MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 13948, 2 January 1909, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. To January 16-J. C. Williamson (" The Red Mill" Co.).

' OPERA HOUSE. Miss Florence Baines ("Miss Lancashire, Ltd.").

Auckland has been well catered for in the matter of amusements during the holiday season. "The Red Mill," at His Majesty's, Miss Lancashire, Ltd.," at the Opera House, " The Scarlet Troubadours," at the Choral Hall, and later Mr. Edward Reeves, and two " moving picture" shows, to say nothing of several (smaller holiday attractions, make up a comprehensive list suitable for all tastes. They have all been doing good business, too.

Miss Florence Baines is " Miss Lancashire, Ltd." and "Miss Lancashire, Ltd." is .Miss Florence Baines. This statement is not intended as an invidious reflection on the members of the company Miss Baines has gathered around her, but is a genuine tribute to her own individuality and ability. It has been stated that Miss Baines is reminiscent of Mies Maggie Moore. Like that talented lady, Miss Baines sings, dances, and acts with equal vivacity, and has no difficulty in carrying out the burden of a three-hours' farce on her shoulders. She represents to " Lancashire, Ltd." what Miss Moore does to "Struck Oil." You cannot imagine anybody else iu the part.

"The Red Mill" continues to whirl nightly at His Majesty's to the gratification of crowded holiday audiences. In view of the great success of the Dutch 'musical comedy, keen interest has been aroused in the forthcoming production of " The Prince of Pilsen," which occurs this evening. " The Prince" is an American musical comedy, full of good music, clever dancing, and pretty scenery. It will be staged with all the scenic accessories that Mr. Williamson has accustomed Auckland theatregoers to.

The negotiation; entered into by Mr. Cunningham Bridgeman for exploiting Messrs. Alfred Hill and J. Youlin Birch's opera, "A Moorish Maid," in London are nearly complete, and there is every prospect of its production at a favourite West End theatre early in the coming year. Mr. Bridgeman has been fortunate enough to obtain substantial support from the wellknown music publishers, Messrs. Ascherberg and Co., who, in their turn, are so favourably impressed with the merits of the work that they have enlisted the active co-operation of Ashton's Royal Library. This in itself is an important factor in the successful establishment of any theatrical enterprise, so that the young New Zealand composers will make their first bow to the great British public under exceptionally happy auspices.

Two of Madame Clara Butt's sisters are well known to London concert-goers, the Misses Pauline and Ethel Hook, and a third, Mini Hazel Hook, will make her debut at the Albert Hall nt a concert to be given by Mr. and Mrs. Kennerley Rumford. All four sisters will join forces in a new quartette, which has been specially written for them by Madame Liza Lehmann. The youngest sister, a girl of 19, has a mezzo-soprano voice, Miss Ethel Hook is a contralto, and Miss Pauline Hook sings soprano. The violinist at their concert will be Miss Audrey Richardson, of Dunedin, who seems to be making excellent progress with her studies in London.

Large .-Mid enthusiastic audiences have greeted the Royal Welsh Male Choir everywhere they have appeared; the singing in choral work is superb. The Choir will open at Auckland on January 17, and will tour the whole of the Dominion. They have appeared four times by command befor: His Majesty King Edward. The prize-money won by the Choir amounts to over 510,000.

Mme. Katti Lanner, the famous dancer and ballet mistress, died in London recently. She was born in Vienna in 1831, the daughter of Joseph limner, founder cf our modern dance music, who conducted alternately with Strauss at the State balls in the Austrian capital, and dedicated five of his waltzes to Queen Victoria, Mme. Lanner's training began early, under Campilli, the court ballet master, and she was only 14 when she appeared at the Imperial Opera at Vienna, and came under the favourable notice of Cerito and Fanny Eiesler. She took another course of lessons in dancing and pantomime, this time under Isidore Carey, and then she began to dance her way through the principal cities of Europe and America, and always with success. She went to London under the banner of the late Colonel Mapleeon, and made her first appearance in the ballet in "Gisella" at the old Her Majesty's Theatre. The task before her at the time —namely, to win success—was not exactly a light one, inasmuch as she had to follow such favourites as Tagioni, Cerito, Carlotta Grisi, and Lucille Grahn, whose triumphs were still fresh in the minds of the public, which is ever jealous and conservative concerning its favourites. Mme. Lanner returned to London in 1875, when she was appointed principal dancer and ballet mistress at Drury lane. The following year she established the National Training School of Dancing, of which she became mistress in 1877—the year which saw her last appearance on the stage. In the days of Sir Augustus Harris she invented the ballets for his pantomimes, and when the Empire Theatre was opened as a music-hall she went there as ballet mistress, and held the position until 1905. For many years the feature of the first night of a new ballet at the Empire was Mme. Lanner and the veteran conductor M. Wenzel coming before the curtain, hand in hand, to acknowledge the applause of the audience. She was most successful as a teacher of dancing, and more than a thousand of her pupils have obtained good engagements in the chief theatres of England and America. Mme. Lanner regarded dancing as the best of all exercises, and confessed that even at the age of 76 she danced every morning.

When Meynell and Gunn's Comic Opera Company visits New Zealand early next year it will have a fine repertoire, including " Mire Hook of Holland," " The Belle of Mayfair," " The Girl Behind the Counter," the Cinderella" pantomime, and other productions.

Maggie Moore made her reappearance on the Australian stage at the Palace Theatre, Sydney, on December 5, amidst a scene of intense excitement and enthusiasm. She appeared as Lizzie Stofel in " Struck Oil."

The J. C. Williamson Dramatic Company, headed by Mies Ola Humphrey, Mr. G. S. Titheradge, and Mr. Henry Kolker, commenced along tour at Wellington on Boxing Night. The repertoire will include " The Thief," " The Taming of the Shrew," "Twelfth Night.," "The Village Priest/' and possibly "Camille."

The newest idea in Paris is to give the first act of an opera at half-past four or five. At six o'clock, after an interval for tea, another act would be given, and then everybody would go off to dinner, to return from half-past nine till midnight. This time all would be dressed in their best and brightest, and the ladies would be wealing the diamond tiaras and the rones of pearls without which opera is merely music.

Curious to note how the actor of the present day . turns his leisure hours to art that is not histrionic. Mr. Bert Gilbert is an enthusiastic photographer, Mr. Campbell designs' posters, Mr. Victor Loydall and Mr. W. S. Percy spends hours with the paint brush, and when the call boy wants them he usually finds them in a paint frame, Mr. D. B. O'Connor also paints, and a score more all have similar Linings. Finally, there is Mr. Julius Knight, who sculpts and carves. He ias an exhibit in the arte and crafts exhibition now open ir. Melbourne. A wood panel of Miss Merrill's picture, "Love. Locked Out," which is a most artistic piece of work, earning, indeed, the highest praise from those 'jest qualified to judge. Mcsico-Dkahaticus.