Mimes: Music: Records

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 113, 16 May 1925, Page 21

Mimes: Music: Records

THE SHOWS.

Grand Opera House-"Wildflowcr,- J 10th May r°«'n Hall-Wilhani Heughan, .to-night only. Galli Curci, 2nd and 4th July. His Majesty's-Vaudeville. Be Luxe Theatre—Pictures. King's Theatre—Pictures. The Tivoli—Pictures Artcraft Theatre-Pictures. Our Theatre-Pictures, tinpress Theatre—Pictures, bhortt s Theatre—Pictures. Strand Theatre-Pictures. Britannia Theatre—Pictures Princess Theatre-Pictures ' Queen's Theatre—Pictures.

It is officially announced that Madame Elsa. Stralia's proposed tour of the Dominion is indefinitely postponed.

Mr. Henri Verbrugghen will leavp Minneapolis, where he "is the conductor of the city's symphony orchestra, on 3rd June for a trip to Sydney. It will be a purely holiday visit. Mi-. Verbrugghen will sail from Vancouver on the Aorangi.

A new English play, "Skittles," has been produced at the Athenaeum, in Sydney, by John D. O'Hara. Maggie Jarvis is making her first Australian appearance in comedy in it, and Emma Temple, who supported Seymour Hicks on his New Zealand tour, is also in the cast..

According to an Australian paper, Edgar Warwick (remembered with "Court Cards") is to direct the tour of Miss Wish Wynne, London impressionist, Mr. Alfred Cunningham, English baritone, Mr. Chahaldin, the brilliant Russian violinist, and Mr.. Harold Walden, London humorist. They will appear on the same programme.

Robert Chisholm, who toured New Zealand with the first J. C. Williamson production of "The Maid of the Mountains," is playing in "Sometime," a musical comedy, at the "Vaudeville Theatre, London. ,

Hetty King, the comedienne, who has returned to London, declares that New Zealanders speak English beautifully, the children enunciating like finished elocu^ tionists. She was through New Zealand with one,, of J. C. Williamson's vaudeville companies. Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Fairbanks ■wore married in Los Anseles five years ago, and their union is regarded as one of the most, successful in the history of Hollywood stardom. Fairbanks' chief present to his. famous wife con-, sisted of an elaborate addition to her bungalow dressing-room at the studio, completely equipped with athletic devices, a steam-room, and shower. : The younger generation of Australian actors and actresses are following in their fathers', footsteps. ; Gus Bluett, with quaint comedy, as Gabby in "Wildflower," is a son of Fred Bluett, who a couple, of ...decades ago was recognised as Australia's star comedian. Recently young Bluett (now twenty-one) has come to the front with a bound, and by his performance of Gabriette . has established his right to announce himself as having -definitely " arrived." " Kreisler is one of the most exhilarating and vivacious persons it is possible to imagine," wrote an Australian journalist who interviewed him; "He is 50, and his black moustache and upstandinghair have begun to.turn.grey, but he is like a boy of 17 in his delight at seeing new lands and meeting new people. Hejs never happier than when talking of_ his art. Kreisler has but one violin with him, a'very fine'"Guarnerius. He owns a Stradivarius of great value, but that is in America. " I do not care to bring two violins," is his explanation. " There is'always risk, and for my part I always play one for a long time. One gets into harmony with the instrument, and it is not good to change often. I' have not opened my violin case on the voyage. Indeed, I play scarcely at all except at my concerts. I do not practise. That is not to say I did not practise a great deal when I was younger. Kow when I am playing compositions J- feel that I am going into some new magic country, .as it were. If I had practised beforehand I should not feel so, and my playing would become more mechanical and lose its freshness " Kreisler intends to play a number of his own compositions here if he finds that the public like them. He confesses to being a little weary of them himself, rlis Wellington season will be of two or three concerts, and he will one concert each in Christchurch and Dunedin. His accompanist is Mr. Carl Lamson, an American, distinguished in that field of music.

