Amusements.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1013, 31 July 1891, Page 17

Amusements.

The Theatre

Private advices from Melbourne give 3 the information that New Zealand may shortly expect a visit from the Royal Philharmonic Conoert Company, consisting of the following high class artistes : —Henry Stockwell, (tenor), J. Lemmone (flautist), Edwin Barker (harpist of the Victorian orchestra), Arthur Sherwin (brother of Miss Amy Sherwin baritone), Miss Jeanne. Mr Ramsay, Miss Isabelle Lindsay (tns-zzo soprano). The Company anticipate opening In Wellington during September. jojVhere' was, for a Saturday night, a fairly large attendance at Mr Leon Driver’s farewell concert, which took place at the Exchange Hall. The programme was attractive in every way, for, besides selections by Mr Driver, songs were given by Lady Campbell, Miss Fisher, and Mr E. J. Hill. Then Messrs A. Fawcett and P. Sainton, new to Wellington audiences, also gave a couple of items each. Lady Campbell sang Tosti’s “ Good - bye ” with great effect, notwithstanding she suffered from a hoarseness of voice through cold, and Miss Fisher had to respond to an encore for hor rendering of “He thinks I don’t love him.” Mr E. J. Hill was in splendid voico, and sang Gounod's “ Once more I tune my lute ” with great effect, having to respond to a recall. In the second part he sang Marzials’ “ Leaving yet loving, ” and as an eacorc gave << My pipe, ” a very takiug little composition, which was done everj'justice to by its interpreter. Mr Fawcett sang “ Come Into tbe garden, Maud," and “The death of Nelson,” both of which he gave iu good style, giving full effect to the expressive words. Mr

Fawcett’s voice is a high range tenor, which enables him to sing songs of this class with good effect Mr P. Sainton has a really fine baritone voice, but suffers some, what from indistinct enunciation, otherwise his singiug is both artistic and pleasant to listen to. Mr Driver gave Liszt’s “ Paganini Etude,” and “Rhapsodie Hongroiao,” and Chopin’s “ Nocturne in F sharp,” each of which works he did every justice to. His playing was much applauded, showing, as it did, great powers of teenique. He also gave a “Nocturne in F minor,” composed by himself, and Thalbey’s “Ciorice Etude” (op. 72). Mr Driver closed what \va3 ready a very excellent performance of an attractive programme with “A Storm at Sea,” a composition of his own, and in which is given the several movements representing a calm voyage, distant thuuder, the sailor’s song, and a hymn of thanksgiving. Mr Driver was loudly applauded at the close of each item, and had to respond to several encores. Mias Meiley accompanied the different vocalists with her usual success, the piano

being a double oblique strung instrument supplied by the Dresden Piano Company, Mr R. H. Beattie, advance agent for tbe American Minstrels, arrived in town on Monday to make arrangements for the com.pany’s Wellington season, which will commence shortly. The minstrels are now playing at Palmerston North. Madame Sara Bernhardt is thus described by a Svdney interviewer : —The lady is above

the middle height, tall, and exquisitely proportioned; her eyes a deep grey-violot veiled wiLb long lashes ; the eyebrows full and well marked, a classic nose, very mobile mouth, and well-formed chin (generally half hidden in the soft, feathery ruche to the collar), and a broad, open forehead, partly shaded by the thick wavy hair of deep Titan red. A broad wedding ring is worn on tho fourth finger, and on the forefinger of tho left hand a very large emerald bordered with diamonds glitters ; her dress, a creamy white satin, with a yoke and Medicis collar richly embroidered with silver, the sleeve puffed to the eibow, thence to tbe wrist fitting the arm and falling partly over the hand, embroidered to match the yoke; the gown falls in loose foldß from the yoke, confined below the waist with a belt of oxydised silver and gold, richly chased, of Oriental design. Mr Frank Ashley, business manager for Dr Canaria, who has earned a great reputation as a professor of the art of magic, arrived from the South on Tuesday to make arrangements for bis principals Wellington season, which commences at the Opera House on Saturday next. Dr Canaria has already given exhibitions of his skill at Auckland and Napier, and has obtained most flattering notices from the press in each place. Before coming to New Zealand the Doctor appeared in all the leading cities of Australia,"and was successful in drawing good houses and in earning tbe good opinions of the public and the various papers. Several of his tricks are decidedly of a novel character, and the entertainment should be well patronised here.

