Mimes and Music

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 67, 16 September 1922, Page 17

Mimes and Music

(By "Orpheus.")

THK BHOW3.

Opera House—Nicola, 19th September. Bi§ Mkj««ty'a~TVaudevU|e. The K!n«'a Theatre—Picture. Artcraft Theatre-rPlcturee. Our Theatre—^Pictures Empress Theatre—Pictures. Bhortt'a Thextre—Picturts. Strand Theatre—Pictures. Britoania Theatre^-Pictgrps. Prißcess Theatre—Pictures. 6verybc>fly'B Tiieiitre—Bicturei. Queen's Th«itre—Pictures, FirsUHßUßt' Tb'eitre—Picturei.

Mr. Lao Da Chateau, who is at present directing the preliminaries for the advent of the. Sistine Choir SoAoists, ip ia receipt' of a pahfe from London depujAnff him, to book a Ifew Zealand tour for' the Westminster Abbey, Glee Singera\ Mr. Dv CJhateaii will'direct tho tour, which, is now booked to open at the Town H*lJ, Wei-' lington, about tho beginning; of the New Y^ar.' ' • A'"tbeatoe'for children is to be completed in New York thin summer- It will be boused in what is described as "one of the. most charming buildings in the world." It is the gift of Mr. August Heckshor, and will be devoted to tho amusement and recreation of children, Its. most attractive feature ■will bo a children's theatre with 679,36^t5. It is proposed that,'eo f«r as pq^ible the pl^ys shsill/'hie written by philiiren and. apteS by children for audiences, of children. Tjiore 'will bg no admission, charge, and it will be firat come first served. The mural deooratioria w^' veracjously set forth the persons and adventures of Cinderella,'* Little Red Biding Hood, Beanstalk ' Jack, and other worthies, v ■' ' , The typically Australian romantic opera, " Aiister/' ,ffn}ph hpl4s coEs}d,<wabl<3 interest for musical IJew Zpalandocs, because it is tl)p worlf ofV& New Zealand composer,! has. begn flficlaiiped," with [ genuine, enthusiasm by' the whoje of' the Sydney Press. A vast,' audience heard, an eminently s'upoessful first performance at flic' Sydney "JfeVn Hall a' fprtnight' ago. Around a graceful allegoric legend (writes '• The Post's '' correspondent)^ "Mr. _ Alfred Hill has written idyllic music, which- at times reaches the. point of geiiins, While there is a certain lack, of th,e dramatic in the, literary, scheme, "Auster*' possesses possibilities for future presentation on. (the }yrip stages. In ii« true sotting, with its' .seriesl of speetacujar tableaux, the opera would be [(ing'ul^riy effectived To Tseep it: merely for an. occasional, airing on. the concert platform would entirely underestimate its merit. '" i■' r' ■■' Mr.R, A. ''('' Bob ") Shepard, an p\d Dunediu boy, for many years associated with the Messrs. Fuller in their salad days, and later with the Messrs. E. J. and Dan Carroll in Australia, will accompany the Sjstine Choir Soloists as manager during the forthcoming tour. Mr. Shepard only returned from the.United States and England last month, where he was successful in placing the Carroll's Australian Picture productions.'.', ' ' '. .' Madamod'Alvarez, the contralto who recently thrilled America, and who "wiH visit \Vellirigton and['Auckland under the. direction of jj. arid'N. Tait, was responsible for one of the most remarkable events of New York's last opera season. Itoc-' curret} when sh.e was, appealing- as, Delilah. T}je great thjng in; %h& ssjcpna aqtia the aria which cpni2iMHic6s "My. heart at! thy 1 jsweeji voice," and d'A}Yare£ had only got halfway thrpjugt) ivh.en th^ audience, tin,-, able 1 to rostwin ifaelf.'atiy longer, ; burst: into applause. A newspaper /.rerjprt of the occurrence mentions the fi>ei>'thei d'Alvarez, however, was not disturbed by tho interrupting applause, and carried the eong to such an earnest close ■ that when the: time for applaud waa really at hand the theatre wag spgllljonu!}; „.'.