MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8472, 24 January 1891, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

tfHE Achurch dramatic season and the Burton concert season came to a close this week, to the great regret of the playgomg and music-loving portion of the community. The principal members of the latter company left for Sydney on Tuesday, but Madame Burton and her husband remained behind and intend to take up their residence in Auckland for some time, being delighted with its beautiful situation. They have, I hear, taken the residence of the lato Mr. D. Nathan, in Waterloo Quadrant. The Harvey Bros. Minstrel and Burlesque Company open a brief season at the Opera House on Monday. Mr. Bradley, the accomplished organist, has been giving a series of organ recitals at St. Patrick's Cathedral during the week. The " Fun on the Bristol" Company are meeting with great success in the South. The clever Faust Family are having a very good time down South, where their unique performances are meeting with much favour. The Sydney Bulletin says it is rumoured that J. L. Sullivan has engaged with Williamson and Garner for a twelve months' English and Australian engagement, commencing in July next. Mr. Alfred Cellier was to leave England for Australia at the end of November, where, nays the Sporting and Dramatic, he will bo the guest of Mr. Williamson, the well-known theatrical manager. Mr. Collier's health is not robust, and he is advised to pass the winter in the beautiful climate of the antipodes. The composer of " Dorothy " has a new opera almost finished, The scene is laid in Spain, and judging from a private hearing of some of the numbers, the work should rival anything yet produced by this melodious writer. Mr. Cellier's departure has been delayed owing to a commission to compose the music to a book supplied to him by a manager whose new theatre is to be opened shortly. Our readers may look to seeing occasional letters from Mr. Cellier of a chatty nature in reference to musical and other matters during his sojourn in the land whose motto is "Advance !" Quite lately Mr. N. Vert made the great pianist, Rubinstein, the offer of a sum which wad much higher than had previously been {laid to any instrumentalist in England, if lie would next summer undertake a recital tour through the United Kingdom. The following laconic, but decisive reply was received by telegraph from St. Petersburg : —" To Vert, Cork street, London.— do not play in public more. Not for any sum of money. — Rubinstein." We hear by the mail, saysthe Australasian, that in November Miss Amy Sherwin accompanied Mr. Sims Reeves in a concert tour to Edinburgh, where " her reception almost rivalled that accorded to Mr. Reeves himself." We are told that the applause this lady received was by no means unmerited."

The gifted violiniste, Camille Urso, who several years ago visited Australia and New Zealand, is announced to take part in the concerts of the New York Philharmonic Society's season of 1890-91. The latest sensation in theatrical circles in New York (says the Era) is the alleged separation of Mr. John R. Rogers from his wife, Minnie Palmer. Different causes are given by both parties for this step. Mr. Rogers asserts that his happiness was marred by his mother-in-law. Miss Palmer alleges that her husband came to her bedside, flourishing a carving knife, and that she fled from him in imminent fear of her life. There are those who suggest that the whole affair is simply another ingenious method of advertising adopted as a novelty by John K. Rogers. Rut the matter is going into the Courts.

The same paper, dated 22nd November, is responsible for the following paragraph : — Mr. Luscombe Searelle, with his wife, Miss Blanche Fenton, left England on Friday for Christehurch, ><ew Zealand, to fultil a promise to eat his Christmas dinner with his father, aged eighty-one, and his mother, aged seventy-nine. The production of his comic opera " Bobadil," promised in February, will consequently be postponed until the beginning of September, when it may be looked for at the Avenue Theatre.

Chevalier Scovel, the American tenor now appearing at the Lyric Theatre in "La Cigale," seems to have been born under an excellently lucky star. Not only did he succeed in drawing one of the richest prizes in the matrimonial lottery in the person of Miss Marcia Roosevelt, a lady with £16,000 a year, bat he obtained from Mr. Horace Sedger a contract for one year with salary and percentages equal to the emoluments of u Prime Minister. In ISSO the Chevalier won the largest amount on record at, Monte Carlo and the clubs at Nice, netting the handsome sum of 1,500,0001, or £00,000 in .sixteen days.

Miss Edith Wanda Godson, who under another name is a ballet dancer at the Alhambra, has had a stroke of £ood fortune. By his will, dated October 14th last, the late Mr. Edward Llewellyn Thomas, of Ystrad Ivlynack and the Heath, Cardiff, who died on October 16th at the Burlington Hotel, Cork-street, leaving personal estate valued at £67,345 17s 4d gross and £50,5J4 18s lid net, bequeaths her an immediate legacy of £1000 and £-2000 a year for her life.

The death of Mr. Joseph Wood at Harrogate recalls a cause c&ldbre of its day. Sixty years ago Mr. Wood was a popular tenor, and one of the great attractions of the Coven Garden Theatre. When fie was at the height of his fame he fell in love with Lady Lennox, a noted beauty, who, before her marriage with Lord Lennox, had been on the stage. His passion was returned, and he had the good or ill luck to persuade her to elope with him. Lord Lennox at once applied for a divorce, and as soon as it was granted .Mr. Wood and Lady Lennox were married. Hence the then fashionable conundrum, " Why is Lady Lennox like the children of Israel?"' "Because she turned from the Lord (Lennox) and made an idol of Wood." Mr. Wood lived for many years in Harrogate, where he was popular with all classes.

Here is a sample of Western criticism ; star having been promised and failing to appear: — "In justice to the manager we must say that he feels much chagrined over the imposture. He booked the company on the strength of representations and the exhibition of press notices which were doubtless frauds, like the performers, who could neither sing nor dance nor act. Perhaps it would be charitable to transfer them to a lumber camp, where the men can wield axes and the women perform the cooking and washing. The company's manager can have extra copies of tir* issue, free, to use as press notices, and save himself the trouble of preparing them himself."

The New Yorkers seemed to have espoused the cause of Mrs. Agnes Robertson in the Boucicault wife trouble. The following letter lias been sent to her:—"Dear Madame,—With a view of giving public expression to the high esteem and regard in which you are held by the community and dramatic profession, and realising your present condition, we desire to offer you a testimonial benefit at one of the city theatres, and shall be pleased if you will accept the same.—Very truly yours, George C. Barrett, Lawrence Barrett, John It. Brady, Chauncey M. Depew, W. B. Duncan, T. Henry French, Daniel Frohman, John A. Hunter, Joseph Jefferson, Richard Mansfield, Mr. J. O'Brien, Hennon Oelrichs, A. M. Palmer, Dr. T. S. Robertson, Daniel E. Sickles, and E. If. Sothern," In addition svery city manager has signified his desire bo aid her in some way, besides which Palmer's, the Lyceum, Star, Grand Opera House, Fifth Avenue, and the Garden Theatre have been offered. The Kendals are to be important factors in the proposed performance.

The report that Mrs. Navarro, nee Mary Anderson, will return to the stage for one season to fulfil her contract vyith Mr. Abbey is denied by all concerned. It is .said that .since her marriage the lady and her former manager have come to an amicable and satisfactory understanding. M usico-Dramaticus.

*»* All communications intended for this column flould be addressed "Musico-Dramaticus," HbuALD Office, Auckland, and should be forwarded as early - 1 i possible.