Mimes: Music: Records

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 13, 16 January 1926, Page 21

Mimes: Music: Records

BY "ORPHEUS. 11

THE SHOWS,

Opera House— "Leave It To Jane," opening 20th Jan. Guy Bates Post, 30th January. His Majesty's-Knller's Vaudeville. De Luxe Theatre—Pictures. King's Theatre—Pictures. The Tivoli-Picture3. Artcraft—Pictures. Our Theatre—Picture*. Empress Theatre—Pictures. Shortt's Theatre—Pictures. StraniS Theatre—Pictures. Britannia Theatre—Pictures. Queen's Theatre—Pictures. Princess Theatre—Pictures.

Miss Marjorie Day, formerly of Auckland, is appearing in "Lullaby," Mr. E. Knoblock 's new play, at the Globe Theatre, London.

Dame Clara Butt, who is accompanied by her husband, Mr. Kenncrly Runiford, and Mdle. Aussenae, solo pianist, will commence a tour of New Zealand at Auckland on 20th January. Mr. John Fuller, of the firm of John Fuller and Sons, theatrical managers, is about to pay a visit to Now Zealand. After his return to Sydney, Sir Benjamin and Lady Fuller will visit the Dominion. Bransby Williams, Dickensian character actor, recently in New Zealand, was to play in Now York at Christmas. .. Cyril Ritchard, who went Homo from Australia some months ago, is appearing in "Chariot's Revue" at the Prince of Wales'a Theatre, London. "White Cargo," Leon Gordon's extraordinary play of life in the tropics, has celebrated its 600 th performance in London. Mr. E. J. Gravestock, the wellknown entrepreneur, will pass through New Zealand with Dame Clara Butt and Mr. Kennerly Rumford. Mr. Gravestock announces that hie principal musical attraction for this year is Backhaus, the world-famous pianist, who commences a tour of thirty concerts in Sydney in May, and will visit New Zealand some time in September. Backhaus is well known by name to music-lovers in New Zealand, as he has been amongst the few great pianists for some years past. Such an eminent critic as Ernest Newman, in the "Manchester Guardian," recently said of the popular pianist. — '"'Backhaus last night brought other listeners besides ourselves to think him possibly the greatest of all pianists now before the public." Bobin Legge, the critic of the London "Daily Teletraph," wrote recently: "Backhaus proved again and beyond cavil or question' his right to be considered as the faultless pianist of our time. No praise is too high for such infallible technique and style." Backhaus hac toured England and America consistently for the past ten years, and he was associated with Dame Nellie Melba in a joint-star tour in those countries which beat all previous box office records.

Guy Bates Post is a firm believer in the promising future of the drama. The drama of the future, he predicts, will be romantic, rather melodramatic, devoid of propaganda complexes, pared of all problems, and free of fetishes. He thinks it will be romantic, because it is romance to which all men cling and ever will cling; it will be slightly melodramatic, because it will reflect real life, and life itself is slightly tinged with the huo of melodrama; devoid of propaganda complexes, because propaganda is flaccid and fiat; and it will be free of fetishes and pared of problems, because the theatre will be regarded purely as a place of entertainment, and as a place where all the business cares and worries of the day may be forgotten. Mr. Post will commence his Wellington season on 30th January, and will remain here until 18th February. Scene:. Hotel Alexandria switchboard in Los Angeles. Operator: "Mr. Charlie tTpham? (Consulting guest list). No such party registered here. (Aside) CJhaxlieUpham! That's the forty-seventh call for him this morning and he ain't registered. Something queer." Manager, dashing in, tearing his hair: "What's the matter with Charlie Upham's calls, they aren't being put through 1" Operator: "No Charlie Upham registered." Manager: "Sure. Look— C-h-a-1-i-a-p-i-n. That's Charlie XJphanr!" Such is the fame of Chaliapru in the movie centro that shut him off from the outside world.

