MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 1514, 9 November 1912, Page 4 (Supplement)

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC.

BOOKINGS.

]11S MAJESTY'S TIIEATKE.

To-night—Auckland Amateurs, "The Mikado November 11 to November 16.—Carrie Moore Musical Comedy Company. November 18 to November 30.—Bert Bailey Musical Comedy Company.

Adelaide is to have a second theatre, and it will be ono of the biggest in Australasia. The cost will be £30,000.

Mr. Richard Stewart, business manager of the " Sinbad the Sailor" pantomime, which has ended its New Zealand tour, will return to Auckland, where he proposes enjoying a holiday prior to taking over tho New Comic Opera Company, which will commence a New Zealand tour on Boxing Night.

Ono thing that Oscar Asche said in Christchurch was that the biggest, companies from England that touiect Austialia at all could pay a visit to this Dominion profitably. "Kismet," is a huge expense, and Asclie spoke after a good test of this country's powers.

A big American circus will in Invade Australia next month from San Francisco, The circus is one of the greatest shows on earth. It pays colossal salaries, according to the advance notices, and needs to, because its company of a couple of hundred includes at least two veritable nobles. Tho Wild West specialty artists have come oil real ranches, where they learnt lariat throwing and bronco busting in the original big uiifencvd schools. The whole business is arranged on a magnificent scale. One of the vocalists is said to sing to beat the band ; and a steamer will probably bo specially chartered to carry him, the nobles, the lassoo throwers, and their colleagues and attendants to Sydney.

An accident attended with more serious consequences than anticipated happened to Mr. Tom Alders, of Drew and Alders, tho comic sailors in "Sinbad the Sailor," at a recent performance. Mr. Alders was leaving the stage when lie was struck with a piece of scenery, knocked down and injured his knee. At first it was thought with a little care and rest that tho injured member would be all right, but complications set in which necessitated a deep incision being made in the wound.

On October 28 the first Eisteddfod promoted by the Cliristchurch Cambrian Society was held. The object of the gathering, as set out in the programme, was " to encourage the young, create selfconfidence, cultivate tiie beautiful, and to inspire a- deeper patriotism arid a Jove for home and country.There were two sessions, that in the afternoon being devoted to a series of competitions for children, and that in the evening to competitions for adults. In addition to the musical and elocutionary classes the children competed for prizes offered for map drawing and for an essay on Cliristchurch. In the adult section prizes were offered for a stanza of four lines on "The Tui," an original poem on The Maori," and an essay on "Women's Franchise in New Zealand." In several classes the entries were small and tho judges had no very difficult task. In giving his adjudications in the poetic section. Professor Wall stated that the competitors had done good work and it had been a pleasure to him t;> judge it. After the successful bard bad read his poem, Professor Wall, following the ancient custom, addressed him in a short poem composed for the occasion and then chaired, him.

In opening the new Queen's Theatre in C'hristchurch hist week, the Mayor (Mr. 11. Holland) made some remarks in regard to the value of moving picture entertainments. Ho said that the moving picture wis a very valuable means of education. It had a tendency to make a lasting impression upon the mind, a much deeper impression. in most cases, than was made by reading a storv or an article. It sometimes conveyed in a few minutes much more information than could be obtained in any other way in hours of research. For that reason it had to be reckoned with as a modern force in moulding public ideas. It was greatly patronised by children, and some people were afraid that their young ones might be contaminated by the types of pictures shown. He. had seen pictures, which lie considered objectionable, but it was only fair to say that, 011 the whole, th proprietors in Christchurch exercised considerable care in selecting the subjects. With one, or two exceptions they had shown common-sense, and they often placed educational pictures before the public. To a great extent tho programmes throughout the Dominion were likely to have an educational influence upon the hoys and girls of the country. If the proprietors showed pictures of high quality the citizens would readily respond by showing their appreciation.

The question as to whether Vincent Wallace, the composer of " Maritana.," wrote that, popular opera when ho was in Australia was discussed in a reocntlv published communication from tin; London correspondent of the Jlkkami. Some 1 il:'11 i-> thrown on the subject by Mr. Tom Pollard, the well-known theatrical manager, at present in Auckland, who states that in 1887 Walla' was striving with a squatter in Queensland. During his visit ho was frequently at Iho piano engaged in playing over the melodies which to-day are to ho found in the musical score of ''Maritana." There seems to be no doubt but that he was then , occupied in the composition of the now famous work Wallace had occasion to leave the squatter' s home for a few weeks. On his return he was great disconcerted, on drawing near to the house of his host, to hear an unseen pianist therein playing several of the airs from " Maritana." At, first ho naf»vally concluded that somebody must haw obtained access to his manuscripts and have stolen his melodies. Great was the composer's relief, therefore, to discover that the pianist was the squatter's daughter, who, possessing a keen ear for music, had memorised the excerpts from the opera, which she had heard her father's guest play on his previous visit.

The imported American comedians of tho " Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford" Company are Ficd. Niblo, Josephine Cohan, Harry Corson Clarke, James «1. .Manning, Margaret Dale Owen, and Marian Dunn. Tho latter is reallv Australian, and is tho daughter of Marcus Clarke, who wrote " For the Term of His Natural Life." She has been in America for some years. The suppoit is Australian, and includes a fine gathering of artists selected by J. C. Williamson, Limited, specially to "(it the types of character depicted in"the play, they include Robert Grieg, Beatrice Holloway, Lowden Adams, Sydney Smith, H. H. Wallace, Rosalind Smeaton, Fred. Cambourne. Maude Wingfield, Cyril French, Peric_ Bush. and Edwin Lester. The J. C. Williamson management in .Melbourne have been making use of tacks in connection with their advertising of "Get-Rich-Quick YYallingford," having reference to tile Universal Covered Carpet Tack Company promoted by Wallingford. Thousands of tacks have been posted to citizens, and it was announced in advertising that "anyone who forwards the tack to J. Rufiis Wallford can have it covered to match their carpet."' Some amusing letters were the result of this move, a, number of persons returning the tack for treatment. One practical joker sent his tack enclosed in a large brown paper parcel, and asked that a few yards of good carpet be forwarded to him to match the tack.

The estate left by the late Mr. Kvrlo Belluw, the well-known romantic actor, who died in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the latter pari of last year,'wis valued at 3642 dollars (£759). Mr. Bellew. who toured New Zealand about fifteen years ago with Mrs. Brown Potter, was an "ideal Romeo (in " Romeo and Juliet)," and was a particularly good romantic actor. As a young man he was a reportep on a Melbourne piper, and was a. miner, sailor, clerk, and lecturer before he became an actor. Muss.co-Du.vM.mcfs.