, via San Francisco, they would include "Veronique" in their repertoire. This — tho French comic opera composed by Messagcr— is now running brilliantly at the Apollo Thontro. Tho year" 1904 makes Salnt-SAns 69 ye«ns old, Bruch 66, Stranss 40, Massenet 62, Grieg 6J, Elgaff 47, M&soagm 41, Puccini 46, Giordano 35, Frnncbefcti 44, Leoncavallo 46, d'lndy 63, d'Albert 40, Arensky 43, Boito 62, Gliusounow 39, Goldroark 72, Widor 59, Totiti 58, Duboia 67, Ohaminade 43, German 42, Do Koven 46, Svendsen 64, Charpentior 44, Dudley Buck €3, Sousa 48, Sinding 48. ColeridceTay*w 20, Cowen 52, Rgambftti 61, Rimsky-lCoiT^koff 60, Rachmanlnoo 31. Reinecko 80, SekytU s*l, Scbntt /18, Hu-ba-y 46, Huwpwdinck 50, Proutofl, P«rosi

32, Pierne 41, M(\ver-Hi'lntiind 43, Moszkowski 60, Micodo 51, and Ciincut QQ. '\ ho Konm corivMpnndeiit of tho Pall Mnll fJa/.ctLe writes that, "JMiiostro Alascij.mil may be fcuid to bo definitely willed in Homo, as he has opened a school of niusio lii-ro. Ho i.s most enthusiastic on the subject, niul dechirun thnt tlio ellipses aio ahiKtdy woll-lilletl, and that he is euro ( hat it will be v success. Muu&tio Miiscagni übscrved that at last his opera, 'VestiHn,' is finished. This, it, is said, must, mean Ihitt BuUom 'Neto' (which has been over 30 years preparing) is alMi ivtuly, as not long ago Muscagni was asked nt a public dinner when his 'Vestilia' would bo finished, and his reply wn«, 'At tho &;uno timo as Hollo's "N"-ero." ! lfo is also busy ou his now work, 'Amico,' which is 'for a French publisher, and which he helievis will rival his 'Ciivallerin, Rusticanu.' Tho maestro is his umirl gomal self again after tho diitiuuilies of Jiis Amoncun visit, and seems to have forgotten his vow not to compose, any more, but to devutc himself entirely to' concerts, which caused lna friends such cuiibteinaUon." Extraordinary charges against an editor of mu&io Mero bi ought at a recent meuting of the London Musical Association by Dr. F. Chrysander, the wellkuowu llaudcl culhiwiaat, who wrote all cuuiito biography of hrs idol jn three volumes, nUo had printed what ho called a "conducting" copy of tho "Messiah," which ho put forth as a model of tho right mode of performing that oratorio. Dr. Cummings showed that in this whole bec-ro only two movements wero left «s Handel composed thorn. Dr. Olnysaudor not only omitted whole movements, but emasculated ulmost every number, leav-' ing out many bars, not only of the urinM, but also of the various fugal choruses, thus frequently deleting the- most importing working-out of the subjects. lie, moreover, disfigured tho various aolos D} r inserting incongruous ornamentation and cadences of his own composition ; and in ord«r to introduce these falter ho^did not. scruple to change the- rhythms from quadruple- to triple. Giordano, the composer of "Audio Ohonicr," "Fedora," aud "Siberia," lias entered into a contract •with Messrs. Sonzogno to compose two new woika, the first of M'hich is to be- remlv in two years' time. It will be an adaptation from (ho play "Madame Cotiilou," which liiuj achieved success in Paris. The '"book" will be prepared by Mr. Henry Cain, who wrote tho libetcttos for mhiio of Massenet's operas, , and for Henri Dupont's "La Cabiora," the work which gained the prize of £2000 in the recently"decided Sonzogno competition. Tho Rev. J. R. Campbell, Dr. Parker's successor at the City Temple, London, has costunjed his choir of ladies and gentlemen as follows: — Over a long while cassock which buttons from the throat to tho feet hangs a Cccilian surplico of royal blue. The ladies, in addition, wear a black collego cap with a bluo tassel. In a letter published in tho Frankfort Gnzetto Eugen d'Albert ponders gloomily upon musical conditions as follows: — "What is the secret, far-reaching malady which aiUicls rnusio in Germany at the present time? Tho trouble is this : People in Germany have become too prosaic during tho. last few years. Formeily there were artists who lived only for their idoal, and who cared littto for material things. But in our days a change has token placo. The artist givci fust place to his love of material tbingH, and second place to his ideal — when lie ims one. Ho can no longer lag behind in the race for riches. And thon, all niraiis nro fair, from tho most vulgar assumption to the most unwarranted search fer exterior influence ; provided that the mob is attracted, that the hall is filled. And it is tho same in all branches of art, productive as well as reproductive. TJieie is no pinno-teaolier who in not conforming to a mercantile standard ; his pupils are his lncrchnntli.