MIMES AND-MUSIC.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 36, 12 February 1908, Page 4

MIMES AND- MUSIC.

1 ' Regarding "Fet-er, Pan," which Mr. J. C. Williamson, will .introduce to Australasian i-audi<Snc,es; a. London correspondent writes:—4 liop^, it -will not be- long before Sydney- sees "Peter p an." A moi^e, delightful bunch of delicately imaginative nonsense >s inconceivable. U ■is. JionstSnSe, touched with the breath of genius. - It bubbles ovor wvlh innocent fun, and not once, nor twice but often, comes a touch of pathos, a suggestion of tenderness, a hidden something behind tho laughter, that reveals Barrie as a master interpreter of the child, heart, and inferior t«j no other, not even Charles- Lamb, or Hans Andersen, or' Robert Louis Steyensbi). It is^a, play for children,, and the chief ne'loffe assume child parts. . It is also- a»" play for" gVown-ups,, "only t^o .unimaginative of whom ' look upon •. thes© . exquisite dream-children, and their fabled, land of might-have-been', without some quickening of feeling, As for. children,,, they > extract from "Peter Pan" joy unadulterated. • They fairly howl' with delight, over some of the scenes. * Peter.'s ex- r planation of fairies' is an example of' ■Barrio's delicate imagining thioughout tjieplay "When the first baby gavo Its first smile, thai; 3mile broke Unto a thousand pieces, and thoy all' ran away, a.hd that's how fairies * began. Now, a baby smiles I .''' a- new fairy is born, and 'whensvev a/ .child says she doesn't believe in fairies^ ope dies," The chief characters— Petei* and Wendy ■ — are beautifully played by -Miss 'Pauline Chass and. I\lis3 iuldi .T^syel^an, i Tetrazzini "records"- will • soon,' ■bs ■ available in tho colonies fo,r comparison, with and otber great singcrtf- of ' 'the time. Among the" records' taken 'before the new operatic .singer {eft''London last month were "Caro Nome," from "Rigoletto," ifle' "Air. des ClocheUes" for 'Dtlibes's "Lakme," the ' ,Polacc»" from "Mignon," and the famous "Ah! for 3 c fui" from "La Travnat^.' 1 Mme. Tetrazzini was distinctly nervous at first, says ft London paper. ■ The- novelty of having to sing 'nto the bell-mouch of a huge trumpet instead of to an 'audience handicapped her considerably. Still her splendid E flat in J alt in tho ''Ak! fors c lvi" came out; .with all her accustomed ease- and purity, i veritably making thtj rafters ring. ! Th& -oldest organ in the world has been clispos erccl by the Swedibh historian, Ilennebetg, in Island of Goth- \ JcVucl. It was built in the early yea is ol the 13th century, and tho case alono ] hiis been preserved ; but the notes for \ thp 3tops and the ararngement > f or the' bellows are still discernible. Mr. Hall Game paid a visit to tho London Lyceum during the recoitt production of "The Christian," and at, the' end of the third act, in response 1 U)" piolougtd chili, Mr. Caino came forward,, i.jul said ■(.- was well awaie that he* w.'g tharged with corrupting tho pxibh.- mind in producing the play, but! he h.id- iiscoived many liandreas of lettcis no.'ii visitors to thfi thcatic who stated tlut it'i moivl ('ftVct was good. ] The lettcis h:id o^en wiiAl>n .ot only! by clergymen and social workers, but by young men, who had told him that their consciences had keen awakened by what they had seen Even unfortunate girls had said Hint they medJit by God's 'help trf insist temptation, and" to live <i straight Jifo in futuvo. Such tributes had enabled him to forget and forgive s-onio of tho Torj)'«h, unjust, nnd miel things that Vere fcaid when "The Christion" \«s 'iVs.i produced. I liiw; pioposed future operations of i Mosms. J. and M. Tait include v return I -visit of Mus Marie Hall, who on her | visit hoie- made Jierself dcseivedly popular by her high artistic merit as 'a solo violinist. She is now busily engaged appealing ulmost nightly in London, and in the great provincial cities, and has been most highly praised. When s.he does revisit us she will receive a most enthusiastic welcome. Early in July, '.Mark Hambourg, who has been increasing his already great popularity by his artistic playing, will visit üb, under the direction of .Messrs. J. and N. Tait. Since M.uk Hambourg was here, all his European critics agree that ho has wonderfully improved, even on his former high reputation. Mr. Percy j

Grainger, Ina intimate frien<l of lh« Lite Edward Oruig, the great romposoi, \\ill come, under the direction* <v' Mc^si'i. '■p?uit,'ns i\ solo piarusU Mr. Or.ung<;r played Greig selections at the Ucedn Jhisicft] Festival, and won great kudu's for hi 3 work. 1 i!r. Tait nlso conlcniplaLes trying t to induce a Welsh choir ti, vi3!t Australasia, which will bo a docided musical novelty, and quite, a revelation in purl singing. Altogether the programme of tho Messrs. Tint fov 1S&8 is a progressive, and, to lovers 'of music, a most ;nlerp.&ting one.i Tho ftu.t that Madame Clar« Butt and Mr. Kenaerley [turn ford will give a return season of two concerts in Wellington next month will be looked forward to by music) lovers with the keenest anticipation, especially those who were able to be present >at ,the recent season. Since then ue contralto and her husband have visited Christ-church and Dunedin. where tho samo success has awaited them.