Mr. Arthur Styan, who was well known on the Australian stage, died on 25th December at his home, Armadalc. Mr. Sty»n, who was ag«d fifty-nine years, came from England about twenty-five yeara ago, when Charles Cartwright was to give his second Australian season, under the direction of Mr. Harry BickardsMr. Styan appeared in comedy and druma with leading companies under several managements. He was a sound actor, and did much effective work in. character parts and in others which called for delineations of forceful personality. For many years most of his appearances had been with "Willianlson companies. Among the chief of his parts in the last few years were the title role in the first Australian production of "Chu CUm Chow" and Hillcrist in "The Skin

Game."

Vienna has enthusiastically received Franz Lehar's operetta, "Paganini," which deals with the love story of the famous violinist and Napoleon's sister, the Princess of Lucca. Lehar considers the operetta his- masterpiece, and his best since '' The Merry Widow.''

•Back'haus, the famous pianist, who is to visit Now Zealand this year, has toured England and America consistently for the past ten years, and he was associated with Dame Nellie Melba in a joint-star tour of those countries which beat all previous boxoffiee records. For his tour of Australia, and New Zealand ho is having five pianos sent from America, three for Australia and two for New Zealand. These pianos are valued at £2500, and will be in charge of a special representative of the piano company, and an expert tuner who always travels with 'the pianist.

The revival of Nigger Minstrels at the Melbourne Tivoli has proved such a success that the season has been extended.

One of the most interesting personalities in Fuller vaudeville is Breton, the memory man. This new-comer to the stage is better known to the universities and schools of Australia than to patrons of vaudeville. This state ,of affairs is not .likely to continue very long, because those who see Breton working in the theatre will carry away a las.ling memory of his •extraordinary genius. T.here ia .said ■to .be no trickery in this turn, which ia purely an exposition of memory

training, brightened by light comedy touches which will immediately establish him on good terms with his audience. Appearing in Johannesburg recently were Joseph and Jane Levane, described as "clever New Zealanders who scored a distinct success in an original acrobatic dance." These are probably Joe Lane and his sister, who, originally from Wellington, made a name in vaudeville in the East, and after a very successful tour of Queensland and West Australia, decided to try their luck in South Africa. Pictures. "Welcome Stranger," a picture version of the great Broadway play by Aaron Hoffman, is a vivid picture of the prejudice of a small town. The author has made a study of New England rural folk, and all the personages in his play arc distinctive—each a definite type. It is a real story of American, life, adventure, and romance. Irene Rich, the popular screen star, heads the cast in "My Wife and I," from the novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Dorothy Bevore is featured with Matt Moore in "His Majesty Bunker Bean," and the supporting cast includes David Butler, George Nichols, Helen Dunbar, Frank Leigh, Nora Cecil, Henry Barrowes, Gertrude Claire, Lucille Ward, and Gayne Whitman. House Peters, who plays the giant role of John Strong in "The Storm Breaker," has had a most interesting life. When a boy, his father was in the British Consular Service, and Peters was taken into many foreign countries. He has been an explorer, : traveller, and mining engineer. His ' stage career, both in America and elsewhere, was most varied. It was after he was mustered out of the British Army after the Boer War that he began his stage career. Several hundred real American Indians have been given a prominent part in "The Bed Rider," starring Jack Hoxie. The story is one exalting the Indian, and is full of many thrilling situations. Hoxie plays the role of White Elk, a supposedly "white" Indian. Zane Grey, the eminent Western author, is scheduled to arrive in New Zealand next week. The visit of this great man to New Zealand will be very significant from many points of view. It is interesting to note that one of\the biggest pictures to be released this year is a. story from Zane Grey—"The Vanishing Race." When Mr. Grey wrote this story he intended that it should be the culminating effort of his prolific genius. The story far exceeded his expectations, and early in the last year one of the picture companies was successful in negotiating with Mr. Grey for the rights to produce the .story. Patsy Ruth Miller, feminine star in "Lorraine of the Lions," was born in St. Louis. Since she started acting before the camera she has rapidly be>' come one of the screen' 3 most prominent actresses. "Lorraine of the Lions" gives her a splendid opportunity to show how well she can act. Pie^ tures she has appeared in of late years are '' The Hunchback of Notre Dame,'' "Omar the Tentmakcr," "Camille," "The Sheik," and many other popular pictures. "The Iron Horse," now showing in Auckland, was received with much enthusiasm at the opening screenings. It will be in Wellington next month. Gramophones. The demand for the great choral record, the outcome of the combined glee clubs of America, "Adeste Fideles," has been phenomenal. The ancient Christmas hymn, sung in English, was taken in parts by n male choir of 850 voices, and at the last verse the audience, numbering fully 4000, was invited to join in. There is hardly to bo recalled a more sweetly pathetic piece of modern "defunte" music than Ravel's "Pavane pour une Infante." It has.been sympathetically rendered by the New Queen's Hall Light Orchestra, conducted by Frank Bridge. Originally written as a solo for the pianoforte, it has now beeomo known as one of the most acceptable numbers in programmes of orchestral music. Bruno Walter, as conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, has had considerable success in his records. The latest is the Nocturne from the Overture to "A Midsummer Night's Dream.'' This beautiful music, introducing the, fourth act of the comedy, is remarkable for the horn solo, in this instance perfectly played. Tho overture is a marvel of youthful genius, for it was written when Mendelssohn was little more than a boy. Th<>

