THEATRICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17348, 20 December 1919, Page 8 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL NOTES.

Several musical novelties are promised in the coming season announced by the Metropolitan Opera Company, New York. Among them is a grand opera version of Maeterlinck's "Blue Bird," which will be performed for the first time. The score ia by M. Albert Wolff, a young French composer who will be also one of the Metropolitan conductors this season. It will be sung in French. Maeterlinck himself is making a special trip to America to see the production. Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin," a lyric drama in three acts, founded on Pushkin's poem, will be sung in Italian. So will Leoncavallo's "Zaza," which will be given for the first time in the United States. It is also announced that New York will hear "Parsifal" this season with a new English libretto by Mr. H. E. Krehbiel, author of "How to listen to Music." Another feature of the season will be the strong American element. There will bo a new opera bv the American composer Mr. Henry K." Hadley. "Cleopatra's Night." adapted from a story by Theophile Gautier. The Metropolitan Company has also engaged many young American singers. Miss Laura Walker, the Auckland soprano, who left here three years ago in order to study under Dame Melba's auspices at her Conservatorium of Music :n Melbourne, is returning at Christmas time. Miss Walker will give a vocal recital in Auckland some time in January. Mr. W. S. Percy, long associated -vith Williamson companies, appears in " The Girl for the Hoy," a musical adaptation from the French, presented by Mile. Gina Palerme at the Duke of York's Theatre, London, as her first' experiment in management. The same French play, La Petite Chocolatiere." had already been adapted as "Tantalising Tommy. Opinions on the present piece arid on the acting differ remarkably, but a good many are favourable. One critic says that Mr. Percy's "sound humour as the chauffeur sweetheart helped considerably," and th"'<" are similar comments from some other quarters. Much of the music is provided by Mr. Howard Carr, at one time in Australia as a conductor. The New Zealand rights of the English drama, " The Luck of the Navy,' have been secured by Mr. : Allan Wilkie from Messrs. J. and N. Tait, who at the present juncture have not a purely melodramatic company in the field. This spectacular and patriotic play, which had a good run in London, will be produced by Mr. Wilkie on his second touir of New Zealand, which commences early in the New Year. It rarely happens that the understudy as well as the principal in the cast of a London piece is not available. But this circumstance arose recently at His Majesty's Theatre, London, where Uhu Chin Chow still holds the boards. Miss Lily Bray ton and .{her ' understudy were absent. The emergency was a golden opportunity for a young actress ; . quite a minor member of the company, who rose from the ranks in one night. Miss Muriel Creed gave such satisfaction Us the audience and the management that she was forthwith engaged by Mr. Oscar Asche for a long period. te The Minerva Amusement Company, Inc., oi Pittsburgh, Pa-, will shortly nlrri Greek dramas, played by Grecian actors in the costumes of their country.

Never before has a photo-play been dedicated, but Mr. Allan Dwan has inscribed his production, "Soldiers of Fortune" (from Davis's well-known novel), -o Civil Engineers." .-' • ** ;

Mr. Hugh Buckler, who did valuable, work by presenting, artistic comedy in Australia and New Zealand, baa been appearing in the. new'' Drury Lane, melodrama, " The Great Day,'' by Louis N. Parker and George R. Sinii: He splays & soldier who returns from imprisonment in Germany after he has been supposed to be dead. "For good , straight-from-the shoulder, 'frankly melodramatic pathos, " says the Pall Mall Gazette? *' Mr. Hugh Buckler s returned soldier could hardly be beaten.' Mr. Buckler has had a good deal of experience in melodrama, as well as in plays of more subt&ty. Among others in the cast axe Miss : Violet Paget (Mrs. Buckler), and Mr. Frederick Ross, who were here with Mr. W, F.Hawtrey's company. J - .* - ' — - — .'-> i ■•:; ,•*.- v . A new Pinero comedy, "Quick Work " is; shortly to be produced by the Fishman Corporation in New? York. In England in September • the sale of chocolates, icecream, and other such things in theatres was still prohibited after 8 o'clock at night on five days 'the week j and after 9 p.m. on Saturdays. ' The pro- I hibition arose from an order for the early i closing of shops made under the Defence ! of the Realm regulations in April/* 1917. The sale of meals or refreshments to be consumed on the premises was exempted from the order, but it was provided that " refreshments " should not include the sweets sold in theatres. Petitions against the order are being, widely signed. It was said, they state,* that the order was a temporary, one, and. that it had for its', main object a reduction in lighting and ! electric energy. Sweet*- were excluded i from the exemption allowed to refresh- ' ments in order to curtail the consumption ■ of confectionery and, so far as 'theatres were concerned, to prevent . what "was ■ thought would be unfair competition .with shops that were closed early under, the order. It is maintained that the restric- - tion is now'ridiculous. Theatres must be j lighted and heated ; therefore jcoal and electricity cannot be affected by the sale j of sweets during evening performances. I As to competition with shopkeepers, it is !. stated that the effect of earlier closing 'is ' simply that the retailer does Jii.s ordinary : business earlier. M. Caruso, who is -flow in America, has ! just received an offer of 10,000 dollars per right to appear in opera in Mexico' City. - But the famous tenor has wisely declined even this tempting fee in view of the disturbed state of Mexico. This is probably • a record fee of any operatic performance. Jean de Reske, at Irs farewell perform- ' ances in New York, received £1200 (about 6000 dollars) 20 years ago. which has hitherto been the top price paid to any ' tenor in opera. ! i "The Pomam-p of the Everglades" is ; the title of a unique act Mr. Ben. J. ; . tiller has secured in America for the cir- '' cuit. It is due to open in Australia next montn. Mr. Robert Orel-, producing director, "f the Kir-karris' circuit. now on his way to bondon, will arrange matters with Mr Os, a ,Whe for the Austral,™ production "' <hu ( hin Chow." (he rights of which were secure,! bv Mr. Mdntosh when' on a visit to England last year. The T. p. Williamson, Ltd.. have ' a. h.pvpd a unique , o,d for An<= , '; ,ll 'j \ having two productions reached have almost simultaneously reached the TO „t„ rl . M \, IK thP .[ ,nt " rV l-Mor,„a„ce. At _ Melhournc I heat,c Rova • I i-ht "'", ""i"* L it-' '••■,.■' hui.di-^lh p.'formance at the commencement ~f its fifteenth u,rl last week. , n Svdnev a similar a, hieve nlPnt was r ,„ ( IT] r ,. l .. !r^hv 1 'Oing I p. ..The cast of the -J. ( William-,, „,„,. The Bin* Rov- „„ R,. Mfl „. |V " wlv h mto be staged in S,,lncv at Her Male I ' wakes .ntemtin K - ri .a,ii, 1 |, Vn-^ i„ A „J r .' - m , ni e Haf*lo,. iu 1! l - '' ! ' ■ten V ' Harry Paul i re *«> scenes il;u and othprs " There . .Broadway." " ea »tt»'VKag Boys on