The joint recital given by Mr. Harold Craxton and Miss Stella Murray at Devizes Town Hall, was a great success, writes The Post's " London correspondent under date 7th April. Mr. Craxton was playing in his native town, which he had only visited once since he left it. nearly thirty years ago. Of the New Zealand singer the Wiltshire "Gazette" says: " Miss Murray's pleasing personality further, warmed the atmosphere, and her loyalty ; to her colleague, insisting that he should accept his share of the applause for her songs it his composition, and repeating them as encores instead of singing fresh ones, was in keeping with the companionable feeling noticeable all through. This mutual touch, the absence of an invisible barrier between the musicians and the music lovers, was so marked that it deserves to be mentioned at once." Miss Murray has a " splendid voice, full, flexible, and wide ranging. . the singer threw herself into the spirit of the words. There was not merely a ringing of the notes; there was expression of the. meaning by dramatic su^fw °v p "BleSs Thou the La***" Harold Craxton s setting of the last two verses of Psalm 104> needs a fine sinjer^to do jt justice, and Miss Murray sang it magnificently. Ifc closes in a strain of passionate exultation, and the Jong-sustained high note at the end was a triumph for the siiiger, forming, with the skilled accompanist, as composer a lino climax to tho recital as "a whole Vivacity sparkle, and intensity 'are three of Marie Burkes most prominent characteristics. She is distinctly interested in the Australian woman, particularly in the girl who goes to business. During the rehearsals of " Wiklflower " m Sydney, she used to rise early and walk -with them,;just to observe their manners and characteristics. Marie is a motorist, a swimmer, and a golfer. She is -the daughter of an Italian, mother and Irish father, hence her artistic per"WMne lfl °f >. Nina Benedetto" in Wildflower, In parentheses, she is also a. fine suigev, elegant dancer, and a delightful comedienne—all of which 'irts " Wi& S" c PeVfeC% disPKvs"in

Advice has been received that Miss Phyllis Massey, the well-known New Zealand soprano, will be visiting the Dominion for a few weeks at the end of this month. While she is in New Zealand opportunity will he afforded of lionrine the great progress that this youii"- singer has made during the three years that she has been studying at the Stale Couscrvatoriuni uf Music, New South Wales Arrangements have been made for' Miss Massey lo be heard iv all tin- ,-liief conirei) of tin. Dominion, i IH .ilie cuiiium under euerial .cuaagemeuU Dame Ckiu Bull

was responsible for- Miss Massey going to Sydney to study under Mr. * Foster", and she has made much progress, having appeared with great success with the principal musical societies both in New South Wales and Queensland.

Miss Valeric Scott, the New ZeuJand dancer, who appears professionally as Valeska, is now in Dusseldorf, at the Apollo Theatre. Valeska has been a solo and specialty dancer in various theatres in England, and danced for some time with Jan Caryll. After a six months' tour together under contract with Albert de Courville, Valeska accepted charge of Mr. J. W. Jackson's English dancers as (heir business manageress. Her life on the Continent has been wonderfully interesting. Last year they were in France and Switzerland, starting off with a glorious month in Paris itself at the Alhambra. Money calculations Valeska found very worrying, as at first the payments were made out in French francs, and the members of the party had to be paid in Swiss money and the balance sent Home in English money, and all the while the three currencies were fluctuating. Valeska made a flying visit to London, and was lucky enough to strike the week of the All Blacks' reception and dance, a chance of meeting old friends she was very glad to have. The party opened in Dusseldorf early in the New Year, and later will do the Rhine Valley, finishing at Mannheim. Valeska is enjoying these, travels, since they all add to her experience, which now extends to most of the important countries, with the exception of those of the American Continent.

There is more dancing in "Primrose" at Melbourne His. Majesty's than in any other musical comedy staged in Melbourne for some years. Mr. Harry Burcher, {he producer, calls it a dancing musical comedy. . Team after team of dancers comes on, and is followed by another. It is a quick succession of dancers that makes the pace rapid all through the three acts.

