FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

Evening Star, Issue 9781, 10 August 1895, Page 1 (Supplement)

FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.

[By Call Boy. j

Fitzgerald Brothers have engaged the famous Hanl&n troupe for an Australasian tour.

Miss Flegeltaub, the Ballarat singer, made a successful debut at Adelaide on the Ist ult. in 'Mdlle. Nitouche.' Her nom cle theahx is Juliet Wray. "Billy Barlow " still on tour in Victoria. The original of the " blue-tailed fly " ought to be enjoying his olium in comfort. He's in his seventy-fifth year. Charles Saunders, who took part in the Wellington revival last year, is supporting

Antoinetti Trebelli in concerts in South Africa,. How would the managerial heart in New Zealand rejoice if he could get .the prices demanded by the Johannesberg iml>resario—Xo wit: boxes range from five to two guineas; circle and stalls, 7s 6d; gallery, 2s Gd. There ianow in Sydney a troupe of twentyfour Samoavi girls and seven stalwart Samoans, who have engaged for a tour to the colonies and to Europe, under oontraet with a gentleman who has held a high position in the Samoan Civil Service.

Half of the £I,OOO for which Mrs Tapley's life was insured was settled on her mother.

Arthur Holmes Gore, the latest addition to Mrs Langtry's theatrical company, is a brother of Mr Hugh Holmes Gore, who contested East Bristol recently. The cause of his going to the stage was unusual, and is told in the ' New Age.' Mr Gore had intended to be a solicitor, like his brother and his father. He was actually articled, when he became convinced that he could not conscientiously practise as a lawyer. The writings of Count Tolstoi thad something to do with his decision, which, right or wrong, was final. Casting about for some other way of earning his bread, he bethought him of his dramatic gifts. Here was something by which he could serve the people and honestly make a living as a Christian and a Socialist! He made up his mind early in 1894, studied under Miss Sarah Thome, and in six weeks was in receipt of a salary. He is probably the only actor who has adopted that profession on purely religious grounds. A Herr W. Blees, in Quenlen, near Metz, has presented Aix-la-Chapelle with 100.00 C marks, the interest on which is to be devoted to supporting local musicians performing, good operas and giving good concerts. M, Paul Gibson is a young Belgian whom many of his countrymen consider one of the most talented of living composers, while in Germany also some of bis works have been performed and highly appreciated. , A Chinese opera, the musio of which consists of Chinese melodies collected in China and arranged,by Guiment with a libretto taken from Chinese history, will be produced in Marseilles under the title ' Tsai Tsung.' Madame Melba has discovered a fresh tenor in M. Bertran and introduced him to Sir A. Harris, M. Bertran is an artistic .singer, with a pleasant voice, whioh is remarkably free from tnrtuoh and other vocal defeots common to Italian training. Joe St. Clair is piloting the • New Boy'

Company through Queensland on a six weeks' tour.

A member of Queen Victoria's family is abouttogoonthestageasaprofeßsional singer. The Queen's nephew is Prince Victor of Hohenlohe, and his daughter, the Countess Valda Gleichen, who has a remarkable voice and hot a remarkable pocket book, finds herself compelled to earn her own living by singing. -, Mr J. W. Hill, the well-known singer, who went to Leipsie over eight years ago to complete his musical education, and who subsequently toured Great Britain, has just returned tjd Wellington. Nothing finer has been, seen inthespeotacu}ar4ine in this colony than the mounting of 'The Land of the Moa,'which was produced at the Wellington Opera-house on the 29th;ult. for the first time on any stage. It is undoubtedly a marvel of scenery and mechanism, and the audiences are nightly roused to a high state of enthusiasm by the realistic pictures of the Pink Terraces and the eruption of Tarawera. Other views include Wellington, Auckland from Waitemata iliarbor,. the Tirifiri T?orest, and Rewi's pah. Mr Leitoh is supported by a capable company, and a Kaka, is performed : by some Maoris specially brought down from Otaki. The only possible ground for fault-finding is with the play itself, but the pruning knife will doubtless, be applied to advantage, aud the piece shorn of its weak points. As already mentioned, the drama is lavishly mounted, and the Operahouse directors are to be commended for ' their pluck in so completely depicting this tale of- New Zealand life. A mantinee ouSaturdav last attracted an immense audience. Mr Leitch visits Dunedin with ' The Land of the-Moa ' three weeks hence. ' 'll Trovatore' was performed at the Vienna Opera-house for the 300 th time on the 11th of March last. No opera, by any other living composer has yet reached that number of performances at the Austrian capital, only certain works by Moztrt and Weber having attained it. Mr W.- J. Turner, of Melbourne, has written a song entitled 'ln an old wardrobe,' and dedicated it to the memory of the late Mrs Tapley. It opens in the key of G minor and changes to G major, producing a pleasing effect.

