DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1478, 13 March 1880, Page 21

DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL NOTES.

There is absolutely nothing new to report of or concerning companies northwards. Business generally appears to be flat and unpront&l3l.6 During the week the Arethusa Company, at the Princess Theatre, have performed " The Octoroon," "Under the Gaslight," and " Hamlet." „ _ . , _. , On Friday night the Danedm Garnck Club cave a performance of "Black Sheep" atthe Queen's Theatre. Mrs J. B. Steele sustained her old character of Harriet Kouth with all her wonted ability, and received good support from Mrs A. A. Cameron, who made a most creditable debut, and Mrs Inglis. The principal male character was sustained by Mr J. A! Barr. There was a crowded house. Ibis week the Club tender a complimentary benefit to Mrs Steele, when the drama will be rePe ii C hear that during Eaßter week Signor Morley will give two representations of Man Robert Love, for a while one of the proprietorsof the Pinafore Company, and better known as a member of Mr Hoskins' stock company has had to call his creditors together in Auckland. Liabilities L 81;8 1; assets, ml. The early descent of Madame Camillo Urao and her concert company at Auckland may be an My PmußicalP muBical readers will hear with regret of the death of Mr G. J. Browne (of Begg and Co.), who was a most courteous box omce ke APA P6 new English opera has been published. The music is by John Old. of London, who has published some acceptable piano pieces; and fhe libretto by the late John Oxenford Ims entitled " Herne," and is a story of Old WindBor. The Atheuseum says that the music is worthy of high consideration. Scicault'B daughter (Mrs Clayton) must be added to the list of writers for ths fage. She haa jußt written a play for Wallacks knowing that 45 songs have been selected from fhe poems of the Poet Laureate, and for them music has been provided by more than 30 dlStinguishedd IS - tinguished composers, English and foreign. Twenty-six of the songs are by English composers, among whom are F. J B&rnet, J . L. Hatton, A. S. Sullivan, Joseph B«nby, W. Macfarren, G. A. Macfarren, Hullah F H. Cowe™ W. H. Cumminga, and W. G. Cusins 5 whilst among the foreign names are those of Pin nti! Benedict, Henschel, Raff Massenet, Liszt, Saint-Saens, Gounod, and Scharwenka. The gams of the collection are the fetter's "Day Dream," Sullivan's "St. Agnes' Eve," and Cowen'e " O Swallow." At the Opera Comique, London, H.M.S. Pinafore" has reached its 520 th night. Con. cerning the representation ot the earne work by Mr D'Oyley Carte's troupe of children, who perform in the afternoon, a correspondent of the Globe says :— " I bave been to a performance of the • Children's Pinafore' at the Opera Comique Theatre, and in my memory London has not given a prettier performance. Every youngster in a Bailor's costume, and ever/dainty lass that loves a sailor looking charming. Dear me 1 there is such a httle duck of a round child who plays Little Buttercup, a quaint, little comical woman, who sings as clear as a bell in perfect tune. It is Miss Everard Been through the wrong end of the opera glass. And then there is the First Lord, who reproduces the quaint tricks of Mr Grosemith: and a charming Captain Corcoran and Miss Corcoran, both natural, child-like, and with none of the forced affectation of etage children ; and a most comical little atom of a midshipman that was ever seen, who will make the children scream with delight ; and a Pick Deadeye, who is no doubt a born actor. But the boy who delighted me was the Ralph RackBtraw, a lad with one of those heavenly voices that we hear in cathedrals, and whose pure Bobbing notes send a cold shiver down the back and tears into the eyes. The absolute simplicity of bis acting, the mild melancholy m his interesting face, the expression of his eyes, and the purity of that wonderful voice relieve the humour of the rest of the performance, with just sufficient sentiment and no more. I am a very old playgoer, and am said to be Btrangely particular, but I have not for some time witnessed a performance that pleased me more." Mr Carte talks of bringing these juveniles to the Cokniea. „.,... „ The "Piratesjof Penzance, the latest opera of Sullivan and Gilbert, is in two acts, and its plot has been thus sketched by the New York Tribune :— " The first act takes place in the pirates' lair, and when the action begins, Frederick, the hero, is within a few hours of the end of his apprenticeship. At noon he will be 21. 