MIMES AND MUSIC.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 77, 2 April 1910, Page 11

MIMES AND MUSIC.

[BT OUBIUI.] P — _ a COMING EVENTS. » OPERA UOCBJL ti J. C. Williamson, in teason to 16th April. G Clarke and Meynell. 19th to 27tli April. v J. C. Williamson, 2Mh April to lMh May. « J. C. Williamson, l&th Mar to 3rd June. S Allan Hamilton, 4tli to 16th June. ° Clarke and Mrynell. 4th to 83rd July. D July 25th to 30th, vacant. 1 Hugh Ward, Ist to 13th August. t THEATRE ROYAL. j Fullws' Xew Vaudeville Companj, In seaton. g HIS UAJESTTS THKATBX. * His Majesty's Pictures In season. i\ THK KIXO-S THEATSE. £ Royal and Wen's Pictures. In season. a IT. THOMAS'S HALL. Star Picture*, in seasoa. Clarke and Meynell's English Comedy Company, which Mr. George Willonghby selected in England, commences a New Zealand tour at Dunedin on tbo 12th met. in His Htjeitty's Theatre. Only short seasons will be played, and the prominent attraction will be "The Night of the Party." Mr. David Jamoa and Miss Mab Paul are the principal* of tho company. Mr. J. B. Moutrie is business manager of the company. Any serious composition from the pen of Alfred Hill must command attention, since the New Zealand composer of the light oporas "Lady Dolly, "Tapu," and "A Moorish Maid" has freshly revealed his power of melodic sentiment and emotion in his graceful cantata "Hinemoa." This work was last performed here by the united Philharmonic and Liedertafel Societies in 1897 (records the Sydney Morning I Herald of last Saturday}. Now once i more tho Leipsic-trained musician has repaired to the Land of the Moa for inspiration, and the result is his "Maori" Sonata for ulano and violin. This will be performed* for the first time iv Australia by Mr. Lawrence Godfrey Smith and Air. Cyril Monk at tho concert to be given by the former at the V.M.C.A. Hall on Wednesday week. Mr. Monk recently invited a group of connoisseurs to hear the sonata, when the composer explained that he wished it to justify its existence upon its intrinsic merits as music, and not upon any anthropological interest that might attach to it. All tho principal themes are founded on Maori melodies. The first is the Maori Lament ("Wbaka Songa"), sung by the Wanganui natives over Premier Beddon's grave, and the second occurs in a Maori game ; movement No. 2 opens with another lament, one that a mourner, with his head bowed between his hands, will croon for hours after the loss of tho loved one; and this is followed by a llotorua Lovo Song. The final movement introduces a graceful dance-motive obtained from the Cook Island natives, Tnked to a subsequent Poi song rendered characteristic by two distinct rhythms, one in threequarter and the other in two-four time, both going at once. This sonata will be tho composer's fourth. His first he wrote in Scotland, and launched at a Lcipsic Conservatorium concert, when it was warmly applauded by tho audience. Miss Amy Murphy, who is paying » flying visit to New Zealand, lias arranged to five a concert in tho Concert Hall be fore her return to Sydney. Monday, 18th April, is the date, and Miss May Donaldson (violinist), and Mr. Horace Hunt will assist the accomplished Dnnedinite. Mr. J. MacMahon, of the well-known firm of MacMahon Bros., is in town arranging for the display of his firm's set of biograph pictures depicting the story of Marcus Clarke's novel, "For the Term of His Natural Life," and also the "Kelly Gang" pictures. The season will commence at the Opera Hotuse ai the conclusion of the "Peter Pan" tour. An English paper to hand, referring to Lady Ueerbohro Tree's appearance in a playlet on tho vaudeville stage, states that the piece is most ridiculously unsuitable to variety theatreland, and not at all suitable to Lady Tree. The Liverpool Empire audience was courtesy and consideration personified, aud received Lady Tree and her playlet with encouraging, it -not very loud, plaudits, but as they were 6O obviously impressed with the privilege of 'assisting' at an interesting premiere, their kindness was to be understood at its true worth." However poetical and. humorous M. Rostand's play may be, it cannot pos fiibly equa 1 iv interest and importance the great human dramas in which he has shown us the borrows and joys of our fellow creatures. There is always something imperfect in the attempt to endow animals or birds with human characteristics. Miss Blanche Walsh, an American actress, never studies a part from a manuscript. She speaks her lines into a phonograph, turns on the machine, listens over and over again, and in that manner memorises her roles. It is taid that she has never missed a line during any performance in her career. The actress is her own stage manager and directs all her own productions. Whon the Mauritania sails from this port to-morrow (said a New York correspondent on Bth February), Mr. Frohman's innovation of giving theatrical performances