MUSIC NOTES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7419, 22 April 1911, Page 8

MUSIC NOTES

( (By "A Flat/’) The musical director of "The Wanderers" is Mr Herbert Brahams, who l is responsible for* all tho musical arrangements. Mr Brahams will be remembered its director of Georg’o Stephenson's Comic Opera Company and also of the Pollard ox>era Company. Mr F. C. Whitney, who has bought the Strand Theatre «.late tho Waldorf), and has already shown himself a manager of genuine energy and shrewdness by his production of “The Chocolate Soldier" at tho Lyric, has secured tho English and American rights of Richard Strauss's light opera, “Der Rosenkavalier." Tho foe- he had to was no less than iH2,500. In the first place the contract -extends over a year only, from Juno Ist. But naturally there is an option for a further period, which doubtless will bo taken advantage of. As a preliminary 'advance Mr wumiey had to pay clown the sum of .£ISOO, with the added stipulation that within a month's time the balance of .£BOOO should bo placed in the hands of Strauss's representatives. Discussing the subject wltn a London "Daily Telegraph" rexircsentative, Mr Whitney remarked, “X saw the piece in Dresden some little time ago, and was at once disabused of any impression that it called for a big and costly production. It struck mo as being well within the scope of an average theatre, and "I at onco determined to secure it, if possible. The music is charming, and. 1 am confident, will prove popular wherever played. Obviously, my plans are still a little nebulous, but X shall strain 'every nerve to present tho piece during Coronation month. At which theatre 't To that I can- only, reply, 'Wait and see/ # But this I may say: It will bo the largest X can secure. Not because of the opera, itself, but because I desire to bring the Xiorforniauce within reach of the humblest individi 1, and it is only by having a big auv-utorium that I can accomplish that. No; frankly, I do not hopo to come out with a profit in this country, although X shall be better pleased if I do. But America manifestly offers a much wider field, and there, I am. persuaded, I shall more than recoup myself for my outlay." Mr Whitney proposes to rename the "Strand" the ‘'Whitney," and has decided to produce there at Easter "Baron Trenck," which has been acquired for Australia by Clark© and Meynell.

Miss Marie Narell© opened, to a good house, at the Carnegie Hall, New Aork, early in March, The Australian mezzosoprano figured on the programme as the great Irish ballad einger.

At the opening of tho Adelphi Theatre, Sydney, on VVoauesday afternoon, April sth, Air George Marlow hinted at tho probability of a season of grand opera under tho direction of Mr. Thomas Beecham, the London manager and. conduc-. tor, who has .spent quits a fortune in connection with his operatic ventures. Next day a cablegram was received from London with tire nows that Mr Thomas tjuinlan' .(Mr Beecham’s manager and adviser) will tour .Australia with a company in 1912. Mies Lalia Miranda has •been engaged as one of the., artists, and it ils proposed to open the tour in Melbourne in May with Offenbach’s "Talas of Hoffmann.” Miss Lalia Miranda is a native of Melbourne, where her father was a tenor singer and a teacher of singing. Lalia Miranda first came into notice, while Sir Charles Sahtley was touring Australia in 1889-90. The eminent baritone on hearing the young lyric soprano sing . predicted a, successful career ,in opera. Without tho aids of money ;or influence, tiro singer has won, her way to the front rank in opera. Her reputation, is second only to that of Madame Melba in London, Paris, Vienna. Berlin, and, New York.. On. a visit to Covent Garden during the opera season a few years ago Sir Charles Santley praised .Lalia Miranda os “by far the best, artist in tho night’s performance.” Miss Beatrice Miranda, tho sister of tho successful artist, made her London debut in. grand opera last year.

Mr George Stephenson’s musical organisation, "The Wanderers," are a great singing combination', and in Alisa Madeleine , Feme, Aliss Everil Heggie, ,niid.Messrs Leith Harvey and'.!. Denis Heenan, possess a quartette ofvoices that -would ho hard to excel anywhere. Mr Win Manly, the male soprano, possesses a pure soprano voice, not what most people would suppose a falsetto His voice rings out the pure notes of the soprano. His solos include "The Swallows,” Tosti’s "Good-bye," etc.

Tlie Sheffield Choir, which is touring Canada, has finished its initial season in Montreal, and after touring the States is due in Now Zealand on June 26th (Coronation Week). The. choir is bringing the nucleus of an orchestra, which will be supplemented, by. some of the best players in New Zealand. So fur tho following players have been engaged to tour . New Zealand by Mr Hugo Gorlitz, representative for Dr Harriss:—MrHerbert Bley, of Wellington (as leader); Air H. Tombs, of Wellington (leader of second violins); Mr Tombs, of Hastings (viola); Air Frank Johnston (’cellist) and Mrs .Johnston (’cellist), of Wellington; Aliss Symons (second violin), of Hast-, ings; Air Alaunce Cohen (viola), of Palmerston North; Aliss Doris Alclutyre (violin), of Christchurch;, Aliss Croucher (violin), of Palmerston North;' Air D. Sinclair (clarionet), of Wellington; Air L. Blitz (double bass), of Auckland; and Mr Dave Kenney (third horn).

The Grand Opera Company which J. C/Williamson lias recruited in London, •on the Continent, and in America, will open in Australia on September 2nd. The season .is limited to sixteen Weeks—eight in Melbourne and eight ’in Sydney. Whichever town the company opens in Will have an unbroken season of eight weeks; there will be no break, nor anything in:the nature of a return visit. The company will appear in a repertoire of twelve operas,, namely:— (1) "La Traviata” (Verdi), (2) “Aida" (Verdi), (3) “Tosca” (Puccini), (4) “Samson and Delilah” (Saint-Saens), (5) “Lucia de Lammermoor” (Donizetti), (6) “Carmen” (Bizet), (7) “Othello” (Verdi), (8) “La Boheme” (Puccini), (9) “Madame Butterfly” (Puccini), (10) "Eigoletti” (Verdi), (11) “Lohengrin” (Wagner), and ,09) “Faust” (Gounod). “Tosca” and "Samson, and Delilah” have not previously been done in Australia.