MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14925, 24 February 1912, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

j RINGS. ! HIS JJA,II>-'YS IHEATHB. Ts-iiight-— Biennfn's Vaudeville. M February so to 11—" Beauty and the Barge. April 6 "to 20—"Everywoman" Company. Juue 24 to Julr 3—Pantomime. July 22 to August 3--The Blue Bird." September 30 to October 12—Oscar Ascbe ■ Lny Brjyton. Crowned houses throughout, the week have demonstrated the popularity of vaudeville in Auckland, and there are many who- will doubtless regret that the season of Brennan's Company concludes this evening. Prince Charles, the almost human monkey, has been attracting an unusual amount of interest in this city since his first appearance a week ago and he should be in excellent form again to-night. The other members of the company perform the various tasks allotted to them with credit. / Allan Hamilton's Company opens a season in His Majesty's Theatre on Monday evening, in W. W. Jacob's farce in three acts, "Beauty and the Barge." . The story of Captain Bailey's wooing forms the subject of many amusing complications and brightly played by a combination of clever people constitutes a delightful evening's entertainment. Many fine character studies have been given to the Australian stage by the-popular comedian Mr. Charles Brown," but he is said to eclipse all his previous efforts in his delineation of the skipper of the "Heart in Hand." Miss Beatrice Holloway is said to shine, brightly in the character of Ethel Smedley. The'cast of characters includes such wellknown comedians as Robert Greig (Major Smedley), John F. Fordo (Tom Codd), •Wilton" Welch (George Porter), Stuart Clyde (Augustus), Kenneth Brampton (Lieut." Seaton Boyne), Hilliard Vox (Herbert Manners), "-Agnes Kcogh (Mrs. Smodley). Muriel Dale (Mrs. Portei;, Katie Towers (Mrs. Baldwin), and Lillian Lloyd (Lucy Dallas).

The success of the Waihi Federal Brass Band at the recent contest in Gisborne, has. caused! great satisfaction in Waihi, where the members of the band were tendered a civic reception on their return. A round of festivities followed, concluding with a concert on Wednesday evening.

At a meeting of the Wellington Competitions Society, on Wednesday, Mr. J. F. Montague was . appointed judge of the elocutionary sections and Mrs. Ernest Queree was selected as accompanist from a number of applicants.

Both Mr. Charles Berkeley (touring representative) and Mr. Richard Stewart (business manager) of "The Chocolate Soldier" Opera Company, left for Melbourne recently. Mr. Berkeley went on holiday leave, and Mr. Stewart to receive orders for coming attractions.

A moving picture operator was at work at Ellerslie during the last Cup meeting of the Auckland Racing Club, and the excellent films which he obtained are now being screened at the Queen's Theatre,

| Mr. Leonard Rovwick, the English ! pianist, has been appearing in New York at the Carnegie Hall with great success. His return to London was dated for February 6, at Queen's Hall. Messrs. J. and N. Tail have now decided to organise a second Borwick tour of Australia and New Zealand for 1913 0r1914. Lieutenant-General Baden-Powell is due in Brisbane on May 11, and will deliver lectures there and in the other principal cities of the Commonwealth and New Zealand. Madame Melba's farewell appearance* in Australia, prior to returning to London, was made on Tuesday in Melbourne, at a benefit matinee in aid of the building fund for the new concert hall of the. Melbourne University Conservatorium of Music. Madame Melba's contribution to the programme included the mad scene, from " Hamlet" and the fourth act from "Willow Song" and ''Ave Maria." Mr. George S. Titheradge was presented with a. cheque for nearly £500 in Sydney, as a token of appreciation from public and private friends. "The Cingalee" has been revived with great success in Sydney. Miss Dorothy Bi'imton, daughter of the late scenic artist, and Miss Sybil Arundale, play Peggy Sabine, and Naroya. A dramatised version of Longfellow's well-known New England Idyll, " Miles Standish," has been prepared by Miss Edith Ashley (London).

"A Village Priest" was revived at the Sydney Palace by the Plimmer-Denniston Company, with Mr. G. S. Titheradge as the Abbe Dubois— of his most notable impersonations.

A theatre devoted exclusively to negro productions and negro players and for the patronage of the same race ie to be erected in New York. Included in the building will be club and lodge rooms for coloured societies.

A comedian was shot dead on the stage of the Variety Theatre, at Schnappach, a large glass-working village in Bavaria, by one of the audience whose patriotic susceptibilities had been offended. The stage was occupied at the time by a band of Tyrolean sirrgcrs. Four of them saved themselves by flight, one being wounded in the neck by a bullet.

The Duke of Argyll has written the libretto of an opera, which may shortly be produced at the London Opera House, Kingsway. In pursuance, of Mr. Hammerstcin's policy of fostering British work, he is seriously considering its production at an early date. " Fiorin and Tera" is its title, and its subject is based upon ancient Irish history and legend, Ireland and Carthage furnishing the scenes of its romantic love story. The music was composed by Mr. F. Learmont-Drysdale, a promising young Scottish musician, who died before he could orchestrate the work. He had completed the pianoforte score, and the work is now being orchestrated by Mr. David Stephen, a distinguished Edinburgh musician.

'Die following computation lias been made of the- number of lines contained in the admitted dramas of Shakespere :— "Winter's Tale," 3343; "Twelfth Night," 2608; " Comedy of Errors," 1807; "Measure* for Measure." 2914; "Tempest." 2245: " Merchant of Venice." 2709; " Love's Labour Lost." 2814; " Much Ado About Nothing," 2707: "As You Like It." 2780; " Taming of the Shrew," 2285; " Merry Wives of Windsor," 2829; " Two Gentlemen of Verona," 2306: "King John," 2639: "Richard II.." 2794; Kin* Henrv 1V.." part I. 3116, part 11. 3265° Henrv V.." 3272; '-Midsummer Night's Dream," 2182; All's Well That, Ends Well," 3094: "Henrv V 1.." part I 2695, part [I. 3072, part 111. 2913; "Richard III.," 3050: "Henrv VIII.." 3175"Hamlet." 4085; "Macbeth," 2341; "Othello," 3564; "Timoti of Athens,"' 2490; " Antony and Cleopatra." 3509; " King Lear," 3442: " Cymbeline," 3713- " Coriolanus," 3767: "Julius Cresar" 2599 ; " Romeo and Juliet." 3057 ; " Titus ! Andronicus." 2559; "Troilus and Ores- i sida." 3575 : total. .104,372.

Those in search of a song which has something new and acceptable to say, both as regards words and music, can be recommended to "That Golden Day," words by Roslyn, and music by Walter Impett. of this city. The message of the words contain a pretty sentiment, neatly expressed; while the music, written well within the range of the average voice serves to intensify their meaning. The accompaniment is skilfully written, and the key changes are well devised. "That Golden Day" is published by A. Eady and Co. Mt/sico-Dkamaticts.