THEATRICAL NOTES.

NEW ZEALAND. The Hugo’s finished a very successful season at the Opera House on Saturday ni"ht. They went south to Christchurch, where they opened on Tuesday night to good business. The American Minstrels drew large audiences in the Taranaki district, and are now working slowly towards Wellington. _ . The Juvenile Opera Company opened to bi" business at Invercargill on Wednesday . " There are some forty members in the company, and report speaks highly of their talents. The irrepressible Lohr has a grea likincr for Maoriland. His hurried run with Mi. dame Patey hardly gave his friends full time to smile with him. He will make longer stays now he is with the juveniles, and while enjoying himself is quietly booking dates for Bland Holt, who after all his indecision has at last made up his mind to speculate with his latest novelties in this Colony. The high price of mutton, and the surplus in the Budget are sufficiently tempting items for him to bring his show along, and,accord-

ing to his presont programme, it will bo the best show ho has ever brought. Tho Misterton amateurs intend staging ‘ Paul Pry ’ at an early date. The Wellington Operatic Society are preparing to play tho ‘ Yeomen of the Guard’ for their next venture.

The Greymouth amateurs arranged ‘ a send off’ for Nat Douglas and E. Alexander, late of t.ha Comedy and Dramatic Company, on Monday last. Helen Fergus, Baby Ogden, and Laurie Dunbar are still in Grey mouth.

Amy Vaughan and her Variety Company are doing good business at the City Hall, Auckland!’ J. W. Foley and wife are giving their entertainmen t in the Rangitikei districts.

Gerald and Duff intend, if possible, to bring their companies over here in September, playing ‘ His Natural Life,’ ‘ The English Rose,’ and other pieces. Grattan Riggs with Irish dramas, George Darrell with sensations, and George Walton with ‘Corsican Brothers’ burlesque, are coming this way in the course of a few months.

Sell Bros.’ circus and menagerie, to which I referred last week, will leave San Francisco on tho s.s. Monowai, on October 14. The show consists of 2G cages of animals, 4 elephants, 12 camels and dromedaries, and 42 performing horses. Tho cages containing the animals are ou wheels made to fit any gauge of railways. Mr Beattie, agent for the American Minstrels, after leaving New Zealand will act as advance agent for the circus in Australia. Negotiations are now proceeding foi the chartering of a 2000 ton Union Company’s steamer for bringing tho entire company from Adelaide to New Zealand, and taking it from port to port on tho coast.

INTERCOLONIAL. At tho Criterion, Sydney, Rica’s ‘Evangeline’ is drawing crowded houses. The MacMahon Bros, promise to bring it to New Zealand early next year. George and William li ion old have scored a success with ‘ Flying Justice ’ at the Theatre Royal, Sydney. It is probable that this piece will be produced here in February next. When Grattan Riggs was presented to Sara Bernhardt the bystanders expected some fan would be evolved out of tho meeting of two such bright stars of tho footlights. Riggs started with a six-inch simile and ‘Quel cst voire opinion de no’re trans.’ The ‘ divine,’ Ac. the only Sara, with a most polite bow, and a boulevard S . Martin shrug of (he shoulders, and a glimpse of ‘ dentist’s aggravators,’ softly replied, in gentle accents, ‘ Oh, excuse me, Sure. Ido not understand tho Ire.sh lankvitch.’ And for the life of him Riggs cannot understand S ira’s meaning. Preacher Varley, who has lately gone back to Netting Hall, said before lie left. M Ibouruo that ‘lso would rather be in tho bottom of Hobson’s Bay with a stone round bis neck, than be a Bernhardt playing to tho licentious.’ Ju3t so! I believe tho preaching business pays him better than selling those tough beefsteaks I used to purchase of him in tbe days gone by in the Lower Terrace, Notting Hill. lie made a bad bu'cher : ho would make a worse Bernhardt. Besides, ho is not built that way. Tic need not say nasty things. Sara is not jealous of him.

