MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10127, 9 May 1896, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

Miss Maud Hewson, who is now with ; Pollard's. Opera Company, has scored a great success. She is an Auckland girl, and made her debut here when the Pollards were at the Opera House last.

Ibsen's early romantic drama, "The Feast of Solhang," with the new incidental music by Herr Hans Pfitzner, was pro- \ duced for the first time at tho Stadt Theatre, Mayence, recently. The drama, which is in style widely apart from the author's later manner, was received with much interest, while the musical numbers proved a most valuable adjunct to the general effect. Herr Humperdinck, writing in the Frankfurter Zeitung,-speaks in terms of high praise of Herr Pfitzner's score, which includes solo and choral numbers and three particularly effective orchestral preludes. The composer, who conducted, was repeatedly recalled. The rjresont theatre season, says our London * correspondent, is prolific of successes. "The Benefit of the Doubt is drawing large" houses, and " Tho Romance of the Shopwalker" is a phenomenal success. "Trilby" is as popular as ever, and " The Sign of the Cross" has a very wido clientele, who aver that it is a play to be encouraged, and one that ought to be moro powerful than a volume of the most eloquent sermons. It shows off Mr. Wilson Barrett's muscles to perfection, so no doubt it is perfection in his eyes. Tho new Savoy opera Is reviving tho old traditions of this pleasant house, and it will bo tho great attraction of the season. Mr. Forbes Robertson's venture, " For the Crown" has full houses every night. It is a splendid performance. Indeed, thero is hardly a fiat play on the boards, and there aro none to shock the British matron. Mrs. Langtry has scored, as she always will, in dress. For the rest it has been said that no one ever wants to hear her twice. Sir Augustus Harris will mako the new comic opera, "Shamus O'Brien" pay. It will do fairly well on its own merits, as Dr. Villiers Stanford's music is decidedly good, and many of the songs have caught on. Sir Augustus attended every rehearsal himself, and coached each individual actor and actress in •his and her roles. It is a study to see him at work. In " Shamus O'Brien" he had to teach a young lady how to make love properly. And he was quite perfect in the part himself. The friends of Mr. W. E. Baxter, choirmaster of St. Benedict's Church, will be pleased to learn that he has recovered from his recent sickness, and has gone to the country to recover his strength prior to resuming his duties. The recently discovered remains of Johann Sebastin Bach are shortly to bo transferred to their now resting place in the renovated church of St. John's, Leipzig, by the side of the poet Gellert. The suggestion made from several quarters that the remains of the great Canton should bo placed in St. Thomas' Church, so closely associated with his artistic activity, has, it would seem, nob found favour with the authorities. Under the title of "Societa Giovanni Sebasdano Bach," a Bach Society has just been founded in Rome, upon the lines of the already existing Palestrina and Beethoven Societies. There are already numerous applicants for membership from aristocratic and artistic quarters in that capital. Six concerts are to be given during the season, under the directorship of Signor Allesjandro Costa. Sir Arthur Sullivan's opperetta "The Chieftain" is just now being performed for the first time in Germany at the Gartnerplatz Theatre, Munich, with good success. Miss Woolley and Miss I'edley, who have been in Europe for a considerable time, are returning to Sydney in the Ormuz. Miss Pedley is to be the representative in New South" Wales of the United Association of Musical Examiners of the Royal Academy of Music. Pinero is at work on another play which is, apparently, of a similarly serious, not to eay sombre, cast to those of "The Notorious Mrs. Ebb-smith" and " The Benefit of tho Doubt." He promises himself the luxury of writing a farce, by way of recreation, next vear. Miss Edith Blande, who went to England some months ago, has been appearing on tour as Madame Laroche in "The Egyptian Idol," a play by Richard Saunders and Maurice E. Bandman. In this piece Miss Blande temporarily replaced Miss Eastlake. Mr. George Musgrove has returned to London from America to pursue bis researches for "something new." At Adelaide, the Royal Comic Opera Company have been doing such enormous business that an indignant person has invoked the assistance of local editors in preventing overcrowding at the Theatre Royal. Herr Heinrich Tollner's opera, "Bei Sedan," brought out recently at the Stadt Theatre, Leipzig, met with a most enthusiastic reception, due quite as much to its charming and masterly orchestrated score and picturesque scenic effects as to the patriotic sentiment pervading it. The libretto is, curiously enough under the circumstances, founded upon a tragic epiBode in Tola's " La Debacle," and includes an excellent sceno of military camp life. The composer, who is his own librettist, is a son of Carl Tollner, the well-known com- • poser of male quartettes, and has been for some years past the conductor of the New York German Liederkranz. Xaver Scharwenka'a new opera, " Matawintba," is to be shortly brought out, for the first time on any stage, at the Hof Theatre, Weimar, the composer being expected there shortly for the purpose of superintending the rehearsals. Herr wedka has been for some years past residing in New York as director of the conservatorium bearing bis name. A monument is to be erected in the wood at Diisternbrook, facing the shores of the Baltic Sea, to Carl Locwe, the famous composer of " Balladen," and of some remarkable oratorios which will yet meet with a '*esVil. The unveiling of the monument is planned for November 30 next year, when aJiundred years will have elapsed since the death of the composer at Kiel.

The senior professorship for pianoforte at the conservatorium lately vacated at Wiesbaden by Herr W. H. Dayas, has been conferred upon Herr Rudolph Niemann, a pianist widely known by his extensive concert tours in association with Professor August Wilhelmj. Mr. Alexander Christian Habbe, who died at St. Kilda recently, was a power in Sydney theatrical management a generation ago, many important artistic enterprises being launched by him during his long partnership with Mr. W. J. Wilson. Mr. Habbe, who was a Dane, served through the Schles-wig-Holstein war in 1848, and arrived in Victoria in the early fifties. The discovery of gold attracted him to Ballarat, and, having already a thorough of draughtsmanship, he took up scene painting at the local theatre, and ultimately became proficient in the art. He was first associated with Mr. Wilson at the Melbourne Theatre Royal in 1858, under Mr. George Coppin's management, and the following year he settled in Sydney as scene painter at the old Victorian Theatre. His partnership with Mr. Wilson was begun in 1863, when both artists decorated the Prince of Wales Opera House (afterwards the Theatre Soya!) for its opening under Lyßter's management. This was on May 23,1863, with Flotow's " Martha," In 1867 the two painters converted the old Lyceum Theatre, york-street, into a ballroom, and in 1869 they carried the enterprise on as the Adelphi Theatre, when "The Poor Strollers" (Watts Phillips) was the opening piece. In 1870 Messrs. Wilson and Habbe leased the Victoria Theatre, which they opened with "FrouFrou,"and there they were associated together for a considerable time. For some years past the late Mr. Habbe resided in Melbourne, and he was 69 years of age at the time of his death. He was a native of Copenhagen, and was unmarried. - His [brother Nicholas, a figure painter, died in Sydney some years back, as did also his Brother. Musico-DramAticOS,