MIMES AND MUSIC.

Evening Post, Volume LXIX, Issue 118, 20 May 1905, Page 13

MIMES AND MUSIC.

. [lit OHi'nßus.] COMING EVENTS. Ut'KUA lIUUSB. Hurry IllokuiuY Uonipnuy, in icaion to 25th M iy. Anilcrioti Diumatio Company, 27th May to IJlli June. .1. C. Willmnuon, 14th June to sth July. W«ll!hb''>ii Amateur OiiPialij Cutnnaiiy In "Uordlly ," l»t August tn Btti August. TOWN HALL. Wellington I'iano Couinniiv'i Tonnlar ' Conceit, 2-ltli May. HIS UAJKSTT'S TUKATBB. Fuller'! KntoiUineis. TIIKATIIE IIOYAL, Dlxi Gaiety Company. IMI3 Mabel La no, who visited New Zealand with the Cuylcr Hastings Company, and who has been appearing with tho Knight-Jeffries Company in Sydney, has been transferred to tho Tittoll Urunn organisation for her original purl in "Sunday," and will afterwards roini n permanently attached to the latter combination. Tho mails from Wostarn Australia last week brought long accounts of 'ho launching of tho now Brough-Flomming Comedy Company at Perth, an event accomplished on Eaatcr Saturday, in connection with "Deauty and tho Barge," a new farcical comedy by Messrs. \V. M. Jacobs and Louis N. Parker. Notices of Mr. Robert Brough's regrotlahta illness were posted at His Majesty's Theatro during tho day, bub though tho disappointment waa keen, Iho public warmly supported tho new venture, and tho curtain rose upon a crowded house. Just before- tho play began, Mr. Allan Hamilton notified important changes in tho cast, by which Mr. Edgar B. P.iyno appeared as the. bluff qnd genial Captain Barley, whilst tho part of M.ijor Smed]<>y was taken by Mr. Herbert .Flemming, whoso appearanco had not been expected until tho production of tho second piece. Tho farcical comedy seems to have gono to uproarious laughter, tho situations being so humorous that tho ! amlienoo-'Overlnokod inevitable deficiencies. Wo read that "while in tho last act, Captain Barloy had to read some of his part, and, with one eyo on tho book, wade violent loro with tho other eye ! and hia disongnged arm, Iho effect waa excruciatingly funny, and almost upset tho gravity of tho performers themselves." Sincse then, doubtless, all has been put into apple-pie, order. Mr. J. C. Williamson hai secured the Australasian rights of "La Petit Michou," n new light opora with th-e score, by Andro and most of tho libretto by M. Vanloo. When tho last mails loft England rehonrsah wero actively in progress for its production at j Daly's Theatre, under tho aegis of Mr. George Edwardes, who is thus putting into practico thn theory he enunciated somo timo ago, that musical comedy was doomed, and that, in tho affection of playgoers its plac© would lw taken by piocea of tho '"Veroniquo" type, Iho marked succcm of which somo time ago induced Mr. Williamson to purchase albo for Australasian production. "Two Lit- ' tie Girls" was to havo boon tho English title of "Lo Petit Michou," but appearpntly that idea haa beon abandoned. Tho central idea of the. opera revolves round tho embarrassments of a small grocer -who thoroughly neglects to distinguish hot-wren his own daughter and that ot a Marquis who has bwn too confiding in entrusting his olive branch to a tradesman's care. Mr. Ambrose Manning, for years a member of the late Wilson Barrett's company, played tho paTt in the London production. Commencing on Saturday, tho 27th I May, an important production of "Tha Second Mrs. Tanquoray" will occupy tao liwst two weeks of Miss Tittdl Bruno's ; sea3on in Melbourne. M.iss Bruno will, < of course, phy Puuln, whilo tho friend > of tho family, Cay ley Druinmlo, will bo in the hands of Mr. Albert Gran, who created tho part when Pinero's strong play was