MUSIC

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 5229, 19 March 1904, Page 11

MUSIC

(BY “G STRING.”)

Mr Hamilton Hodges, whose singing during the Wellington Musica. Aestiv ol is justly regarded as one of the f 1 c . at W'T’ of the year’s work in music in \\ riliuglou, is to give a series of recitals snortiy in this city,' assisted by his talented wHc- Mi Hodges has been engaged to sing tn® ‘v 0 * 0 parts in “Elijah” aud “Faust in Oiinstchurcli. • j „ Madame Belle Cole, who recently under the management of Mr. Thomas Barrasford. made her first appearance on tao variety stage, has been engaged by nr. Philip Yorke for the London Tiyoh, and made her first appearance at that hall on the Ist February.

Twenty festival performances ot Hicnard Wagner’s works will take place this year at the Prinzregentcn Theatre at Munich, from August 13 to September 11, i eluding the following works:—-in-iw und'. Isolde,” “Der fliegeude Hollander, and “Dei Meistorsinger.” Besides these there will be ten festival performances of Mozart’s operas, -‘The Magic Flute. w Figaro’s AFedding/’ “Don Giovanni, and “Cosi Fan tutte” at tho .Royal Resident Theatre and Royal Court and Rational Theatre from. August 1 to XI.,

Miss Lalla Miranda was recently called upon to fill the leading role in the opera “Laokme,” at La Monica Opera House, Brussels, under melodramatic circumstances. It appears that the husband of Madame Jane Mei'ey, of the Opera Comique, Paris, who was oxiginaliy engaged for the part, strongly objected to his wire continuing her career as a public singer, and, finding verbal remonstrance oi no avail, decided, upon a very drastic step. A few days before the production of -ho opera he possessed himself of a revolver, and going to the theatre, awaited ois wife’s exit froni the building. As she came out he walked calmly up to her and deliberately shot her. Sydney Jones, the comic opera composer lias good reasons to love America. He has received more than SOO.OOOdoI in royalties on his operas from the land of the wooden ham alone. Most of the money was paid him for “San Toy’’ and The Geisha.”

Miss Rosina Buckmann, a New Zealand soprano, w'ho ha® just completed five years studv in. England, will commence a tour of New Zealand at Auckland om the 38th March. Miss Buckmann will a-ftetr-wards give concerts at New Plymouth on the 30th, Palmerston North on the 31st, and Wellington on Good Friday. Miss Violet Vivian, a young Sydney violinist, has gained her second exhibition for planing at the Royal College of Music, London. Alias Lillian , FouJlis, the eminent English violinist, arrived at Fremantle by ,the R..AI.S. Orto-na from London. Aliss Foulis, who is regarded as one of the finest artistes at present playing, has come to Australia under engagement to Mr J. C. AVilliaimson. It is -stated that Madame Albani is likely to i>ay another visit to Australia early in 1905. Miss Edith Helena, am American soprano with a voice of phenomenal range, made her first appearance in London at the Empire Music Hall on the 18th January, and met with an enthusiastic reception. In noticing her performance the “Standard” of the Iffth January says: “The singer made her first appearance with a reputation for a voice of phenomenal range, which, was fully horne’out by her performance last evening. Aiks Helena is young, with a graceful stage presence, and she had a cordial! welcome. She sang three pieces, the most-familiar being ‘The Last Rose of Summer.’ and introduced into tho old song a cadenza with a sustained P above the high C, which was singularly sweet and clear. Her opening selection was tho well-known ‘Caro nomo’ of ‘Ri-goletto,’ rendered with fine effect, though possibly showing signs of lack of finish. Her most striking performance was ‘The Angels’ Serenade.’ in which, she protended to pSay the air on a violin, with violin and piano accompaniment. The strings of the lady’s violin are muted, and the strains of a high-ttone-d and well-played instrument- are imitated to perfection. Her last note was G in ‘afitissimo.’ It is stated that' she can touch A above F sharp, giving -a range of three octaves. Aliss Helena Was the subject of hearty recalls.”