Mrs Marian Clarke, widow of the late Marcus Clarke, writes to mo complaining, and with a just cause, that several dramatic versions of her husband’s novel, ‘ Oi3 Natural Life,’ are now being played throughout the colonies. Although she holds in conjunction with It. Bentley aud Sons, tho London publishers, a legal right in the novel in question, and therefore in any dramatised version of it, a 3 recently settled in England, she reaps no benefit from the stage productions given of it, except in one solitary instance, namely, by Alfred Dam pier, and in justice to his honourable action she ask 3 the co-opera-tion of the press to publish the fact broadcast.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN. It has been said that tho present German Emperor has made many hearts ache by his arbitrary actions in his native land. He has done one kind action of late which, in the eyes of the theatrical world, will wine all old scores away. He has visited Loudon. He has hob-nobbed with Augustus, otherwise Harris, the uncrowned king of Drury Lane, and the only A.H., having sufficiently ‘ Kow toed ’ in the presence of Royalty with a big R, verily bath his reward, for has not Our Gracious One bestowed a knighthood upon him. Fling high the wassail bowl, turn up the lights, exit Augustus, enter Sir Augustus Harris. No longer the bold bad baron of the stage, but a real live knight. VVhatatime the ‘boys’ would have when they met to congratulate the newly honoured. Charlie Warner would weep, roll his eyes, and in his deepest bass would figh, ‘ Sir Augustus, my dear boy, my feelings o’ercome me.’ Toole, the fraudulent bather amongst tho Maoris, would smack his lips, screw up his left eye, and whisper ‘ What a time we are having.’ Then Irving would stalk in with ‘ ’Tis well; the Queen hath done a noble action,’ and then sit down, and wonder when on earth his own good time was coming. Good old Drury Lane is looking up. A real live Countess on its stage lately (ned Belle Bilton) and a man of title now its proud director. Surely the red coats under the portico at nights will have to be augmented. The colonies are honoured. Our sweet singers are made much of, aud Royalty

takes them in tow. The Princess of Wales, that model woman, has had Madame Melba and Amy Sherwin to afternoon tea with her at Marlborough House. This is the open doors of society afterwards, and kudos aud dollars galore. Charles Warner has had a new nautical drama written for him, which his friend, Sir Augustus Harris, will mount, regardless of expense, in the autumn, at Drury Lure. It is expected to run till the pantomime is ready. Then 0. W. takes a rapid tour of the provinces, and after that, Melbourne, Sydney, Wellington, and other delightful towns. The title of the play is ‘ Tne Sailor’s Kuot.’ Sim Reeves will make more money by teaching than ho did on the concert platform. By the way, his farewell performance in the Albert Hall netted him close on £ISOO. Not a bad night’s work for an elderly person. Haddon Chambers ia growing richer and more popular month by month. His latest drama, ‘The Idler,’is one of the few successes of the season. He is not an idler himself —this gifted young Australian. Ho is now down at Westgate-on-Saa, writing a now play for Mr Thorne, which will bo produced at the Vaudeville in the autumn.

An opera, based on Sir Walter Scott’s ‘Kenilworth,’ is in contemplation for Covent Garden next season. Mona Massenet is to compose it, aud Sir Augustus Harris, in conjunction with Signor Mazzucote, is to write the libretto. Amy Robaart L, of coarse, to be the heroine.

Mr Jolly John Nash, a well-known comic singer, who was in Australia last year, is the first music hall artist to write a book. His literary production, ‘ The Merriest Man Alive,’ or stories and anee dotes from the author’s life, was published last week by the Gineral Publishing Company, Strand, London, at the low figure of one shilling. B>th of Henry Irving’s soii3 are, it is stated, about to enter the theatrical profession. The elder, Harry, who strongly resembles his father, will leave Oxford very soon, and Laurence, who has been studying in St. Petersburg, has abandoned his dreams of the diplomatic service, and will follow tho example of his brother. Both bays have always shown a strong predilection for the stage, and Harry has been particularly successful in the theatrical performances at Oxford. Imbek.