first produced in London, i Miss Nonce O'Neill/ Mr. Charles Dal- J ton, and the dozen or moro of a comSany who are coining to Australia with or, Ipft San Francisco on Wtdnotdiiy, i ■and will commence their Australian tour nt Her Majesty*, Melbourne, exactly a month later, on tho 17th June. . "His Majesty's Servant," the premiere of which was postponed in order that further rehearsals .night make the caat still more perfect, will be staged by Hie Knight-Jeffries Company in Sydnoy to-night. Another success was scored by Mr. Andrew Mack at Her Majeaty's, Melbourne, when he and his company staged "'iho Way to Kenmnre," for the first lime in Australia, on the 6th inst. Tho piece is bright «nd lively, with abundance of incident, and a cast who for the most part sne.ik in the broad Celtic. Mr. Mack him.self had a most congenial ptirt as L)an Moguire, a rollicking devil-may-enre Irishman full of life and "go." The next production will be nn elaborate revival of "Arruh-nn-I'ogue," and Inter in tho seanon, "The Irish Gentleman." Mr. Muck i.» duo buck in »S»j> Fruncuvo by the 23rd of October, but Mr. J. C. Williamson intends to make a big effort to fliTimco « short sen«on in Wellington and Auckland be/ore tho young comedian leaves Australasia finally. An immense audience greeted the first production of "Tho Cingnlec" nt Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, on the 6th inst., und the latest of tho musical comedy sue-ci-Jrtoa mot with n moat enthußinst'ic ieception. Miss Margaret I'homn.v was a Iriumphiuit aucceFs in tho pait of Nnnoya, nnd Mr. John Down ali«> made a most fnvourublo iinprc»>ion, while Mr. George Lnuri was a. host in himself as Iho ludicrous Chambuddy Rain, mid Mi«s Hose Mupgrova wns tumulluously welcomed back to her first love in the soubrettu part. Last week "Leah Klpkjliim" made its London debut with Hir Charles Wyndlwm in the enst and with the title role in the hands of Mis* Lena Ashwcll, for whom, indeed, tho character wn.<» designi'd by the author. Mr. 0. M. 8. M'Lelland. Tho play, with Now Yotk's verdict distinctly in its favour, it is still running there, wns nn immediate suoi ess. Now lh.it Miss Tittell iJi'Uue, who i<< nlr.-ndy sfudying the part, has lmd \wv Melbourne .t'rI l.mgcmpnU definitely settled, the pure, uill moat likely be «een (iiot in Sydney toM.ud* the otid of the veiir. Mr. AiiguH W. JuuVk.T, the wellknown conductor nnd composer, who takes M. Leon Cnon'x place ;.s tondurtor of Mr. J. 0 Willminson'w K< p Hone Uper.i Coii'pany. him only ictiirned to Aus tin lin .ilumt tun iiuiritliK ago from Anieii ca, wheie ho client much time nt tho World's Jt'.iir K\)>ositinn ut St. Ijoui.v }[c introduced n iivinbpr of w.w Minus from liisown pen. and h,ul not innrh ilidl culty in finding publishers to phico lim rnninrwitiuns. Hi" wrll-known song, "| Wits Dieimiing," m.ulr so pujmLir in tin* country und Auslinlia by Mi»j> N'fllic Htew.nt, is quite n luge all ovrr Amrnci and I'lnglimd. St. fjouis Mr. Junckei despribos ns nn elegant city about n« large ita Sydney and Melbourne coupled, s.iy y'JO.uuu inhabit nuts. In musiciniis nnd snigeis St. Louis is rich, especially f-o nl tho time Mr. Junekpi 1 wns there. They «wmed to make their apptMr.ince from nil puts of the woilil. Mr. Juncker \ihitcd many of the loading cities in the State. I*,1 *, giving concerts in connection with Madame Schumun lloink, n celebrated con tralto sinKer. In Buffalo Mr. Juncker

