MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8854, 16 April 1892, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

Having recovered from a severe attack of illness, brought about by nervous exhaustion, Mr. Walter Bentley re-appeared at the Opera House on .Monday night, when he played John Mildmay in Tom Taylor's interesting drama, "Still Waters Run Deep." He was heartily applauded. Tonight the Shakesperian play " Othello" is to be produced. The performances during the season have been well attended.

On 31st ult., by the mail steamer Monowai, tho celebrated French humorist, M. Paul Blouet, better known as Max O'Rell, sailed from San Francisco for .Auckland. The reminiscences of the platform celebrities who have essayed to interest colonial audiences during the last twelve years have mostly been of a sombre nature*; »uK: Mr. K. S. Syuithe when he was in England last year probably thought that, especially during a period of social depression, a humorist who has lectured all over the three kingdoms, and has just concluded his third American tour, would be a pleasant change. The author of '•John Bull and His Island" will be still in the colonies when M. l'aderewski will arrive in Melbourne. His tour also will be under the management of Mr. Symthe, who believes that the recitals of the great pianist will excite a similar furore in the musical world to that created amongst Australian theatre by the performances of Madame Sarah Bernhardt. The Pall Mall Gazette of February (> states that. " M. l'aderewski. who is at present in Canada and in excellent health, realised £,">SO as his share of the last pianoforte recital in New York ;" and the newspapers of that city, English, French, and German, speak in the most enthusiastic terms of the effect produced by the playing of Paderewski. Sir Edwin Arnold, K.C.5.1., who went to America last October on a lecturing tour, hail some idea of coming to the colonies, and placed himself in communication with Mr. Symthe; bur being attacked by influenza lie returned to England, and 'the author of "Seas and Lands" will not include Australia in his travels until Max O'Keil and M. Puderewski's tours are over. The Myra Kemble Company's production of the farcical comedy "Jane" at Christ church on Wednesday night was a great. success. The house was crowded and the audience was enthusiastic in applause. There were double calls, at end of each act. Mother (whispering): "My dear, our hostess wishes you to play." Daughter : " Horrors, mother ! You know 1 never play before strangers, I become so nervous and excited that my fingers get all tangled up, and 1 make all sons of awful blunders." Mother: "Never mind, dear. Play something from Wagner and then the mistakes won't be noticed."

The well-known comedian, Mr. Anson, is about to return to England from Australia. Lyceum revivals of Shakespere are, as is well known, costly undertakings. In illustration of this fact, some particulars have been given with reference to Mr. living's recent production of Henry V11I." He spent £13.000 on it before the curtain rose on the first, night's performance. The weekly expenses are £800. A fall house at the Lyceum represents £400, and as it is inevitable that in so changeable and treacherous a climate as that of London in v. inter with influenza in every street, and the possibility of fog at any moment, even the Lyceum must sometimes be rather less than full. Still there can be little doubt that the revival will pay. A Saturday Review essayist, on living's •' Henry Vl'lL," brings to light the historical fact that Cardinal Wolsey had only one eye, wherefore his portraits are all profiles. Irving asks certain acrid critics if they want him to pick out one eye. The business manager and treasurer of Miss Myra Kemble's Company, now in New Zealand, is a very old member of the profession, Mr. das. Kitts, whose popularity in New Zealand never decreases. His fund of humour and anecdote is reported to be still flourishing. It has now been arranged that Mr. Edward Lloyd will make at least eight appearances in New York during his forthcoming visit to America, receiving lOOOdol. for each concert at Maddison Square. Mr. Lloyd will probably leave England about the end of next month, his first appearance most likely being in Boston. It, would bo interesting to know what Mr. Edward Lloyd's annual remuneration is, for, in addition to his numerous professional engagements, he must receive a large sum in ballad royalties. It is estimated that Madame Antoinette Sterling—who introduced such saleable songs as " The Lost Chord," " Darby and Joan," and "The Better Land"—receives some two thousand a year from this latter source alone.

A tenor singer, Mr. Frank Boyle, who made his Australian debut when Madame Meiba did, in July, ISS-3, at the Kruse Concerts, is dead Three or four years before leaving England Mr. Boyle studied at the National Training School for Music, and subsequently sang at one of the Hereford festivals ("Three Choirs Festival"). He then became favourably known as a concert singer, but after a short career he joined Mr. DOyley Carte's Opera Company. This brought him to Australia under engagement to Messrs. J. C. Williamson and Co., and he was for a long period the tenor of the Royal Comic Opera Company in the palmy days of Leonora Braham and Alice Barnett. Failing health led to the termination or this engagement, and he then returned to England, whence his death 19 reported (from Barnstaple), at the early age of 33 years. The dramatic critic Mr. Clement Scott, who is well known to be strictly devoted to the Church of Rome, has been selected by the Pope for a notable mark of favour, a special blessing signed and sealed at the Vatican, and enclosed in a magnificent casket of lacquer and Damascenes steel, having been forwarded to him in England. It is said there is good reason to believe that His Holiness, in bestowing this special mark of favour upon Mr. Scott, has been influenced by the eloquent and vigorous protest maintained by that writer against the atheistical tendencies of the latest school of dramatic literature. Mr. Clement Scott, who is the son of an Anglican clergyman, joined the Church of Rome when a young man, and forms one of the band o litterateur* of distinction who worship at the chapel in Great Ormond-street. The late Mr. Praeger, in his " Richard Wagner as I Knew Him," states that the great composer left behind him his auto biography. The incident is described as follovrs : —" Wagner and his wife were going out, leaving me alone at Tribochen. Before going, Wagner placed in my hand a volume for perusal during his absence. 'It is my autobiography,' he said ; 'only Liszt bas a copy ; none other has seen it, and it shall not be published until my Siegfried bas reached his majority.'" Siegfried Wagner is now '21 years of ago ; so happily the Eromised publication will not be long deiyed. Mrs, Bernard Beerc is playing Lena Despard in " As In A Looking Glass" at the Melbourne Opera House. As she is in delicate health, it is possible that Melbourne audiences will not witness her perform in " La Tosca," in which she disputes the palm with the Divine Sarah, and, according to rumour, leaves Mrs. Potter nowhere.

After the disbandmenfc of the Kowalski Concert Company Mr. W. H. Poole remained in Melbourne to prepare for Signor" Foli's Australian season, and has decided that the celebrated basso shall make his first appearance in Sydney. This important event will take place early in May. Mr. Poole learns by cable that Signor Foli joined the Ophir at Naples about the 15th March, and should therefore arrive in Sydney before the end of the current month. Mr. Orlando Harley, a cancert-room tenor, who sings regularly at, the Monday Popular Concerts, the London Ballad Concerts, and upon other occasions of first-rato importance, has been engaged for the season. Mr. Vert, the well known concert agent, cabled out Mr. Harley's engagement on Tuesday, and it is understood that he Bailed from Naples with Signer Foli. Mr. Poole has not quite decided how to dispose of his second star, but probably the tenor will be employed to strengthen the Foli Concert Company, which includes also Miss Rosso (soprano), Madam Vander veer Green (contralto), Mrs. Tennyson Colo (mezzo-so-prano), Mme. Fechotsch (contralto). Miss Emilia Wood (pianiste), Mr. Lemmone (flautist), and Mr. Barker (harpist). The party is undeniably strong, and Mr. Poole feels confident of success. A bass singer himself of some standing, he does not hesitate to say that " Foli will show Australian amateurs what) an ideal basso profound should be." Musico-Dbamaticus, \