Mr. Hugh J. Ward, who since last June has been abroad selecting plays and artists for Australian presentation by Hugh" J. Ward Theatres Pty., Ltd., is expected to return at the end of this month. He will be accompanied by Mrs. Ward and their son "Mcl," the clever young eccentric dancer, who has been on a visit to Mrs. Ward's relatives in Pittsburgh. . .

The marked success of Leslie Pearce, who promises to become one of the best baritone juvenile leads Australia has produced, in "Little Jessie James" at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, has greatly pleased his admirers. Mr. Pearce has a rich baritone voice of good range, and pleasing lyric quality, heard to particular advantage in "First, Last, and Always," and other catchy numbers in "Little Jessie James."

A Siberian exile, . forced to flee from his_ homeland after unforgettable sufferings iv Siberia. Such is the experi' ence of Krisloff, the violinist, who is now appearing at Fuller's Theatre, Sydney. For years he was the favourite violinist of the ex-Czarina, until he became • the_ victim of political intrigue. Now he is forced to travel incognito, and still fears for his life. The Fullers consider Krisloff- the prince' of vaudeville. An interesting souvenir of the Russian Revolution is a scar on his left cheek, the result of a blow from an infuriated Cossack.

Lovers of good singing will hail with delight the advent of George Castles and Alberto Torzillo, now apeparin<* in Fuller vaudeville. Mr. Castles is° as well known as his talented sisters," Amy, Eileen, and" Dolly. Accompanied by Mr. Torzillo, the brilliant harpist, Mr. Castles will during his season here be heard in a selection of popular songs. Many old-time English, Irish, and Scotch ballads are - included in his repertoire.

Miss Marie Ney continues to add to her triumphs at The Old Vie, London, in Shakespeare. Her latest success has been^as Lady Macbeth. The "Morning Post" describes her interpretation as "a complete novelty, and, moreover, an extremely interesting and promising performance. There is nothing of the oppressive Mrs. ' Siddons about it. This Lady Macbeth is a soft, amiable-looking, domesticated blonde, but concealed about her person is a deadly will that goes about its work with quiet persistence. What she preaches to Macbeth she herself practises, she looks like the innocent flower, and is the serpent under it. One cannot recall a Macbeth and Lady, Macbeth who understood each other more thoroughly, or worked better together. Strangely enough, in the sleepwalking scene, Miss Ney was not steadily at her best."

' Miss Nellie Stewart is on the,road to a complete recovery from her serious illness. Her convalescence (says a Sydney paper) will be a long one, but each week sees the patient adding to her strength, and now she is able to sit up for a period- each day. Her intimate friends and-relatives are delighted with the progress she is making.

Kubelik's "£25,000" Strad came to England from Brussels in 1815, and was given the name of the "Messiah/ 1 or tho "Emperor." Eventually Mr. Edgar Haddock, of Leeds, acquired it, and, as is generally, believed, sold it in .1910 to Kubelik for £10,000, the same sum once refused, by the City of Genoa for Pagariini's "Joaeph." The only figure comparable with this is the £7000 which Eugene Ysayo is credited with having refused for his Strad; though £3900 was realised for tho Red Cross at Christie's during tho war, where Lady Wernher's Strad brought £2000 and then £1900— a unique selling. Piatti's Strad "cello brought £4000—from Mendelssohn, the Berlin banker.

The ever-green Harry Lauder, according to all reports, is more than repeating his former successes in the South Island. He is now in Christchurch after a triumphal tour from lnvercargill. He ipens at Wellington Opera House on Ist June, supported by an all-star company of international reputation, which includes E. V. Robinson, the mouth-organ wizard; Eddie Grey, juggler and hoop manipulator; Harry Moore, paper-tearer'; the Hilo Duo, Hawaiian singers and musicians; Lydia Game and Jack Kelleway, eccentric dancers and comedy entertainers. Mr. Charles Ayes, the musical director, has a full band under his baton. The Wellington season closes on 6th June, when a visit will be paid to some of the more important towns of the North Island, enroute to Auckland, where the company will play a six-night season, starting on 20th June, prior to their departure For Australia.