mot Miss Kinily Melville, our Australian Queen of Comic Oper.i of twenty years ago. She w-.ls pliiymg old women p.uts with the Cincinnati Stock Dramatic Co. At St. Loui.s be met Signor Paulo (iior^i, who was conductor for Mr. J. 0. Williamson in New Zealand during tho liiat visits of his opera company twenty-two years ago. It may be remembered* how excellently tho part of tho Policeman was played and nung by Mr. Williiun.«on ; on a special occasion. Amongst othor old Australian and New Zealand favourites Mr. Juncker met Mrs. Chas. Turner (Agnis MonUgu) now living at herbeauUtul home in Ueiutania-avonue, Honolulu, also Win. Walsh, tenor, who wa« playing in the musical comedy, "Tho Karl 'and (he Girl," and who longs lo return lo Australia; Charles Santley, singing as well as ever; Violet Liidlow (his old pupil, who now has a good vocal position in .England ; Ffrangcon Davis, the great baritone, who contemplates a. visit to this country. JIo is without doubt the greatest artist in or.i(oiio in Kngland. Mr. Juneker whs commissioned by (ho piopriotor of the Odeou Thealie, St. Louis, to compose a ballet entitled "Louisiana," which wan accepted, and played them with great success, and conducted by Signor (iiorza. In New York ho did a lot of opera work for Kluw and Ki Linger, Henry Savage, etc., the largest managers in America. As Sunday work ho played in four of (ho largest churches (as deputy only) in the city— "Holy Cross," "St. Mary the Virgin," Madison Avenue, Ist Presbyterian, etc. Those who al tended the first popular concert given in tho Town Hall under tho management of thn Wellington Piano Company will have pleasant recollections of tho splendid piognunme presented. The second concert of tho series has now been sot down for 21th May (Empire D.iy). Mr. Frank Uiah.uu has again been engaged, and will sing "The liv'.Uh of Nelson," Blumcnthal's "Message," (did "Bianco.." Mis. F. P. Wilkou, soprano, will be tho lady vocalist. The company'fl orchestra will also play popular selections. During this week enquiries wero made by tho management of tho Hill-Birch opera, to be produced in Auckland next month, for tho services of Mr. Fred Urahaui, who is now in the South Island on the Fuller circuit, to play tho coined}' rolu in their production. Mr. Ben Fuller, however, was unnblo to spare tho clever comedian. Mr. Watkin Mills, tho great English basso, und his fino quartet, ( consisting of Miss F.dith Kirkwood, soprano; Miss Gertrude LonsduJe, contralto; Mr. Harold Wilde, tenor ; and Mr. Parlovitz. pianist, opened the Australasian tour last Wednesday, at Perth. Mr. John HolliugsheaJ, (ho well-known manager, died, greatly to the surprise of his friends, in poor circumstanced. A fund for a memorial in Btoinpton Cemetery and to aid his widow is to bo raised ' by a very iniluential committee. i Mr. Beetbohm Tree recently reviv-i-d j "Trilby' for ono night with so much success that he intends to repeat the • experiment. Periodically countries appear (o bo affected—or alllicted, as tho ciuo may bo — with a desire lo sec an old play. In Australia the recent remarknblo run on "Camille" was uft instance, tho tearful drama being presented almost stmul- ■ taneously in four different cities of the j Commonwealth (says the Sydney Daily , Telegraph). This particular coincidence may bo due to tho desire of an actress to play tho character, or the managers' shrewdness in piesenling what pays. Certainly the victory was the managers' , in the roccnt revivals, for the play "drew imnlcnselv" everywhere. London man- i agcrs and actors have now been soveivly , affected by a cra/o for "Hamlet." Mr. J Bcerbolini Troo recently ga\o a produc- j tion of tho pl.iy at Her Majesty's. Mr. I Otho Stuart has revived the ti'iyedy at j tho Adclphi, with Mr. 11. B. Irving' and ' I Miss Lily Btayton as Hamlet and ' Ophelia, and Mr. Martin