during the Atlantic pasaogo will be put into effect. With a full cast Mr. Locke's play, "The Climax," will bo given on Saturday night in the dining saloon of the gigantic liner. A stage has been built across the entire width of the dining saloon, and there will be accommodation for 500 people in the audience. Inc Mauretania'a orchestra will provide the incidental music, and a programmo has been specially designed for the occasion. This depicts Naptuna and Titania surrounded by mermaids looking on at a scene from the play, and it is very tasteful as well as nautical. Tickets for the performance will not b« on sale until the ship has left port, and the proceeds of the performance will be divided between American and British seamen's charities. A London correspondent forwards some details in regard to a season of eleven weeks of opera comique in London, to be opened by Mr. Thomas Beecham at Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree's theatre early in May. Mr. Thomas Quinlan will manage affairs, and tho Thomas Beecham in question is, of course, the man of music who recently produced the "Elektra" of Richard Strauss at Covent oarden. He is tho son of the millionaire ptllmaker of that name, part of whose colossal fortune is thus being spent in the interests of a fine ait. The "Werther," "Ccndrillon," and "Manon" of Massenet, "Mignon," "Carmen," and "Figaro," arc amongft the more Tornantic works, but the repertoire is also to include Offenbach's "Tales. of Hoffmann," "Shamus O'Brien,' and "Haonsel and Grotel" — all to be performed in Engli**h. This season will be concurrent with grand opera at Covent Garden, and is generally attributed to the enormous advance booking for "Elektra," which has ensured the f nancial success o* that more serious art venture. The establishment of Mr. Charles Frohman's Repertory Theatre in London is now practically an Accomplished fact. The inaugural performance was annornced for 21st February, with a new play by Mr. John Galsworthy entitled "Justice." Another, entitled "Misalliance," by Mr Bernard Shaw, Avns to follow two night* later. Among the pieces secured by Mr. Frohnutn axe "Chain*," by Mis*

Elizabeth Baker (the London typewriter I girl, who without any experience of the I stage succeeded in writing thit> clever play, which was produced not long sinco at the Court Theatre) ; "The Madron House," by Uronville Barker ; two new one-act pieces by J. M. Barrie ; "Justice" and "Tb* Elder Son," by John Galsworthy ; a couple of new plays, Mill unnamed, by, respectively, John Mbicfield and W. Somerset Maugham ; "Tho Sentimentalist*," an unfinished comedy X by George Meredith; "The Iphigenia in Tauris" of Euripides, translated by Gil- * bert Murray; 'The Outcry," by H«nry " James; and "Misalliance/ 1 by Bernard ci Shnw. For revival, a» opportunity may li serve, Mr. Frohmsn has selected Mr. J. p M. Barries "Quality-stTeet," "What i( Every Woman Knows," and "The Admirable Cricbton," Mr. Granville Barker's | "The Voysey Inheritance," Mr. Haddon ™ Chamber's "The Tyranny of Tears," Mr. ~ Galsworthy's "The Silver Box" and gl "Strife," "Prunella," by Messrs. Laur- j t ence Hoosman and Granville Barker, Mr. ri John Masefield's "The Tragedy of Nan," Sir Arthur Pinero'm "The Amazon*," n "Trelawny of the Wells," and "Iris," j> and Mr. Bernard Shaw's 'Major Bar- « bara," "Man and Superman," and the : "Doctor's Dilemma." The company en- c gaged includes Misses Lena AshweH, Lil- „; lah M'Carthy, Dorothy Minto, Edyth a OHve, GcraldiiM Oliffe, Hilda Trevelyan, c and Irene Vanbrugh ; and Messrs. Dion r Boucicault, Edmund Gwenn, Dennis & Endie. 0. P. Heggie, C. M. Lowne, ». Gerald da Maurier. and Charles Maude. * Tho Oeorgo Marlow Dramatic Com- J pany commenced a tour of New Zea> £ land at Auckland on Easter Monday. t New Plymouth will be played on 18th B April; Wcnganui, 19th and 20th April; t Palmcrston North 21st nnd 32nd April ; s Hastings, 23' d \pr«l; Napifr, 25th and t 26th April; Maatcrton, ' 27th April? t Wellington, 28th April to 10th May: Dunedin, 31st May to 4th June; Chrkst- J church, 6lh to 22nd Jane. Mi. Duncan l Ncven will go with the compnnjr c* ■ manager. "Married to vho W-ong Man is the star piece. During the season the following pieces, which are t new to New Zealand theatre-goers, will r also ho staged :—' The Wedding Jlingy' t "Th-a Woman from France," ard *'lhe p Midnight Chimes " i Now that it has become definitely | known that Madame Emmjv Calve is to arrive in Melbourne early this month, , various interested people in that eUy are ) arranging to givo the *ainou» diva a | fitting welcome. It is already mentioned < that the Melbourne Women s Choir ha* < organised an immense reception in her I honour, and it is now* stated that the < local University Conserratcrinrc of ' Music has invited her to take a promhi cnt part at the opening of its new ' building, which is to occur at an early ' date. Aleo the French resident*, of Melbourne havo not been less ready to ( accord their countrywoman the heartiest recognition. They are understood lo be ', making' preparations to entertain her «n , lavish style. Fonr erpert carpenters and joiners, in ' the employ of Andrew Kerr Proprietary, Ltd., rfanklinibtrcet, Melbourne, challenged Houdini, who was anpoarins ai Richards's Opera House, to allow thefn i to construct a largo and strong packing- , csso of one-inch timber, and make use < o f two arv* one-half nails and «c?ows (flat-he.