Arrangements have been ninde by the Federation of British Industries' for launching ■■< second section of the scries of industrial interest films, which have been in considerable demand nut only m Knglnnd but also in the Dnminion's and in foreign countries, states "The Post's ': London correspondent. Tt is hupol lo hold ii trade slmw cnv] v in ,\piii, nmi In I:X lliu tlisto uf the Hv luiise oi the Jiluia lv the. fclieutres a, lew

weeks after. The new section, among otjher subjects, wi,ll ■ include interesting and instructive films connected with the electrical industry, dealing with the history of electricity, its larger uses, and its everyday application to home requirements. Another film illustrates the making of an incandescent lampt and shows the delicate machinery used in the process. A cotton film represents the great textile industry from the raw material to the manufactured article. Facilities for the production of a film reflecting the making of a book have been offorded by the Oxford University Press. The Pictures. With the new coiffure decree from Paris demanding the dose massing of hair in a sort of cap-shape, with the tips of the ears showing, June Marlowe has introduced a very charming idea by rouging the lobes of her ears. It gives her. face a roguish appeal that is adorable. She uses this mode of hairdress in the picture "Tracked in the Snow Country," in which she is co-starring with the won-der-dog, Rin-tin-tin.

A fine sample of comedy work is supplied by Phyllis Haver as the worldlywise manicurist in "The Breath cf Scandal." The bold, bad man in this picture i 3 capably portrayed by Charles Clary. Forest Stanley plays well up to Patsy Ruth Miller, who after all, is the real star, and completely eclipses Betty Blythe and Lou Tellegen.

"The Code of the Wilderness," a coming picture, proves an exceptionally fine example of a dramatic cattle range story amidst a setting of the wide spaces and towering mountains of New Mexico. It shows the code of the wilderness as being one of stark reality and stern justice. The picture abounds in quaint types of wilderness folk, and love complications leading to- exciting incidents which keep the audience guessing.

Production on the new Ernst Lubitsch picture, " Kiss Me Again," is held up temporarily by the illness of Marie Prevost.

Pe?gy Hamilton, famous modiste and designer of women's fashions, who has just returned from Paris, spent an entire day recently in posing the feminine stars of the studio id the latest fur creations. The eight garments used had a valuation of more than 540,000 dollars, and with Irene Rich, Dorothy Devore, Louiso Fazenda, and June Marlowe posing in them, they looked like an even million. - .

Irene Rich ia a girl who started five years ago in the .movies as a three-dollar extra, and she has in that space of time achieved her ambition of stardom.- She is a singularly striking woman, with two daughters almost shoulder high. Now she receives a salary approaching four figures—the much-coveted surtax salary of every screen aspirant. 'The Redeeming Sin is a story of the Latin Quarter.of Paris, and introduces Alia Nazimova. as Joan Queen of the Apaches. The old Paris atmosphere, it is said, has been faithfully created, entire streets and buildings, including a big church, having been specially built. Nazimova is supported by Lou Tellegen, the late Sarah- Berhhardt's leading man. To their growing list of books and plays to be made into next year's screen classics, "Warner "Bros.' have added "The Inevitable Millionaires," by the prolific E. Phillips Oppenheim, and " The Wife Who Wasn't Wanted," by Gertie Wentworth James, noted English writers. _ "The Inevitable Millionaires " is the latest novel from the pen of Mr. Oppenheim, and has just been issued from the Press in England and this country. It is a comedy-drama a distinct departure from the author's line of _ international intrigue, in which in a bright comedy vein, wth many dramatic situations, ho portrays the adventures of two gay blades forced to get rid of a vast sum of money within a limited time. Negotiations for ita purchase were .concluded this week by cable and the AVarners will use it as a vehicle for the comedy efforts of Willard Louis and John Patrick. "The Wife AVho Wasn't Wanted " was bougTit to exploit the talents of Irene Rich, who after her big personal hit in "A Lost Lady " has been advanced to stardom. It will be given a big production with an excellent cast. Ths purchase of " The Inevitable Millionaires " makes three of Mr. Oppenheim's novels to be done by the Warners next season, the others being "The Passionate Quest-" and "The Prince of Sinners."