Dvorak's new cantata 'The American Flag' was produced by the New York

Musical Society on the 4th May. The cantata, which is a half-programme work, is based upon the well-known eulogy of the American flag written by Joseph Rodman Drake in 1815, and it is practically in four parts. An elaborate overture precedes the opening number, entitled 'The colors of the flag,' for contralto and ohorus, in which some American critics trace the influence of Wagner. The apostrophe to the Eagle, for baritone soloist and chorus, follows; and after an orchestral allegro of a martial chai-acter, and more or less Bohemian in style, we have the three apostrophes to the Flag—respectively by the Infantry (a warlike tenor solo, answered by the chorus), the Cavalry (a vivid battle "picture), and the Navy (of cours« a sea piece). Then comes the finale, mostly choral, closing with the prophecy that the Stars and Stripes shall be •• the guard and glory of the world." There is no part for a solo soprano. Mrs Brice, the wife of an Ohio senator, is said to have paid Melba and De Reeke £BOO for singing privately to her guests. How are the mighty fallen! Walter Bentley is giving lessons on elocution at Brisbane. *\The art of oratory taught in four one guinea." So runs his advertisement. "\

Two years ago\Zang"will, the uovelist, wrote of Oscar Wilde: "He takes such broad views that he has grown narrow. What he wants is a little" knowledge of life and. twelve months' hard labor.'' Quite prophetic. The Girards (Kate and Emily, high kickers and grotesque dancers) have reinforced Rickards's Company at the Melbourne Opera-house. Provo, Flora Esdaille, Priscilla Verne, and Densem are the prinoipal attractions of the Sydney combination.

Some idea of the way the New Woman is dressed may be obtained from the 'Sun's' description of Miss Oliffe'a frocks. "The first is a plain skirt of bengaline, with a blouse bodice of velvet, both in that lovely soft bluish-grey which looks so well by night. The blouse has a pouch front with a band at each Bide stu4ded with diamond buttons, a deep collarWdered with fur, grey gloves, and a grey velvet hat with grey plumes. The other gown ts in a lovely shade of green silk, fairly shot with amber. Bodice and sleeves are veiled in green chiffon, the neck has a yoke of tan cord embroidery, the waist and cuffs to match ; the little toque is of brown straw jewelled, with green osprey

' and bbwfe. The evening gown is of rich black brocade, with' oourfc shoulders held by a strap of jet;-bodice veiled in black ; eutffon Jjeld with a cluster of shaded roses." Bland Holt has been having a right good time in Melbourne in more ways than one. Hehaa taken to patronising the hunt, and Mb better half fallow's the hounds under the watchful eyes of Mr C Simonsens and Mr Edwards, master of the Burwood pack. A 'Millionof Money' held possession of the boards at the Royal at latest dates. Mr William Elton is a strong aid to the B. and B. Company at the Princess's, Melbourne, ~

Our London correspondent, under date June 21, Bends the following:

The rentrde of Patti at Co vent Garden last Thursday evening excited extraordinary interest, andthe librarians realised a rich harvest. From four six guineas was asked -for a stall, boxes oommauding m2l aorta of fancy prices from fifteen And twenty guineas onward. Ea 4%m herself proved in splendid voice and form. Some of her top notes are not of course what: they were fifteen years ago, but. otherwise her magnificent organ appears richer and fuller than ever. Madame Melba, not unnaturally anxious to ascertain whether her day as prima donna assoluta bad arrived, occupied a stage box, and when Patti, blazing with diamonds and radiant with smiles, ackroffledged the splendid welcome of the huge audience, it was thought she curtsied with roguish defiance towards her younger rival. The first notes of ' Libiamo' dissipated the fear that the great songstress need fear comparisons.'' Never in her prime has Adelina Patti rendered the famous briudisi more brilliantly. And the great love duets of the later acts were sting with wonderful power and pathos. Patti's Violetta is a creation unequalled on the lyric stage, and whilst her memory lasts I doti't suppose any prima donna will dare to challenge it at Covent Garden. On Thursday last she was not sufficiently well supported. JDe Lucia, the Alfredo of the occasion, is a stick whom not even la diva's genius could inspire. She. sang correctly, but " Where, oh ! where, is Jean De Reske ?" was the question on every lip. Between the acts a deputation of. Princes of the blood Royal, headed by the Heir Apparent and the Duke of York, went behind the scenes to congratulate Madame Patti. It must not be supposed that la diva's voice is preserved thus marvellously without considerable sacrifices. Both she and Nicolini live for it, and make every other consideration subsidiary. A visitor to Ci iig-y-Nos can hardly help noticing this. 0..c of them relates that on the afternoon before a concert Madame Patti went for a drive, and returning thirsty asked for a glass of .water. Nicolini nearly fainted. " What!" he shrieked. "Ma mignonne, you know you are going to sing to-morrow night, and water will chill your blood. Oh, no, I forbid water." " A little wine, then," pleaded Patti. " Wine !" roared the tenor. "Ma petile cherie, must I again remind thee of tomorrow. Wine will heat your blood; I caunot permit wine." "Please, may I have something wet?" said the parched diva submissively. Thereupon Nicolini, with his own hand, mixed a small glassful of fizzing magnesia and handed it to her. Such little aceues were, said the visitor, frequent. Madame's first thought in living, in moving, in eating, in drinking, even in sleeping, is her voice.

Janet Achurch does not return much richer either in pocket or repute from New York. Despite the manager, with whom she had a well advertised quarrel, the lady managed to give a performance of ' A Doll's House,' but it attracted little attention, though her rendering of Ibsen's heroine was admitted to be clever.

At this time of the year colonial visitors constantly ask me if - 1 have " any theatre tickets to spare," as though one were an miettx with metropolitan managers, and could get as many free passes as one wanted. I had better confess that I always pay when Igo to the theatre. Impudence is one of my strong points, but it never occurred to me to go quite so far as to demand entrance to places of amusement in London on the ground that I wrote for this or that print published 14,000 odd miles from Charing Cross.

People do, however, claim free passes on very queer grounds. At Olympia the other day (so Spencer Edwards tells us) a smartly dressed woman asked confidently for stalls for self and friends. "I belong,'' she said, "to the profession." "What profession, madam ?" asked the manager—'' the journalistic ?" "Oh dear, no the theatrical." " What theatre, then, are you engaged at?'' " The Lyceum." " Dear me ! And what is your line of business, if I may make so bold?" "I am," said the dame defiantly, "a dresser." "Indeed !\ Then I fear I cannot meet your wishes." " Oh, yer won\ won't yer (suddenly dropping her polish); then please to hunderstaud I shall report you to Sir 'Enery Hirving." Arthur Roberts, who scarcely looks like a family man, has just been celebratiog the coming of age of his eldest son, who is-an extremely proper youth. He gives one the impression of living in terror of the eccentricities of ' My Awful Da,d,' but really, I'm told, admires him tremendou-ly. The Mr Roberts of a comfortable home ia Maida Vale and the "good old Awihur" of the Strand are two very different individuals. As he himself says : " It's part of my business iu life to pose as a rickety-rackety cove. People expect it of me. A merely hum - drum respectable Arthur Roberts wouldn't ' draw ' nearly so well. But I'm happiest behind my green door in Maida Vale. There I see only my family and a few intimate friends, and I am—myself." There is a charming lack of responsibility about the poet, novelist, playwright, Robert Buchanan, who seems so busy setting this wicked world in order that he's neither time (nor inclination apparently) to look after his own affairs. On Saturday last Buchanan's sister-in-law was made bankrupt owing to "a little bill" which in a weik moment she had backed for " brother Bob." This lady, Miss Harriett Jay, possessed some repute herself at one time, both as actress and novelist. The ' Queen of Connaught ' and ' The Dark Colleen' were in their day well read stories, and she collaborated with Buchanan in 'My Lady Clare,' a piece which had a good run at the Globe Theatre.