^e." Two new inventions have attracted tho attention of specialists. One is a Streich-clavirr, constructed by Heir Kuhinoycr, of Prcssjuug, in Hungary. The *inslrifniojit has the usual keyboard, yet no hammers, but prepared leather strips set in motion by mnchinory ; these fto pitas over the strings that by hlrong pressure on tho keys v crescendo can bo produced on each note ; tho (one also lasts so long ds the key is hold down. The tono of the instrument is somewhat similar to that of the harmonium. The other inslruMK'ut is an apparatus for recording no(«o, which pin bo fitted to any pianoforte near to an eleotrlc current. The notes are recorded on five-line staves, in longer or shorter cross-strokes, uftcr tho manner of telegraphy. It is intended to note down improvisations. Tho inventor is named Kromnr," and tho itistrumct is called a. Kromaragraph. Theatrical Clips. — The second week of the Boerbohm Treo (Knight-Jeffreys) Company in Adclivido raked in receipts to tho amount of £1920. . . . Tho Royal Comics will produce "The Orchid" during tho Mclbourno season now in progress. . . . Now plays for tho forthcoming London season includo Sydney Grundy's adaptation of "Tho Garden of Lies" at St. James's Theatre, "Widow Winnie Winsome" at the Criterion, a •comedy by W. W. Jacolxi at tho New Theatre, one by Pinero at Wyudham's, and 1 Zangwill'H "Merely Mary Ann" ut Ihe Duke of York, whilo at Christmaa new comedy by J. M. Barrio is to receive its premiere. . . . Georgo Darrell Has written a farcical comedy, "Tho Punter," which has been staged at LnuncQslon by tho author in conjunction with tho Pollard Company. . . . Oily Deering has been ill, but , is recovering. , . . George M&t'hießon is running a Bio-tableau of tho Russo-Jap War "out west," and talks of bringing it across to Now Zealand. . . . Ysoyo, tho great violinist, has been ongaged for a series of concerts in tho United 1 States next season, and inny visit Australia under, the aegis of J. C. Williamson. . . . The Tsar of Russia is the latest Royal recruit to tho ranks of composers. He wrote text ivnd music to a Christmas hymn which was published hi Russia. . . . Maud Chctwynd haa terminated her engagement with Mr. J. C. Williamson's Royal Comic Opera Company. . . . A football song, entitled "Bring Out Dat Team," has been written and composed by Mr. Leon. L. Smith, tho music arranged by Mr. Ed. A. Golding. Tho composer is a son of Mr. E. M. Smith, M.11.R. for Taranaki. Tho words mo in the "coon" dialect, aud are sot to a good swingbig, tune. . . . Tho "Ticket of Leave- Man" ia to bo presented to a Palmerston audience by the Roscius Combination of Amateurs next week. . . Good progress is being niado with the opera "Mikado," which will be> staged "by the Foilding Oporatio Society shortly j the membership! of the society is increasing steadily. . . . Tho famous violin by Stradivarius onco owned by Joseph Bott Sins been sold/ to Mr. Mitchell, of Norwich, Connecticut, for £1800. It was formerly pawned for Bs. A showman in England was recently fined for causing a girl of six years to enter a lion's den. Tho girl had to oxecute a cakewalk and then kis3 one of the lions. . . . The object of Hurry Musgrove's reeout %ing trip tli rough Now Zealand was not in tho interests of a. syndicate who wish to exploit New Zoo-land, an has been slated, but for the purpose of collecting certain ' royalties. . . . Cluiriio Failing is now biHt'd at Homo as "tho now stylo" comedian j ul«o 'Gborlie is booked right up to 1907/ including a Soutih African tour. Gallando, the clay modeller, round these parts a season or two ago, is modelling at London Hippodromo. . . . Kyrl« Bollew contempl&U,. anaUier visit to AusTvali*.