MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8670, 12 September 1891, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

Mb. and Mrs. Bund Holt, with their company, opened their season in Dunedin on Tuesday, the delay being necessary in order to prepare for the production of the new pieces which Mr. Holt has brought with him. Prominent amongst them will be " Master and Man," a piece which has had a wonderful run in Melbourne. It is also intended to produce " The Golden Ladder." After a highly successful season at the Wellington Opera House the DobsonKennedy Company have commenced a tourof the Wairarapa district. Dr. Lyndon, a conjuror, assisted by Madame Lynden, has been drawing fair houses at the Wellington Theatre Royal. The provisional cast of characters in the " Yeomen of the Guard" to bo produced in December by _ the Wellington Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society is as follows: —Sir Richard Cholomorideley (Lieutenant of the Tower), Mr. J. W. Kilner; Colonel Fairfax (under sentence of death), Mr. E. J. llill; Sergeant Meryll (of the \ eomcn of the Guard), -Mr. If. Wright ; Jack Point (a strolling jester), Mr. Morris Fox ; Wilfred Shadbolt (head gaoler and assistant tormentor), Mr. W. 1). Lyon; First, Second, Third, and Fourth Yeomen, Messrs. L. Hoffmann, A. Farmer, G. Parsons, and A. Orr; Elsie Maynnrd (a strolling singer), Miss Samuel; Dame Carruthers (housekeeper to the Tower), Miss Letlmm. The parts of Leonard and Phcebo Meryll, Kate, and the Headsman have vet to be tilled. Mr. Leon Driver, the pianist, is in the Wanganui district The London Gaiety Company open at Sydney Theatre Royal on the 12th inst., tho night after the close of the " Old Guard" opera season, in which Win. Elton made a hit.

Wirth's circus is in Brisbane. Tho second production at tho Melbourne Princess' by the London Gaiety Company is, says a local writer, without doubt one of the most gorgeous stage spectacles overproduced on the Melbourne boards. "Cinder

Ellen up Too Lite" completely eclipses " Ruy Bias" in the matter of scenery and properties." Mr. H. T. Taperall, until recently a reporter on the Wellington Times, is said to be dramatic critic 011 the Sydney Daily Telegraph. ;■ As Mr. Taperall's knowledge of theatrical representations was, until his departure for New South Wales, almost solely confined to the windy city of New Zealand, his qualifications for such apposition can scarcely be said to rest, on his varied experience. Critics, however, as Byron once wrote, are all ready-made. Mdme. Patti has fixed August 10 for the formal opening of her bijou theatre at Craig-y-nos Castle. Mr. Cecil Howard's "Dramatic Notes" for 1800, in which, as in its predecessors, every production of interest, at our theatres is chronicled in association with many other dramatic notabilia, is just published by Messrs. Hutchinson. Miss Marie Fraser, a young, clever, and earnest actress, who was seen in London recently as Nora in " A Doll's House," has been engaged by Messrs. Brough and Boucicault to play "lead" in their company for a year in Australia. During Mr. Horace Sedger's season at the Vaudeville Miss Minnie Palmer will appear in some of her favourite characters. In the country she will represent the heroine in the English version of " L'Oncle Celestin," which Mr. Sedger means to take on a provincial tour as soon as his London engagements may permit. When Mr. Henry Arthur Jones becomes the manager of a theatre devoted to the production of his own plays, the important post of " leading lady" will be filled by Miss Winifred Emery. Mr. Jones, by the way, contemplates the publication, through Messrs. Macmillan, in book form, of a series of his plays dealing with social questions. According to the American papers, Miss Agnes Huntington will return to the States in the autumn, and start upon a new tour about the middle of October. She Mill appear not only in "Paul .Jones," but in " Fatinitza" and another opera for which she has been negotiating. It is expected that her new London theatre will be ready for occupancy in April next. Mdme. Annie Be wan di Tivoli has lately composed a waltz, and has called it "11 Crepuscolo della Sera" (Evening Twilight). The melody suggested itself to her when improvising for her little ones at Dibrucrarh, not far removed from the scene of the late Manipur affair. The piece was dedicated to the Marchioness of Lansdowne, by whom it was gracefully acknowledged. I note with pleasure the continued success in Italy of the popular Australian composer and pianist, Florence MenkMeyer, who, at a concert held in the Great Theatre of La Scala, Milan, on the 7th July, received an enthusiastic welcome. She was recalled four times, and was the recipient of some very handsome floral tributes. The Milan press is very generous in its encomiums.

Colonne has been nominated Director of the Opera in Paris. He will produce the best modern operas, among which is mentioned Verdi's " Otello," Boito's "Mefistofele," and Wagner's " Lohengrin," and "Mcistersingers." A company formed of the finest lyric artists of Italy has been engaged for the season of opera in Rio Janeiro; Buenos Ayres, and Monte Video. Theodorini, Kupfer-Berger, Oxilia, Pantabeoni, and Prenost are among the artists engaged. A play by Rudyard Kipling, based upon one of his own stories, was produced at the London Crystal Palace last month. »

Mr. H. B. Smith, the librettist, author of the librettos of " Robin Hood," " The Tar and Tartar," " Sinbad," and other American successes, has just been appointed to the dramatic editorship of the Chicago Tribune.

Massenet's " La Mage" 13 to be one of the attractions at LaScala, Milan.

Under the title of " A Mighty Error," Mr. Leonard Outram produced at the London Avenue on July 14, "for one night only," a poetical drama, suggested by the late Robert Browning's poem, "In a Balcony." Mr. Outram ha 3 placed the scene in Spain, and tells the story of a queen, who, finding her husband unfaithful, causes him to be banished. In the meantime she has sheltered and protected his illegitimate daughter. At the end of thirteen years the husband, Miguel, returns, and, aided by troops, claims the throne. The queen has, however, found a gallant adventurer who, for love of the maiden she has reared, fights for her and restores her power. Miguel is taken prisoner, and the " Mighty Error" of the queen is in supposing all was done for iove of herself. The result is tragical, for she first causes her husband to be beheaded to pave the way for the supposed lover, who, being faithful to the young girl, the queen takes poison. Miss Frances Ivor, Miss Ansell, and Mr. Leonard Outram acted well, but little can be hoped for in the future from Bach a morbid and depressing story. Another piece in one act, called "A Summer's Dream," by Miss Rose Mellor, was a very lachrymose production. " Orpheus" is the name of a new ballet by Wenzel and Banner, which has been successfully given at the Empire Theatre, London. 1n1527 Virginia Blasis, who, in "Don Giovanni," took with equal ability the roles of Donna Anna and Zerlina, was engaged for the Paris Opera with a life-long salary of £1440 annually. Eleven years later she died with inflammation of the lungs. Gloslop, a singer whose name and fame seem to Iftivo died with her, had a similar-contract for £1000 annually in the Paris Opera. In three years she appeared but once, thus by one evening's performance earning £3000, about the highest price ever paid to a singer for a single appearance. Henrietta Sontag's highest compensation for an evening was £2000, received by her from a benefit in London. Her earnings for the London season for 1849 were £20,000.

Musico-Dramaticus.

,%* All communications intended foe this column should be addressed " Musico-Drainatieus," Hekai.o office, Auckland, and should be forwarded as early M possible.