MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11056, 6 May 1899, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

OPEEA HOUSE ENGAGEMENTS. May 29 to June Williamson and UuSgrove's Opera Company. July Brough Comedy Company. The Gaiety Specialty Company will oocupv the boards at tho CSty Hall, and crowded houses have been the rule, not the exception. Tho audience last Saturday sight was one of tho largest of the season, and as the company have now completed their fourth week, it may safely be concluded that the enterprising proprietors will proride amusement for the Auckland public during the winter months, and thai splendid business will be done. Mr. C'has. Faning and Miss Georgie Devoe have firmly established themselves as favourites; Mr Walter Rivers has also "caught on, and meets with anentbusiastic reception nightly; and the Lucifers are as strong and amusing as ever and the other members of the company add their quota towards the general enjoyment. Next week new artists and fresh novelties will be introduced to Auckland audiences. ~ \ (-rand complimentary concert to ur. Arthur Towscy is announced by the>m» <=- ment of the Auckland Banjo (» nd Mandolin Club to . given atjhe OPm0 P m House oil fuesdaj, Ma) 10. *, r f nrmers programme has been arranged, P •• beinc Misses Ethel Mclntyre and Mary ion tev and Messrs. M. Hamilton Hodges. Abel Howe. Arthur Ford. A. L. L ' Wvnvud Jo<s. C. McFarlane, Geo. Kowe, J. Lawrence, and a?easn under the super, stage decorations are again under the super vision of Miss Mel hone, and a complete change of -Miss will be given bv the full chance of items will be given bv the full strength of the club. The box plan opens to-dav at Messrs. Wiidman and Lyells, and as there is every appearance of another bumper bouse, seats sruuld be booked early. The rews of the sudden death of Mr. Leslie Dix must have, come as a shock to his jnanv friends in Auckland and elsewhere and 'the svmputbv of all is extended to his father, wife, and relations m then sad bereavement. The late Mr. te.was wellknown in theatrical and musical circles. He was quiet, unassuming, and gentleman , and improved upon acquaintance and hj his unexpected removal by the hand of ' a dutiful son and husband, and a staunch friend to manv, was lost. Carrie Moore is only 17 Eulogists are referring to her as a coming Nellie Stewart. Conjurer Dante's real name is Oscar hlias°Sir Arthur Sullivan is writing a new opera for the Savov Theatre, to a libretto by Captain Basil Hood, author of "Hie _ French Maid" and "Her Royal Highness. Ihe title of the new piece is not yet announced. Harrv Rickaids says that his 1898 enterprises 'cost hi in £120.009. Sampson, the strolls man, took a salary of £250, and Biondi £150 per week. Regarding the programmes submitted, special mention should be made of the burlesque " Romeo and Juliet by Mr. Clias. Failing and Miss Georgie Devoe. It was clever, and the audience simply screamed when the duskv herculean Juliet mounted the " balconv" steps, and with the limelight Affects, said soft things to the amorous Borneo. It was awfully absurd, but excruciatingly funny. . . , Another point worthy of note was the fact that a local composition was on Saturday niclit sung for the first time in Auckland. The title of the song is " Sons of the Umpire," written by Mr. W. Belworthy, of the North Shore, and composed by Mr. J. W. Philpott, the well-known organist. It was entrusted to Mr. Walter Rivers, and that gentleman did full justice to what was generally admitted to be a stirring patriotic son", with words appropriate, and music in Mr.° Philpott's best style. The tableau at the conclusion of the song was also well thought, out, and added considerably to the success of the item. I notice that the Maggie Moore-Roberts Company have been staging "A Prodigal Father" and "Struck Oil" in Wanganui, and that the company have been playing to good houses, despite the fact that they followed on the heels of the Henry Dramatic Company. , _ Speaking of the Henry Dramatic Company reminds mo that a return season is to be plavecl in Auckland. The company have now been plaving in New Zealand for six months, and have put. up records in houses at more than one town. Several dramatic novelties are promised when the company reach Auckland. , Mr. Harry Diver was on the afternoon ot April' 18, at St. Stephen's Church, Sydney, married bv Rev. J. Ferguson, to Miss Helene Burdette. step-daughter of that wellknown stage veteran, Lachlan MGowan. Miss Burdette was recently leading lady at the Lyceum. , . .. The' latest catch" at church functions is thus described by the Bulletin: Innocent Melbourne visitors to St. Vincents Fair stand aghast at the spectacle of a broadarrowed prisoner standing outside the criminal museum in the custody of two ventable policemen. The convict tells pathetically how he got "a lifer" for merely killing a Chow, and hopefully adds that Government has promised seven days off his sentence for every £1 taken at the museum. Kind-hearted old Indies rush for a sot. s worth of tickets, and leave hysterically delighted at having purchased a fellow-creature a week's freedom, while not a third of the crowd doubt the genuineness of the "prisoner." We have not gone quite so far in New Zealand, thank goodness! I notice that Mr. Walter Rivers has opened classes for the teaching of elocution and preparing of pupils for the dramatic and operatic stage, I question whether there is anvone in the colony better qualified. Mr. Rivers has had ten years' experience of the colonial stage under George Rignold, George Leitch. Maggie Moore, etc., and has proved himself to be a splendid vocalist and clever character actor. Dante is doing a good return season at St. George's Hall, Melbourne. The troubles with bis late manager Curtis have been arranged, and genial "Jack' Lolir is now ill charge. Teddy Lonnen, well known in >.ew Zealand, who for some time past has been out of luck, has got an engagement in a comedy company, headed by Mr. Lawrence Brough. The company includes two artists wellknown in Australia, Mr. A. G. Poulton and Miss Louie Emery. So we are not "to have the Royal Comics after all in " La Poupee" and " The Geisha." Mr. Thus. Pollard has succeeded in arranging terms with Mr. J. C. Williamson, and the company may be expected to hook dates for an Auckland season, when the strong cards will be the operas named. Mr. Napoleon Bollard is credited with taking C in alto in " La Manola," in the drama, Woman and Wine." Our London correspondent writes: — Musically and dramatically there is virtually nothing to record this week, unless it be that the centenary of Haydn's pretty and popular oratorio, " The Creation," is to be celebrated by a performance of that work by the Crystal Palace choir and orchestra at Sydenham to-morrow, and that Mr. George Riselev, the famous choral conductor of Bristol, will bring his no less famous choir to London next week to perform Brahms' " Requiem" and Mendelssohn's "Lobessang." at the Queen's Hall. This latter should prove a special treat. As for to-morrow's celebration at the Crystal Palace, I am afraid it will not be an " epochmaking" event. The triviality—albeit the prettiness —of Haydn's musical treatment of a sublime subject is becoming more and more realised by the cultured audiences of the present day, especially when " The Creation" is compared with such sacred masterpieces as the great Masses of "Bach and Beethoven, and as Wagner's "Parsifal." All agree that the music is charming, but is as hopelessly inappropriate as the equally pretty setting by Rossini of the solemn " Stabat Mater" hymn. The Melbourne Punch hears that Wallace Brownlow, who was in town last week, takes up the baritone roles again with the opera company on the conclusion of William Paull's engagement. The Stage, in referring to "The Only Way," at the London Lyceum, says that Miss Grace Warner as Lucie, "with much natural charm of manner and practised art, did wonders with a colourless character' quite unworthy of her skill. She looked a pretty picture, and did all she could to help along tie adapter." Miss May Pollard advertises in the London Era that she has resigned her part in "The Belle z' flew York" Touring Company. There has evidently been a disagree- " ment somewhere. J' JIIPSICO-DIIiMAIIC?3j