'He informs the band that he is about to leave them for ever. He loves, admires, rpveres them as comrades ;he detests them aa pirates ; and it is his purpose to devote the remainder of his existence to their extermination. Of this resolve fch« pirates find it unreasonable to complaiD. and at the end of the act separation takes place. Not, however, until there have been some stirring scenes. A bevy of charming girls, looking in their high-wasted and short skirted gowns and in their broad hats, as pretty as a picture, cone tripping over the rocks, and prepare to amuse themselves by paddling in the water. They are caught with one shoe oft, and then alarm is piquantly expressed in a hopping chorus, to which the pirates contribute, being determined to get married through the instrumentality of A doctor of divinity Located in the vicinity. The discovery that these girls are maids in chancery and daughters'of a major-general, is quickly followed by the appearance of their papa. This personage has been supplied with a rattling ' patter song,' studded thickly with scientific terms of- tremendous length and difficulty. It recounts the accomplishments of the distinguished officer, who seoma to be thorou hly versed in astronomy, mathematics, natural history, and nearly all the branches of science except, indeed, in military affairs. The rapid delivery of this song is occasionally interrupted in a highly ludicrous manner by the General's hesitation for a rhyme. The second act, which passes in a mined chapel by moonlight, is full of eurprisesand ludicrousincidents Ruth, thenurse, divulges a dreadful secret which placeß Frederick in the most deplorable of dilemmas; and a flense of duty suddenly obliges him to dash the cup of happiness from his lipa. Thou there ia a chorus of policemen, dressed a la ' bobby,' aud armed with clubs, upon which being drawn up ia line across the stage, they perform, as a. refrain to a song, a Bort a taranta ra— a trumpet call— before marching to battle with the pirates. This song is excessively fanny. Then there is an admirAble burlesque upon lerione opera, in a scene

where the pirates are hidden in one aisle of the ohapel and the policemen in another, while the major-general with his daughters occupy the nave. An elaborate concerted number is sung here, strophe and antistrophe alternating in strict order, and the musio presumably proceeding by an intricate weaving of parts, although the separate groups of personages are supposed to be unaware of ono another's presence, and deaf to one another's swelling voioes. (The perfect solemnity of this performance blinds you at first to the wild impossibility of the situation. You must stop and think a moment before the full absurdity of ib strikes you), Then i there is another scene of the same sort, where the General enters the chapel thinking that he has heard a noise j and here the impression of the ludicrous is immediate and overpowering The police all through are delicious. They have a little chant, or monotone, with which they intone short comments on the language of the prima donna, and in this both the author and composer seem to have made the happiest use of the element of unexpectedness. The catastrophe of the opera is brought about by a device not less daring and ingenious than that of the climax of "Pinafore." The Dramatic News, however, does not speak oi the opera in complimentary terms. It says:— "There is just enough in * The Pirates of Penzance to save it from failure. That is to say, its general i effect is one of brightness and pleasantness. Mr Sullivan has never done anything so poorly as the music of this work, and Mr Gilbert was evidently tired when he conceived the plot of the silly work. Yet it is well put upon the stage, and well rehearsed, and this has a great deal to do with the temporary success it has obtained at the Fifth Avenue. Bub to compare with it that bright gem called ' Pinafore is no compliment either to Mr Sullivan or Mr Gilbert, and a decided insult to the intelligence of the public." Speaking of the singing, the same critic says: — "The two successes in the caste are the General Stanley, of Mr Ryley, who is a very clever actor, and the Sergeant of Police of Mr Clifton, whioh is done with a seriousness that is doubly amusing. The Pirate Chief of John Broccolini iB simply vile, both in voice and action." "The Pirates" will probably be a snocess of curioßity for a short time, but it will never obtain the reputation and suo cess of " Pinafore." Madame Oarlotta Patti has achieved a splendid success in Sydney. She gave her first concert there on the 23rd nit, when the Theatre Eoyal was crowded in all part*. The dissensions that occarred in San Francisco have led to the disappea-ance (and consequent weakening) from the company, of Mr Henry Ketten, who has been called" the French Rubenstein," and Mr Theodore Teodt, the American tenor. The place of the former is filled by Signor Giozza, but for the other no substitute has as yet been found, though there is mention made of the coming over (I hope not from Auckland) of a " Mr Oraine, the distinguished English tenor." The S. M. Herald does nofc like Signor CrampiOellai, the baritone, complaining that he sings too mechanically. Mr De Munck is set down as an admirable 'cellist, entitled to take first rank. Of the diva this critio writes:— " Gradually the interest had been increasing, and when, after the three solo artists had contributed their Bhares, and Madame