-.ded and unprepared!, atto which they would nail, ecrow and rooe the elipnery one, "so that it would be' 'mpoaeibfe" for him to mnko his escape. ' The test came off, and this was what the Melbourne Argus had to say about U : "One- inch timber, two and one-half inch nails, flalhcaded screws, stout rope, and all, Hoodini defied imprisonment. A company of expert carpenters and joiners had prepared apparently the most secure of pacKing-cases, and challenged Houdini to escape. 2{e accepted the challenge, and a largo audience attended to see him face tho task. The carpenters and ioiners nailed, screwed and roped up the box after Houdini, iv evening dress, had* entered it. There was just room for him to huddle up. Threo holes in opposite sides of the dox gavo hint air. Then a screen was placed round the box. When he had been at work twenty-five minutes, Houdini, coat less, his shirt-sleeves torn, and his face beaded in perspiration, flung back the screen. To the casual observer the cae.o presented the appearance of never having been tampered with." The writer of the department of "Plays and Players," in th© February American Magazine, says, in speaking of the oxtension of the opera in tho United States :—"lt: — "It is a striking commentary upon the state of grand operatic education in this country that we have now practically completed a plan whereby we are to invade Europe for tho purpose of instructing our instructors, or, nt all ovents, for the purpose of showing them how much wo know obont tho subject in which Europe was our original preceptor. In brief, the directors of the Metropolitan Opera Cony pany have executed contracts that caP for a visit by that company to Paris this spring during the months of May and June. The season will last two. months, and the company will give an ' extensive- repertory of Italian opera. Not only is this striking innovation on. [ the cards, bnt this new form of the ', American invasion will in all likelihood \ be carried next year into Germany with [. the performance by the Metropolitan Opera Company of a repertory of i French and German opera. H is, in . fact, the intention of the directors- of . tho Metropolitan Opera Company to establish in Europe, once andt > for all and beyond tho possi- ; bility of future misunderstanding, the I standard of American operatic perform-- - anoes: It is well known here that* » American opera is now much the beetr i in the world. In Europe it is not so > well known. It is the intension to dcs monstrate it before all Europe." 1 Tho proprietor of tho Knickerbocker. * Hotel in New York City says that his. 1 patrons demand the best class of opera1 tic music, and that his (two orchestras I in that hostelry costs him 75,000' dollars per year. That sum (observes the Musical Courier) would enable a , perma- ■ nent symphony orchestra of eighty men to give about forty concerts in a season,, j with three full rehearsals for each, andj a salary of 10,000 dollars for the conductor. To this pertinent observation, £ says the Argonaut, may be added thereflection that the hotel music at dinner, however excellent, is never a joy , unmixed. s Charles Frohman has announced his, > intention of opening a theatre on the f lower East Side, in New York City, | r where the poor will bo able to see his i pieces at very low rates. He expects a that successful authors may bo induced t to forego their royalties in this particu- • lar case. His object is to foste- public 1 interest in tho theatre. Mr. J. N. Maskelyno believes ho is ! correct in stating, as ho does in tho Strand Magazine, that he was the first ;'; ' London entertainer to givo pe'form- >> ances twico daily. Frequently he was j able to advertise, "The only entertain- ,. ment in London this afternoon." The 't late Sir Henry Irving — who, by the way, j few people arc probably aware, was „ something of a conjurer himself — was h s:t tho time very much interested in it magic, and frequently went to sco Mr. M.iskelync at the Egyptian Hall. "You i- seem to get very good audiences," he is said at the end of ono afternoon's pert. formance. "Ye 3," Mr. Maskelyno rei- plied ; "on the whole, I think we do iy decidedly better in the afternoon than si » the evening." Whether or not these ," casual words gave birth to the idea Mr. .o Maskelyne cannot say ; but shortly aftcrsd wards Henry Irving started giving real gular matiucos himself. i