-■. . Whut is described as the greatest aggrogatiqn of great singers, the Sistine Choir Sojpists. js. tp Nqw Zealand under tlie dnaotion of Messrs. Quinlan and Carrill. The ' Bistine "GUfiiix Soloists consist .pf "two'iyriortettore, three robust tenors, two baritones, 'two' basses, and thei con-ductor-acucinpanist. Tho three first tenors respectively: are claimedi: to. be the oso- ; :f)'eer« of' John '' MsGormaok, Paul JDufciult,: and, Cappellj, and tije balance of the soloists vqe^Uy; ancj teniparftmentally, it is stated, h^s had no equal Each member was 'musically educated at" th,e Scuoh Pie, and liavo aasisted at the important musical functions at St. Paul's, St.' Peter's, 'Si "'Cecilia Cathedrals, and ■, in, the Sistine Chapel, r»nd; were the prjnoipal soloiats. It' will, therbfqre, be urtdorstpod that th.B prograjjimes submitted in New Zealand will be o^ the ropat v^risd ; t^m, ranaitig'from -ecrfißaiasfel music ta excerpt? pW grand °peray and moiuding English' lyrics,; French, 'chansons, and Neapoli^ui follf songa. 'r •'"■ ' Thero -*taa an unprecedented seosatioa I at the Pavilion Theatre in Piccadilly Circus when Sir HarTy 'Louder publicly rahttked^Sfili sitting jn a box, who.; li^tar-. rupted him. The famous it^nedian w.as singing his firat song,, and interspersing the verses with"' hia"•:mimit»ble "gitterj" ■when thei girl,-one of. a .party of -.six persons,' pcoviwing, a Ijojc tp the right of the stage, audibly repeated many of hjs wpjds, to iiie 'ajniioyance of both the perfonaar *nd the: aiidieDoe. Sir 'Harry; put up with tile girl's astonishing behaviour for 4 time, 1 but M she oiwiuiwd to Hrterrupt, hie fwffeffuWP'** W* »T» s»y. and he came to a stPft 5« Paused fer a TOpmeufc whjle a» Wbpte wdienos be--qame hvwhed, #pd, tien, looking at the g1.r.1 initiie boot, he so that everyono could hear: "Lady, I think'ypu'havo been' drinking* more than water, «%1 more shame'to" tin man that let you have it." The" audience wm astawidod by the in^oident, w»d tto ■ gi*X in. #»c. box ga»e no inone trouble. ! Escaj* tjwft, itft pv* oa mwb, weight »nd ia be»innjpg to show grey. h*»rs, Mr. Qg»r AsrfiC! 3ja» npt, altered; inuoh since ids ifet visit to Ausrtrali*,' sayg "Sydney .SimV 1" Adeliide corespondent. "^Cwro .is"tho moat' spectaoalar flay' ever produced;' 1 Mid Mr. Asche. "Its original title -wae' 'Mecca,' but undpr that name it.wws bwmed ty the Lppd Cljaraber]*in,^ because it wa§' thought-it-might <»Wnd tho suaceptibilitios of Mohanunodan e\ibjeflts, Consaqvtpntly the title was phaßggd tp 'pjuro,' Tpe pliiy i^elf did not undergo alteration. In addition to* 'Oairo' we: will giye 'Ctu Qbin Chow' ancl a Sh^akes.peariah repentoife. I' intended taking a year's holiday, but, meeting Sir George TaHis,-in Londort,.he expressed the-desire to have 'Cairo' taken to Australia, and I agreed. Our- tour wj.lj oovetr.a period" of twe,l<vse mp-aih?, .^Hri.nS '■'w^iA the varjaus capital cities, will bo' visited, and we will th.en.; proceed I»"3S[ew ?iea}and,. We h^ve l^id invitations to tour §puth Ampa and South America*, but out present plain will take its'back to Ehffknd iaext autumn. The theatrical world in' London is prospering ■ ■' ■' despite ' '.the " alack season, through ■\yhiQh\jt has, juafc passed,' • »jid Cpereß are 4'oinff particiiljvrjy we|J. KxpenEes Jiavp gone up considerably, and although we besvt ati records \yeek by wee)? with 'Cairp,' the expenses y/ere trijim'endons^ The cuxi-ont expensso amounted.' to £2600 a week." ;■ Mr Asche jftontipned that he ia now writing- a new pWy of a qiusicai character, to bo entitled "Good Old Days;" It will'deal with Eng'lanc| in the gobd old hunting days. lfl ami nat going' to stage it unless my wife : can appear with, iw,' remarked Mr. Asche, It is possible tjia^ the company will play Binero's "Iris," which met with trpmendouo succes jji New York.