Patti appeared, she received a perfect ovation. In the brilliant aria from Verdi's 'Sicilian Vespers ' she astonished her audience, not so muoh by her voice, which all know is no longer in its spring time. If, however, nature has passed the meridian, art has not, and in Madame Patti's vocalisation, there is art at its best. Marvellous is the only word which at all describes the effect which she produoes, dashing roulades with a rich fulness in the lower notes, a most delicate piano lnstantaneously changing to a powerful forte, and vice versa; a shake which in quality and tone is perfect and ever varying, and in quantity almost interminable ; ' eoho ' bits and iairylike phrases whioh are startling in their airy delicacy. In response to the repeated and enthusiastic burst of applause, the great cantatnce gave Within.a mile of Edinboro',' with a piquant archness which from both sisters is known throughout England and America. The momentary pause before the 'buckle to' is unresistible. The ' Echo song ' by Eckert, the well-known director at Berlin : the name describes the song— the astonishing vocal feats— must be heard to be realised. For encore, Madame Patti sang the fullest embodiment of fun which can be put into singing— a solo called a ' Laughing song —we know not the author It iB a triumph of start ling mirth and infectious laughter— gymnastic vocalisation of the highest order in its way. Recalls were fruitless ; but the laughing song was half repeated. The great audience laughed as heartily ac the singer. Madame Patti must bave felt pleased at the enthusiasm displayed. In Sydney Mr A, Hayman has effected a combination between the Loftus Troupe and the Mammoth Minstrels. The objectionable element of the former has been welded out. Mr Oreswick has finished his Sydney engagement. Mr R. S. Smythe, the well-known agent, was in Dunedin last week, en route for the North. He ia arranging with the railway and shipping people for travelling " Cook's tourista," who are coming out to do the Melbourne Exhibition, through this Colony. He is chatty, and as pleasant as ever. . I can honestly commend to the attention of lovers of sacred music an article on " Oratario Music" in the December number of Chamber's Journal. The article is well worth reading. Simonsen's Froliquep have done six weeks' good business at Adelaide. E. B. Marshall (a brother of Fred Marshall of the London Opera Company) is coming out under engagement to Mr Allison of Adelaide. He is to play a season of comedy in that city. The Williamsons are due in Adelaide about Easter. The nexb Italian opera, season commences in London in April. The pitch of the Royal Italian opera is to be lowered to diapason normal. The alteration, which will cost more than £1000 for wind instruments, is made mainly at the instance of Madame Acehua Patti, whose voice has deepened considerably, Mr Mapleson promises Madame Pauline Lucca during the forthcoming season. An entertainment of a moral character has been opened at Langham Hall, in London. The whole of the performers are ladies — about % score arrayed in rose-coloured silks and laces— who go through performances a la Christy, followed by a burlesque. It is known to few, perhaps, that the reason why Fpnella in the opera of " Masaniello " was made dumb was because of a difficulty to fill the character when the opera was first performed. To give it Mat, two of the greatest singers of the day had been engaged, and he had written for both of them. But suddenly Madame BrancM (the Zenella) bolted, and both composer nnd director wdre helpless, because the great Cmli (cast for Elvira) could not be # matched with an inferior singer. It was Scribe's fertile brain that suggested the expedient of replacing a great singer by a great dancer, and of rendering her mute. The CounteßS Boisgeslins, nee Tagliom, the famous danseuse, who is now 70 years pi age, having lost her fortune, is teaobing danoing and deportment to the 6lite of London. She retired early from the stage, while yet bouquets rained on it, together with princely offers from the

great opera houses. In a sketoli of her, from the World, she is said to have made these thoroughly truthful remarks :-" I think, and I have always thought, that an artist does well to retire while the bravi of the publio are still ringing in her ears. Nothing is more terrible than to see the desire to make money survive artistic power, or the means of expressing it, Yet nothing is more common. It has given me infinite sorrow to hear the singers who have charmed the world in my dancing days singing on year after year, till the rich voice vanished in a cloud of soriture, a new device to conceal a damaged organ ; to see them making ' 101 last appearances,' and accepting salaries which they have spurned when their fresh young voices went straight to the hearts of their audiences. To me this spectacle is full of sadness. Artists like generals, should vanish in the midst of their triumph— not survive their expectation — at least in public." Puok.