Gloria Swanson's £500 a day contracts lift her to a dizzy altitude above the rest of the high-salaried film "stars." Mr. Adolph Zukor, the head of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, was declared to be more responsible than any other man for the high salaries in the profession, and began the competition as far back as 1917 by offering Mary Pickford £1880 a week, states an exchange. Ironically enough, it was the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation which . less than two years ago declared a "lockout" against the employment of highsalaried "stars." The "stars" capitulaed by accepting a reduction to £160 a week each. Now, however, this corporation has secured Miss Swanston for £500 a day. Chaplin has obtained as much as £215,000 for a series of eight pictures; Mary Pickford £70,000 each for three pictures; Norma Talmadge £70 000 each for 12 pictures; Constance Talmadge £22,000 each for 12 pictures, and Katherine Macdonald, Charles Bay, and Anita Stewart £20,000 per picture. The weekly wage of Constance Talmadge, Dorothy. Dalton, Pauline Frederick, and Larry Semon is over £1000 ea^i. With regard to rumours current regarding D. W. Griffith and Marie Corelli's "Sorrows of Satan," it is interesting to quote his own- words in emphatic denial of these rumours. According to the "Motion Picture World" lie is reported to have stated: "Reports that I plan to produce 'The Sorrows of I Satan' are erroneous. Ido not own the rights to this famous story. The rights are held by the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, and I understand that that company has some . rather elaborate plans on the way for putting it on th« screen."

It is an undisputed fact that the besf. selling books make the be3t and most popular film stories. Statistics prove that the- Book of Books—the Bible—outdistances in number and volume the sales of any group of any ten other popular books of any character iv any twelve months. Yet it is somewhat remarkable that a proper and complete dramatisation of the Old Testament has been but recently produced. The picture is titled "The Creation." or "After Six Days." It was made after five years of strenuous labour on the actual spots in the Holy Laud associated with the incidents pictured. The. cost is certified at three millions of dollars. Tlie cast is the largest ever assembled fur any picture, whole troops of people having been transported to Jerusalem, Babylonia, Mesopotamia. Egypt, Palestine, i;|.i:. The tremendous success of the film wherever shown in liurupe mid Aniuriun Ijih liitii of the (.iviU'altadowiiiq order.. It comes to N«w Zeuluud with

exceptional eulogistic endorsement by prominent men of all nations, who pronounce it to b e "a colossal human document vivifying with fidelity and boldness every element that has swayed the loves and passions of frail humanity since Adam first succumbed to Eve's seductive wiles at creation's dawn." A special screening at Wellington, which took place in the presence of leading citizens, the clergy, and the Press, revealed the picture to be on© of the noblest film records ever seen here. Gramophone Notes. The following London review notes by the "Daily Telegraph" critic refer to recent recordings :— John M'Cormack's singing of two familiar songs by Brahms seems to suggest that he is not so familiar with the German language as with the Italian, but his phrasing is excellent. Mary Lewis has developed her voice largely since she sang here in "Hugn the Drover." Indeed, her singing 0? two airs from "Thais,'" including, of course, the Meditation, is very good indeed. . For keeps are the duets sung by Joseph Hislop and Dinh Gilly from "Butterriy " Here we have Hislop at his recorded best, and the voice of Dinh Gilly is not often heard in the land, alas! in these days.