Harvey is to j appear as Hamlet at tho Lyric ; and, to \ ! descend to tho ridiculous, Mr. Bransby | ■ Williams was to introduce a new kind lof Dane at tho Kinpiro. London, similarly, a few years ago, was severely bit- i ten with a desire to see plays in which } Napoleon figured. Perhaps ono rcasjn i for the F.tigfish manageis' falling back J upon old plays is tho inability to procure, suitable n«w ones. Tho Covent Garden opera season 1 opened on Ist May in London with a list of artists, the now names in which are chiefly in the German section (writes j | the London correspondent of tho Sydney Telegraph). The Italian operas will bo | conducted by Messrs. Mancinelli, Mes- ' sager, and Campanini, tho Wagnerian ' works by Hans Richter. Always behindhand and unenterprising — "conservative" j is the soothing term for it employed in | London — the directors announeu only three new operas, and it remains to bo seen whether even thpso will all be staged. The threo in question are Giordano's "Andrea Chenier," repeatedly performed , by tho dirl Rosa Company in English ; i Puccini's "Madamo Bulterlly," in the icj vised form adopted by tho composer after ' its failure at La Scala ; and Franco 1 Lconi's new Italian opera on "Tho Cat ' and tho Cherub," a grim one-act play ! originally produced in New York, There j will bo two revivals of interest, Meyerbeer's "Les Huguenots'' and Donizetti's "Don P«sqtt«l«." ' The boy-violinist, victor Harris, will , make his first public appearance in Well- i ington at the Town Tlall on tho evening of Empire D.iy (24th May), at tho Wellington Piano Company's popular concert. This youthful artist has recently returned from Kngland, where he has been studying under tho famous Austrian ' violinist, Herr Hans \>cssely. At the j ago of nino yeais he passed with credit ' tho advanced examination of the Associated Board of Music, London, being tho ( youngest student who has ever passed this diillcnlt examination. Ho is to return to London for further sludy later on. I Theatrical Clips. — Mr. Harrlo Skinner, manager for Rickards'.s Company at the Opera House, is an enthusiastic motorist, and uas a competitor in the recent road race between Sydnpy and MclI bourno. . Miss Ksther Norden, ' A. L.C.M., pianiste with Montgomery's ■ Entertainers, was to have been married I to Mr. T. Shaw-Vali'iitine, electrician to | tho company, at Christchurch on Wednesday. . . "The Rose of the Riviera" is being revived by Stephenson's Company al Sydney Criterion. . Cecilia, Loftu's has signed a contract to • appear twice a day at each of Proctor's two theatrcH in New Yolk for a salary of £630 per week. . . . Sir Hc-nry ' Irvlncf is t'» make n farewell tour of twenty weeks in America, under Frohniann's management . Their wes n record house in Wnsleilon on Mondiy pveninir lo witness "Sweet Nell of Old Diary." . • . Alioiimli. the giantess, bus joined Wiilhs' Ciruts. . . . Chirles Alb it, lute of the I'oll'irds, replaced I'Vd fliMlnm in Anderson's "Sinbad" pantomime Company, firahiun and his wife (Miss Xollie Dent) are now ftn the Fuller cm nit . . . Mrs ]\rnry Hraey (MWs Clun Thompson) returns' from Ameiica with the Nance O'Neill Company. . . George Steph' n«on's Mm-ie'ii] Comedy Company has in rchoirK'tl "Miss Mischief." .... (liMieial Lew Wallace, writer of "Ben Tf in*.** bus left prop.Mly estimated at £100,000 . . . The late Charles Arnold, unlike the genni.il urn of actors, left a competence He leaves a wife 1 (Miss Dot Frederics) and a daughter. . . . Fuller's l'lntrrtaineir. reopen the Auckland Opera House, Auckland, next I Saturday, afk'r a successful live weeks' ' I tour on tho goldiields