■.ompanion piece is the Prelude to thp third act of "The Meistersingers.' Bruno Walter is a great authority on Wagner, and has had exceptional dp jiorfmnities of learning the composer's ideas and intentions practically at ifirst hand. The record is one of which Columbia can be justly proud.

Beautiful old Elizabethan lov« songs receive a graceful interpreta lion by Dora Labbette, and they are enhanced in interest and refinement by accompaniments furnished by string quartette. They are indeed songs of a spacious time in England's history,

and are sung with understanding. Among them may be mentioned "Sorr«. Sorrow, Stay," "Whither Runneth My Sweetheart?" and "Her Rosie Cheeks." There are three songs to each of the two discs containing the songs mentioned. Apart from tho education value of the songs, Miss Laubette sings them all in a manner that commends itself at once to Us teners with any moderate claim to musical taste.

Superb is the correct word to apply to the rendering of Haydn's "Sur prise" Symphony (in G major), by the Queen's Hall Orchestra under Sir Henry Wood.

Heifetz is as uncannily brilliant as ever in a couple of light pieces—an engaging waltz by Godowsky and Achron's "Stimmung" (10-inch).

A typical Galli-Curci record is the 12-inch giving a couple of "IVovatore" airs, one of them very brilliant, ending at a dizzy height that will bring down the house whore great store is set by mere altitude.

The visit of Damo Clara Butt to New Zealand has already stimulated the demand for her gramophone records. This distinguished artiste re cords exclusively for the Columbia Company, and it is because she so consistently sings' the songs of the people, as well as the greater arias, that she is beloved of the masses. Her records are too numerous to mention here, but all of them reveal not only the rare art of which she is so capable a mistress, but that perfect sympathy that betokens complete understanding. There are- also several records available of duets by Dame Clara Butt and her talented husband, Mr. Kennerley Rumford.

Brahms "Variations on a Theme of Paganinni" are not often heard, so there should be a welcome for the unusually fine set of records of their performance by Baekhaus (two 12----inch). The playing is said to be masterly, and the recording well above tho average. Probably most people undervalue these Variations. I did (says a reviewer) until I heard these records, and I am grateful to the gramophone for once more putting me on terms with a hitherto unappreciated work—a masterpiece in its way.

Of a good batch of vocal records, the pick is surely that of Chaliapin in a couple of extracts from "A Life for the Tsar" (12-inch). Even the most zealous advocate of opera in the vernacular must be given pause by such singing as this. So varied and significant is the tone that one is held throughout, though not a word of Russian does he know. The ordinary operatic vocal record is mere futile ear-tickling |beside this. The orchestral part deserves mention for its vividness.

Jean Lensen's orchestra obtains some delicate effects in "Dun Prigon" and "Eeverie," both by Hahn. The performance is artistic and refined, characteristic of the recording of this excellent orchestra.