George Baker might conceivably make more of Peel's "In Summertime bn Bredon, but he does 'justice to Harold Samuel s charming open-air song of "The Top of the Hill!': 8

Liam Walsh's Irish pipes are superb —there is no other word—in his recorded solos, for that delectable instrument

Of a very large selection of dance music I select for recommendation "I Loved, .1 Lost," and "Back to Colorado"; "A haunting Melody" (incidentally Rubinstein in F), "Let Me be the First to Kiss You," and "Hard-hearted Hannah," old, maybe, but good. Tho fact is the foxtrot is written out, and I repeat that nothing worthy will hap^ pen until the composers have the efficiency of the players who have to play their lucubrations

Arthur Catterall, leader of the string quartet bearing his name, is also principal in the famous Halle Orchestra, of Manchester. Ho was discovered as a child-by a-doctor. in.-Saifordy who, took > him into' his own family, and sent him to'the Manchester Royal College of Music. Here he became a pupil of Dr. Brodsky, and prdfited much'■thereby: For years Mr. Catterall has been the leading violinist in the North of England. His colleague, and second violinist in- the, Halle Orchestra, is Mr. John S. Bridge.Together they have just had' recorded Bach's Concerto in D minor, for -two violins (complete). The orchestra on this occasion is conducted by Mr Hamilton Harty. . It takes about ten minutes to play the beautiful lento movement from Cesar Franck's quintet as recorded by Ch» Lener String Quartet, with Mrs Losser Lebei-t, pianoforte. The movement is from the Quintet in F minor. - .It {ias probably been made in response to the increasing public demand, for the work of the composer as interpreted by so competent a body as the Lener Quartet is now fully recognised in London. .

Dame Clara Butt, whose illness gave cause for much anxiety, will, shortly be on her way to Australia and New Zealand will "be taken into the itinerary. Her gramophone records number over 40 songs, 12 oratorio airs, and "O Mio Fernando" (from "La Favorita"); "11 segreto per esse falici," from "Lecrezia Borgia" ; ."0. Don Fatale," from "Don Carlos"'; '"When. all",was Young,'.' from "Faust," and "Mon coeur: s'ouvre a t-a voix," from "Samson et Delila."

"As ah influence on the musical culture of the children in our schools,' I personally know of nothing which approaches the gramophone in convenience and capacity" This is the considered opinion of Sir Henry Wood, the great English conductor. It is evidently endorsed' by the Educational authorities, in New Zealand, for provision has been made for. the equipment of' all primary schools in the Dominion with gramophones. Success of this innovation will, of course, depend largely upon the choice of records. With all deference, the following suggestion is made for the beginning of a school library of instrumental records :—(1) Children's competitions, consisting of fourteen old tunes of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, performed by the National Military Band; (2) Tales of Hoffman selection, including the Barcarolle, by the Band of the Grenadier Guards; (3) "The Rosary" (with bells), and "The Lost Chord"—cornet solo, by Sergeant Leggett; (4) "Londonderry Air" and Molly on the Shore," by the London String Quartet; (5) "My Native Heath" Suite, Court Symphony Orchestra; and (5) Nell Gwynne Dances, by the Scots Cxuards Band. The choice of suitable selections is very wide, and a great number of vocal and '- instrumental records could be named from the catalogue from which those mentioned have been taken Falstaff is the subject of Gustav Hoist s new and, as yet, unnamed opera. Ihe chief part has been written for Norman Alhn familiar to all gramophonists. Ihe Falstaff musically treated by the English composer who has made a close study of the music of. old England, is he who figures m "Henry IV." The most recent records of Mr. Allin to reach New are "I'm a Roamer," a great favourite with bassos, and "The Lord Worketh Wonders," from "Judas Mac oratorio. °"c °f fineSt MIOS iD the

A correspondent writes : "I have been much impressed by studying the various degrees of success with which fancms singers have reproduced their voices on the gramophone," and asks the matter. "My own opinion. is that amongst women Patti and Galli-Curci have a slight lead in. humanriess of expression over their nearest rivals : that amongst men Battistini reproduces his marvellous voice with a faithfulness which is far and away ahead of anyone, not excepting Putti herself, whom I am old enough to- remember in her prune. What is the explanation of this phenomenon? These 'artists are all Italian.. - la it, then, a question of naWilvty? Or is the timbre of the voice the determining factor?" I welcome any expressions of sound opinion based upon something better than merely a personal idiosyncrasy. •