MUSIC AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14531, 19 November 1910, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSIC AND DRAMATIC.

BOOKINGS. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. To-night—Mr. Potter. " November *1 to 20— Auckland Musical and Literary Competition#' ' ■ November 28 to December MacMnnort Bros. December 5. to 17—Meynell and Gunn (George Wiilotijfhby). December 19 to 24—MacMahon Bros. December 26 (three weeks' season)— Allan Hamilton

OPEKA HOUSE. In season—Fuller's Wide World Pictures. ' HOY ALBERT HALL. In season—West's l'ictuiee. TIVOLI, THEATRE. In season—Dayne's Minstrels. AMERICAN THEATRE. In season—Benwell's Pictures.

Thk past week has been a comparatively quiet one as far as theatrical attractions at His Majesty's Theatre are concerned. The Fred. Graham Company brought their season to a close on Monday with a farewell performance of *' The Brixton Burglary," and on the following night the building was not in use. On Thursday the Garrison Band and No. 3 G.A.V. Entertainers, assisted by Professor Potter and pupils, gave the first of a three nights' series of ' entertainments. The musical items on the programme were, with one or two exceptions, of a distinctly amateur character, and the honours of the evening rested almost entirely with Mr. Potter's pupils, who provided some picturesque gymnasium work. A final performance will be given this evening. •

Attractive programmes have beeh'{riven of late at the Opera House and Royal Albert Hall, and the audiences are still as large as ever they ' were. The old Federal Hall has again been re-christened, and is now known as the American Theatre. Good business has been done by the proprietors during the week, and the new method of repeating the pictures several time during the evening evidently appeals to those who desire to take their amusements in small doses.

All is now in.readiness for the Auckland Competitions Society's first annual festival, which opens on Monday, and is to be continued during the week. The executive have worked hard during the last two or three months, and the task of classifying the numerous competitors and arranging the details of the long and interesting programme has been satisfactorily completed. Every session will be well worth attending, and it is to be hoped that the people of Auckland, by their patronage, will do all in their power to make the undertaking a financial as well as an artistic success.

The Northern triumphs scored by the Piimmer-Denniston Company in " The Passing of the Third. Floor Back" have been repeated in Dunedin, and the _ playgoing public has been unanimous in its praise of the company and the piece.

Arrangements have been made by Mr. Alfred Hill fo.' the revival in Sydney of his opera, " The Moorish Maid." on Boxing Night. Mr. Hill, until lately deputy-conductor of the J. C. Williamson Grand Opera Company, has, with Mr. J. Youlin Birch (who wrote the libretto), made several additions and improvements to the bright work since its-, original performances in New Zealand, and Australia a year or two ago. Madanw Slapoffski has been engaged to play th<i principal soprano role.

Miss Beatrice Day comes to New Zealand as leading lady for the George Willoughby English Farcial Comnany, which opens at His Majesty's on December 5. with "Mr. Preedy and the Countess." Miss Mab Pan! has resigned her engagement, owing to ill-health

The first New Zealand band which endeavoured to gain' championship laurels in Australia was the Invercargill Garrison Band, the occasion being the Druids' gala contest at Melbourne at the Easter festival of 1897. The Oamaru Garrison Band made a similar journey in 1898, and at. intervals have followed Welling ton Garrison, Kaikorai, and Wanganui Garrison. Though the first four played well and scored individual successes, they failed to gain the blue riband, which honour has now gone to the Wanganui Band.

Miss Nellie Stewart's season at Christchurch was a very successful one in every way. The company left the cathedral citty on Sunday last, and opened in Dunedin on Tuesday. Crowded houses have greeted the popular Australian actress during the week.

For the first time in Australia the wonders of the wireless telegraph have been used to book seats at a theatre. A message was delivered at the Melbourne Theatre Royal on November 3 from Et.M.S. Powerful reporting that a wireless had been received from the Moldavia, which was on her way to Sydney, requesting the Theatre Royal management to reserve four good stalls seats or a box for the performance of "Tom Jones." The message came to the Powerful at Port Melbourne, and was forwarded to the Theatre Royal.

Madame Tetrazzini has signed a contract with the management of Covent Garden for next season, and it has been arranged that she shall sing at the gala performance on the occasion of the coronation of King George.

Madame Ada Crossley is to visit South Africa next , year under the management of Mr. Edward Branscombe. She will take out a company from London, and will, make a comprehensive _ concert tour, going as far north as Victoria Falls. Mr. Branscombe h°s also arranged for a tour of one of F. S. Benson's Shakesperean companies.

It is seldom that modern concert-goers hear much music for the flute. Yet in a lecture on flute music, given by Dr. T. Lea Southgate, at Broadwood's Rooms, London, the audience was informed that in the nineteenth' century no fewer than 8000 pieces had been written for the flute and published. Many of these were by virtuoso composers, such as Berbiquer, Terschak, Walckiers, and Hummer.

It is not always that plays by English authors prove successful in America, but two at any rate, "The Arcadians" and " The Dollar Princess," which were introduced by Mr. Charles Frohman, found high favour with the people in the States. Mr. Frohman's third importation is "Our Miss Gibbs," which was produced last month in New York. The company was an exceptionally strong one, and included Miss Pauline Chase, who played the name part in " Peter Pan" with much success in London, and the beautiful Miss Jean Aylwin, a singer of Scotch songs.

"The Arcadians," which was staged in London on April 28, 1909, celebrated its 500 th performance at the Shaftesbury Theatre a -few weeks ago. A noticeable feature of the production is that Mr. Geo. Elton, .the comedian, has never been absent from the cast' during the whole period. # <

If all the schemes which are in the air for the London season of I*9ll are carried out, music-lovers will not only have the busiest concert season on record, but three seasons of grand opera, and one of opera comiqu'e. The season of 1(510 started with unfavourable prospects for various reasons,' and the national calamity finally extinguished the slight hopes of prosperity which were entertained by some sanguine people. ' Covent Garden has prospered owing ,to the abandonment of many private functions, but all other musical entertainments suffered terribly. Musico-DSAJCATICTTS.