Dr. Eicliter will conduct some of Wagner’s operas at Covent Garden this season, but there will no such performances of the “Ring” as distinguished last season. On the other hand, it is rumoured that Caruso the Italian tenor, who made such a success two years ago, is to bo hoard again this season. His terms last year were more than the management could pay. It is to be hoped that this year the existence of Mozart’s master-* pieces may not be forgotten. There is no excuse for omitting “Figaro,” the greatest comic opera, over written. Messrs. Nicholson and Co. publish the new “Monsieur Beaucaire” waltz, composed by Herr Raimund Pechotsch. and bearing on tbe outside a graceful and animated portrait of Mr. Julius Knight as the gallant Frenchman. The introduction to the new waltz is a melodious gavotte, after which the first rhythm is well emphasised for the dancers. Herr Pechotsch has added 'a sparkling theme for the latter part of No. 1. The second movement is of daintier character, and finally there is a grandiose with effective octave passages in the bass, which would tell out sonorously \vero the whole scored for a military band. Altogether tin ••Monsieur Beaucaire” should prove a pop ular ballroom piece.

Kubelik’ returns to England in May and gives his first recital in London at the Queen’s Hall on the 11th June. The Russian “Atmosphere’’ in music, customs, scenery, and costumes goes far towards the success of Tolstoy’s gloomy “Resurrection”’ as adapted by Henry Bataille and Michael Morton. Sydney audiences (writes “Leipsio” in the Sydney “Mail”) have never before had such a feast of Russian music placed before them. Opening with Tsohaikowsky’s “Solennelle’’ overture, which is truly solemn and serious, waking into passion towards its close Mr Alfred Hill conducts his orchestra through a programme of purely Slav music. The want of sufficient strings is felt, but otherwise the band is efficient, containing individually many excellent players. - The devotional Russian Bastor Ixynm, which is voiced in Tsohaikowsky’s overture, is sung by the chorus as tho curtain rises, when a tableau is shown of the picturesque old wooden manor, covered with snow and looking dark and lonely in the desolate whitecovered pine-olad country. Glinka, .whose patriotic Slav opera, “The Life for the Czar,” is highly popular in its own land, but has never had any success outside, is drawn upon for a “Komarinskaja,” or wedding dance, bizarre in character; while a prelude by Arensky (whoso delightful trio has been given here at concerts of Mdllo. Adelina, de Lara and Herr •VaUmar respectively), slow and impressive, and calling much on the brass, follows. Glazonnow’s . “Polonaise,” wild, brilliant, and dashing, and requiring skilful playing, serves to introduce us to tie gorgeous gilded salon of tho worl ljy Princess Kortciagiu, where Prince Dimitry Nohludof brusquely resigns all claims to the hand of sweet young'Princess Marie. Tschaikowsky’s “Valse dcs Pleura” (Russian Trepak ■ Dance) and Anton Rubinstcin’3 “Baiaidereut4uiz” and “Hochzeitszug” (from “Feramoio”) are 4 charming examples of Slav .ballet music. The opera of “Feramors” is derived in plot from “Lallah Eookh.” It will be re-' m ember ed that in their entirety none of Rubinstein’s operas (which have' mainly Biblical plots) have made successes, but has'ballet music is played all over the civilised world with pleasure. A lively mazurka by Borowsky, and the familiar “Prelude” (a favourite with Sydney •pianists) of Rachmanioff, arranged for orchestra by Adolf Schmid, the Viennese conductor, who yielded the baton in the London production by Mr Beerbohm Tree of ' “Resurrection/l concluded the list. Tho sombre, heavy Prehide—scored, pf course, largely for brass in its imposing chords —is played before the final scene in which the wretched prisoners drug themselves over the snows of tho gloomy Siberian wilderness on’their way to the mines.