THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4307, 16 March 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

(BY "LORGNETTE,”)

The excellent programme provided by the St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Committee for the concert to be held in the Opera House to-night is sure to draw a crowded house. Among those who will assist are Miss Beatrice Vartha, Miss Julia Moran, Miss Violet Mount, Madame Eveleen Carlton, Miss Lucy Eraser, Messrs E. J. Hill, W. B. Cadzow, Martyn Hagan and others. Mr Dix’s general manager—Mr Fred Duval —passed through the Empire Ally this week, eu route to Auckland. ■ In a chat I had with him! he told me that great preparations were being made to celebrate the completion of Mr Hix’s two years’ occupancy of the City Hall, Auckland, on the Ist proximo. Certainly what at the' time was considered a hold move on Mr Dis’s part has proved wonderfully successful, and xnarksi an era in the annals'of papular amusements. The bill at the City Hall, on the first of April, will be worthy of the occasion. Among the performers appear such Wellknown names as Harry Gray, Australian Little Tick, Jarvis, a coming Paul Cinquevalli, Prof. Almond, and a host of talent too long to recapitulate. . Mr P. 11. Dix is one of the most successful managers of the day, and to the enterprise of a man of his proved capacity it

is impossible to set the limits. Dix’s Gaiety Companies in Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin, and Christchurch—particularly in the Empire City —have been well patronised during the past week. Fuller’s Bijou Companies in Wellington and Christchurch have also been attracting crowded houses. -It is with.. disappointment that the Pollard’s repertoire for their Tasmanian tour is scanned in search of the - promised novelties. Absolutely nothing new apparently is to be staged in “the tight little island.” Thei prospect is net a cheerful ene for us, and difficult to reconcile with certain statements appearing in a recently published interview. An Australian paper is my authority.for the following:—The Pollard Opera Company is going to Hobart to play “The Belle of New York,” “The Geisha,” “La Poupee;” “The Gondoliers,” and “The Frenoh Maid,” during a 10 weeks’ season there, to be followed by one at Launceston, and then, to Brisbane for Easter. After that, a North Queensland tour, and a return to New Zealand in August.’ Mr Pollard’s company is a cleverer combination tWan it appeared in “Australis,” as has been shown,since in ■JJjiirDjin.” In the first place no elbow room was allowed the artists.

Fitzgerald BroS.'s circus has commenced its New Zealand, tour successfully. At Dunedin the performances are_ being witnessed by large crowds, and judging by the attendances the verdict of; thei "public has been ope of unqualified 1 approval. In reply to a coifreßpdhdentl—The correct designation of -the; Opera ;Hbuse, m Manners street, is the “Te Aro Theatre and Opera House,” as may be seen from au : examination of-the frieize. ! ‘ The long Melbourne run of “Florodora” (which has been-extended to 11 weeks) is to be, followed by “The Casino-Girl,” an American musical farce-comedy ol the “Belle of New York” type, which has just finished ■ a successful run at the London Shaftesbury. Miss Carrie -Moore will enact the “girl,” Mi- Laun is cast for a German lunatic, something like tho one in “The Belle,” Mr Hugh Ward and Mr William Wollf. (late of ‘'Australis’-) have parts. Miss Irene Franklin will sing in the second part. There is no part for Mr Brownlow. Miss Ada Colley, the soprano whom Australians did not appreciate at her true worthy is now in receipt of a sala.-y of £l5O a week.. .Since she left-this continent Miss Colley has toured Europe and America extensively. One of the M.L. swaddles began lecturing on his experiences as soon as lie returned. His posters represented him in the act of saving a comrade under heavy fire. As he came on the stage his orchestra struck up “See the Conquering Hero Comes!” A brave man, that! Also, bravery runs in all sorts of shapes.—“ Bulletin.” - Madame Albani, it is reported, is considering another visit to Australia. San jo Paterson started lecturing - five months ago; and, although he followed Macdonald,, he has made more than J o or B. S. Smythe expected. He is still in Queensland; and has not yet touched Victoria or Westralia. Paderewski’s future tours will be : directed," it is announced in a New York paper, by Madame Paderewski, who,will act as his secretary and business manager. Miss Hilda Spong has just made another big success in America .iu “Lady Huntworth’s Experiment.” _ - Twenty-two of the best singers in Melbourne were heard at the Barker ’Memorial Concert last-week, and the best of the 22—i.e., the singer whose voice gave most pleasure by, its full, sweet_ quality and the way in which tho artist produced it—was old Armes Beaumont. The top notes have gone) of course, bqt the main body of Beaumont’s warble is still beautiful on occasion.—“ Bulletin."

It is definitely decided that Miss Clara Butt, the celebrated English contralto, will not come’to Australia this year. Adelina Patti, it is stated, has parted with her beautiful home, Craxg-y-Nos, where the famous singer has- lived for the past 20 years. It is understood that Sir George Newnes, the London publisher, is the purchaser. It appears that a Dutch artisan named Winckel was the real inventor of the metronome and not Maelziel as is commonly supposed. Maelziel learned of Winckel’s double pendulum motion in 1815, and offered to purchase it ; but, being refused, the wily one stole it, and rushed off to Paris (where the invention had not been secured) and patented it in his own name. The Dutch Academy of Science have formally decreed Winckal the inventor.

Sydney will be well provided witn . amusements at Easter, especially as regards pieces in which scenic display and light and tuneful music are the principal attractions. The list of attractions is too long to reproduce. I quoted in my notes the other day some scathing criticisms of lime. Blanche Marchesi's (Mdme. Marchesi’s daughter) vocalism, reprinted from the “Bulletin. - ’ That there is something to be said on the other side the following affords undeniable proof:— “Mme. Blanche Marches!, fresh from her dramatic-triumph at Prague, .is the vocalist of the day. Her success as Biinnhilde in the ‘Valkyrie’ appears to have been colossal. The director, Neumann, .regards the new Brunnhilde as outdistancing all her-pre-decessors—great praise coming from a conductor who has witnessed all the ch : - p impersonations.”—(London correspondent).