THEATRICAL NOTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23399, 15 July 1939, Page 16 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL NOTES

COMING PRODUCTIONS THEATRE AND CONCERT HAUL TOWN HALL August 10. —Secondary Schools Music Festival. TOWN HALL CONCERT CHAMBER July '2O. —Dorian Clioir. • UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HALL July 2<s, 27. —Presentation of "Merrie England." HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE August 11.—Amateur Operatic Society a "Rose Marie." July 20. —Young Australian Boys' and Revue. LEWIS EADY HALL August 8. —Stewart Harvey. August 2-1. —Chamber Music Society. ST. ANDREW'S HALL July 1" - 22.—The Grafton Shakespeare s ''Chinese Puzzle." Symphony Orchestra A decision to incorporate as a society was reached by the members of the Auckland Symphony Orchestra at a meeting last week. The orchestra, it was further decided, will give another two concerts this year, an announcement which will be widely received with pleasure. A committee consisting of Messrs. Alan Gray, C. S. Mann, T. Sparling, C. B. Plummer, D. Heughan, C. Wheeler, and E. Booth was elected. Wellington Festival If present indications are a reliable index, the annual festival of the Wellington area of the British Drama League will be an outstanding success this year. Entries have been so heavy that it has been found necessary to arrange a season of four nights, and this period may yet have to be extended.'The director of broadcasting, Professor James Shelley, will be the judge. Chamber Music Society The next recital to be given by the Auckland Chamber Music Society will bo in the Lewis Eady Hall on August 24, a feature of the evening being Elgar's piano quintet. Also to be performed, for the first time in Auckland, is Loeillet's string quartet and the Cesar Franck sonata'. The artists "will be Phyllis Bloy, piano, Lecla Bloy and Moya Cooper-Smith, violin, Lois Walls, viola and Lalla Hemus, 'cello. "The Chinese Puzzle" "The Chinese Puzzle" is the title of the play to be presented by the Grafton Shakespeare and Dramatic Club in St. Andrew's Hall from Monday until next Saturday. Main roles in the production, which is the work of Marian Bower and Leon M. Lion, are taken by Dan Flood,

as the Marquis Chi Lung, Nina Ready, as Naomi Melsham, Max Robertson and Diana Stewart Masson, as Sir Roger anil Lady de la Haye. Other roles are taken by Myrn Ivemble, Ngaire' Lovie, Gilbert O'Sullivan, John Stanes and Alex MeSkimming. Although the scene is laid in England, much of the plot centres 011 Chinese thought and customs. The Chinese effects are in the hands of Mr. MeSkiinming, and the producer is Nell Lush.

Music of Schubert The sixth of the series of 10 Sunday recitals will be given at Auckland University College Hall to-morrow afternoon, when examples of the music of Schubert, the "Unconscious Romantic," will be played. Some of Schubert's music has been made so popular owing to his splendid melodic invention as almost to have become hackneyed, but to-morrow's recital will consist mainly of works equally fine but rather less frequently played. The programme will open with the first movement of the seventh symphony in C major, the melody of which for the horn is one of the most moving tunes ever written. Examples of Schubert's chamber music will be given in movements from a trio for piano, violin and 'cello, one of the composer's string quartettes and string quintettes and from the famous instrumental octet. Four of Schubert's songs will be sung, and the recital will conclude with the complete recording of the B minor symphony, usually known as the "Unfinished."