MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12853, 29 April 1905, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

" lolaxtjie*' is the present attraction at His Majesty's Theatre, where Mr. J. C. Williamson's Gilbert and Sullivan Repertoire Company are playing to good business nightly. "The Yeoman of the Guard," which will be he next production of the season, has proved itself to be a success beyond even that of Patience" and "Pinafore." It was put on during the company's season at Wellington and that wonderfully popular piece "The Mikado"' vied with it in the amount of popular appreciation it was accorded.

"Through the Divorce Court" is the title of the new piece to be presented at the Opera House by the Anderson Dramatic Company to-night. It. is described as being replete with dramatic situations, giving the members of the company a good chance to show their skill at characterisation.

Tho season of Miss Tittell Brune in Adelaide was a notable one. In the ten nights to which it was limited " L'Aiglon," " Camille," and "Romeo and Juliet" were the three pieces produced, a' good selection calculated to impress playgoers of that city with the varied qualities of the young American tragedienne. Miss Brune is now reappearing at the Melbourne Princess for seven weeks, and then her New Zealand tour will be undertaken. Then follow seasons in Sydney ami in Brisbane which will carry her right on towards the end of 1905. A melodrama is about to be produced in New York in which the leading character will be a gorilla.

Mr. Fred. Duval has secured the Academy of Music, Launceoton (Tas.), for the Christmas season, when a new American attraction will be staged.

On Thursday next the Auckland Liedertafel gi\- then- first conceit, of the season. Mi. Alt'. Hill, since taking over the society, lias created an amount, of enthusiasm amongst members which should ensure a really good rendering of the music selected. Four of their items will be given -or the first time, three of which are considered to be the best of the Sydney Liedertalel's large repertoire—viz.. "Nazareth" (specially arranged for the Sydney society) ; "In Memoriam," by Dudley Buck; and "Hey Diddle Diddle," by Mr. Alf. Hill. Assisting the society at this concert will be Mr. Herbert Bloy, one of our leading and most, popular violinists: Miss Lilian Edmonds, soprano, who has recently arrived from Home : Mrs. N. Roe, contralto, one of Wellington's most popular singers, who makes her first appearance in Auckland at this concert,. Dr. Keith, the popular tenor, will sing two well-known songs. The Liedertafel concerts will in future be given to subscribers only. There are only a few vacancies left, which shows the appreciation in which the society's concerts are held.

A recent performance at a leading theatre in—well, in Australia, (says an exchange) was conspicuous for the missing cues and prominence of the prompter; In one case, a performer actually had to be pushed 011 the stage after an altercation with the stage manager as to whether it was his cue or not-.

Some indication of the popularity achieved by the Knight-Jeffries Company in Australia may be gathered from tlie audience they attracted for their final performance in the Lady of Lyons" in Melbourne. On only one occasion, and that the important one of Mr. George Lauri's benefit, has Her Majesty's Theatre held more money, to look at he occasion from a managerial viewpoint. The whole of the gallery was requisitioned by playgoers holding pickets for the stalls, while, {lie booking for the more expensive, portions of the house reached very large dimensions. The enthusiasm displayed was on a par with the monetary returns and the curtain was raised no less "than ten times after the last, act, both before and after Mr. Julius Knight had delivered a neat little speech, wherein he embodied the company's regret at leaving Melbourne and their gratitude for the favours they had received at the hands of playgoers. The Sydney season opened just a* auspiciously last Saturday with "A Royal Divorce."

At a recital given by Mr. Ernest Toy, on March 3, at Bechstein Hall, London, be played the Vieuxtemps A Minor " Concerto,"' Porpora's " First Sonata," and other pieces. Miss Roland Watt-Phillips has joined George Stephenson's Musical Comedy Company in Sydney. Mr. Frank Graham, at the request- of many of the musical public, has decided to stay in Wellington for at least a year for the purpose of teaching. The reception accorded to Miss Nellie Stewart and Mi. George Musgrove's New English Dramatic Company last Saturday evening (says " Lorgnette) was one of the most enthusiastic ever witnessed in the Wellington Opera House. The house was packed from floor to ceiling, and the play "Sweet Nell of Old Drury" went with a smoothness that is characteristic of all the firm's productions. Mr. Bert Itoyle has forwarded lie balance of the Gertie Campion fund—about £160—to Miss Campion, at Johannesburg. The following is tho complete cast of principals engaged for the forthcoming premiere production in Auckland of the HillBirch Moorish comic opera:—Zara (chieftainess of a band of Riff brigands), Madame Lilian Tree; Princess Hashma' (ruler of the dominion of Sis), Miss Lucy Ehrenfried; Mena (a Moorish maid). Miss Marion Mitchell Mrs. Ernest Davis) ; May (leader of an English corps-de-ballet), Miss Cissy Sauford (Mrs. Charles Phillips); Prince Omar (ruler of the dominion of Sas), Mr. H. B. Coney; Elferino (Zara's lieutenant), Mr. M. Hamilton Hodges; Alii Mehemmet (the Divorcer-General), Mr. Dunningham; Gastro (the Prince's steward). Mr. George Warren. Mesdames Mac Donald and Smith have the programmes for the production in hand.

The Gilbert and Sullivan Company will remain in New Zealand until the end of June, after which a short season in Brisbane will be played. The Melbourne season begins 011 August 3, and Adelaide and West Australia follow in that order.

The statement that Mr. George Musgrove had- purchased the Sydney Lyceum, which was circulated far and wide, turns out to be incorrect. The Lyceum lias, it appears, been purchased.by the Methodist Mission, and will be used as a : concert and meeting hall by that organisation. The latest announced stage sensation of New York is " The Trial and Prison Life of Mrs. Maybrick," which is going to conclusively prove Mrs. May brick's innocence. Kubelik, the great violinist, who is coming to Australia under engagement to the Tails, is but 25 years of age, and was born of humble parentage at a small village named Michlr, near Prague, in Bohemia. His early studies were at the Prague Conservatorium, and he mack hie first public appearance at a concert in that city when only 19 years of age. The 1905 dramatic season in London lias so far not been very productive, and up to the present Mr. J. C. Williamson's agents in England have not reported favourably on any of the pieces stage/.- at thr metropolitan theatres—at least not favourably enough to' induce Mi'. Williamson to secure the Australian lights thereof. The last pieces acquired by lim were "My Lady Madcap," and " The Freedom of Suzanne," both of them dating hack for their first appearance to the end of last year, while "Leah Kleslma," hi; third acquisition, has not yet made its London debut. When it does so, however, this play seems likely to repeat its New York success, as the principal part in it (Miss Brune's part here) will be taken by Miss Lena Ash well, wlios: special qualifications indeed, the author, Mr. McLellan, had in mind when he wrote the drama.

To cure a portion oi the audienc: at the Halle concerts from hurrying out before the end of the performance "the late Mr. Johnstone, the musical critic, once wrote in the Guardian: "The symphony was beautiful, and the march past of the early Britons, executed by a portion of the audience half way through the last movement, was deep]*impressive." Mr. Rickard.® is introducing into Sydney the latest scientific marvel, the Magic Kettle, which is un adaptation tc show purposes of the wonderful properties of liquefied air. Ice-creams aiT made ovei a tire, water boils on ice, grapes are frozen hard, mercury is solidified, and r cigar is lit on ice—anions many othei seeming paradoxes. Mr. Fred. Andrews is the manipulator of this extraordinary kettle. Mt'sico-Diuiu'ncus..