Music and the Drama.

Otago Witness, Issue 1503, 4 September 1880, Page 20

Music and the Drama.

For I am nothing, if not critical. The man that hath not music in himself, Let no such man be trusted. —Shakespeare.

THEATRICAL & MUSICAL NOTES.

By Puok.

The concert in the Garrison Hall on Monday night by the Danedin Choral Society was an unqualified success. The number of vecalista was unusually large, whilst the audience was so numerous as to comfortably test the holding capacities of the hall. As giving an idea of the number present, we may mention that close on £20 was taken at the doors. Mr Scherek is to be congratulated on the success of his conducting ; he rightly opposes encores, believiog that the concerts to be thoroughly popular should terminate punctually at 10 o'clock, and insists upon the closest confidence existing between those whom he leads and himself.

I hear that; a movement ia on foot to revive popular concerts in Dunedin. Whilst wishing the promoters ever 7 success ia their laudable desire to supply a much-needed want, I foresee several difficulties which on first thoughts appear to me to he insurmountable—firstly, there ia an insufficiency of professional talent in Dunedin ; secondly, there is not an available hall, save the Garrison, which is too expensive, and lacks an org*n ; and thirdly and principally, there is in Danedin an absence of that public spirit without which it is impossible that the project can be carried on. Even if it be initiated, I assume that Saturday nights would be selected.

Since I last wrote, Miss Clara Stephenson haa seceded from the Princess Company which is dragging along in the hope that some of their aanounced engagements will prove more profitable than the "List of the Kellyß," which, in a word, was the veriest rubbish I ever witnessed.

Tilly Andrews supported the late Adelaide Neilaon in her last engagement in San Francisco, and was praised highly by the Press of that city for her Qaeen Elizabeth in "Amy Ttobaart."

George D. Chaplin, who has been very seriously ill in New York, haa completely recovered.

My notes from Melbourne are very meagre this mail. Henry Ketten commences four concerts at the Opera-house, Melbourne,' on September 4th, and at the conclusion thereof sails for Dunedin, via Tasmania, under engagement to Mr John Bennet, of Sydney. The Melbourne Liedertafel have put in rehearsal Herr Elsasser's ceremonial cantata, which the Melbourne Exhibition Commissioners d.d not award a place.

At the Boyal, Mr B. H. Jones, who has been leading in the nautical drama "True to the Core," waa succeeded on August 28th by Mr Fairclough. Sam Emery ia drawing good houses at the People's Theatre with the "Beggar's Petition."

Mr Munck's farewell concert at the Town Hall waa a bumper. The prinoipala were Carlotta Patti, Madamoiselie Charbonnet, Signor Campicellaj, atid Martin Shnonaen, At the conclusion of the concert the Belgian 'cellist! was presented with a golden wreath by his admirers and friends. .Th.3 Hisirionio Company are doing the interior towns, and Mr Edwin Brown, the American »otor, ig playing »n engagement with th9';"Mwiba WiUin Company? »t JBaUarat,

Mr Banhamo and his English Circus have had very hard times lately near Launceafcon. As the natural consequence of the wretched weather prevailing in that part of the' island they did bad business, whilst when travelling between latrobo and Deloraine they npt only, got benighted but nearly loat all their waggons. They will see the winter out in Tasmania, and repair thence to Mel* bourne during Exhibition time. " The Pirates of Penzsnce" is on its way ont, in charge of a gentleman who has bought the right to produce it in Australia and New Zealand. Mx Fairclough had a bumper benefit at Adelaide on August 20th. He was the recipient of a gold^ watch and chain valued at 50 guineas from his friends and admirers, George Loyal, the well-known acrobat, is bringing out to Melbourne for the Exhibition season a first class variety company from America. The Austrian band for the Melbourne Exhibition left Plymouth on August IBth. . Proctor, the astronomer, will be in Dunedin by the Te Anau, which left Melbourne on Tuesday. ■ - • Mr Lysfcer haa withdrawn " Pinafore " from the boards of the Opera House " to make room for other novelties," the bills say. The 'withdrawal, when the piece was so taking, ia not comprehensible. A Miss Kate Harvey, of Launceaton, had been .engaged for the part of Josephine, and as she was oa the eve of sailing for Melbourne she got a telegram from Mr Lyster advising her to stay there pending further advice. The comic drama entitled "Forbidden Fruit," from Dion Boucicault'a pen, which ia a thorough success at the Adelphi, is an adaptation of a French vaudeville produced in London ai far back as 1848. The Theatre Boyal, Sunderland, has been destroyed by fire. |'J. S. Clarke was to have opened the Haymarket in August, with a new pLy by Bondcault. 'Madame Modjeakais eager .to appear before the London public as Adrienne Leoouvreur, in order to measure herself against the Sara Berahardt. .Gilbert and Sullivan are writing another comic, opera, to follow the '■' Pirates of Penzance" and "Pinafore," for the American stage. Like the "Pirates," the new play will be produced simultaneously in England and New York, the English representation taking place at some quiet place, where, nobody — not even the critics — will hear it. Madame Patti sang for the last time this season at Covent Garden on July 17th, She then goes to Wales for ten days, then takes a trip to Aix lea Bains, and baok again to Wales until the end of October, when she leaves Eng. land, and will make a professional tour through. Germany, commencing at Cologne, November 1, following with Hamburg, Berlin, Leiosio, Frankfort, and elsewhere; Another engagement is at Monaco for six nights at £600 per night, then 20 performances in Paris; and afterwards to London, so that her time ia fully occupied. The English cablegrams this week announce the death of Airs Charles Eean, better known by her maiden name of Elien Tree, the daughter of a gentleman who held an appointment.in the East-India House. Born early, ia the century, she first appeared in public at Covent Garden, in the character of Olivia, in "Twelfth Night," for the benefit of her sister, Miss M. Tree, who iv 1825 married Mr Bradsbaw, sometime mem* her for Canterbury, and, then retired from pro* fessional life. Miss E. Tree, having performed in Edinburgh and Bath, was engaged at Drury Lane, her first part being Volante, in the " Wonder." In 1829 she transferred her services to Covent Garden, and made her first appearance as Lady Townley, in the " Provoked Huaband." For her benefit she played Borneo to Miss Fanny Kemble'a Juliet, and her success was so great that the manager entrusted to her the heroine in Miss Kemble'a play of "Francis I." She was the original Mariana in Sheridan | Knowles' play of "The Wife ;" the original Myrrha, in Lord Byron'eJ," Sardanapalus ;" the original Countess in Sheridan Knowles' play of " Love ;" but her name ia chiefly associated with .'Shakspeare's "Rosalind and Viola,"- and with Talfourd'a " Ion." Between 1836 and 1839 she visited the United States, where she met with an enthusiastic reception. She was married to the late Mr Charlea Kean, 29th January, 1842, and retired from the Btaare on the death of her husband, whioh occurred 22nd January,Jlß6B Mr J. L. Toole, at a garden party the other day, found himself seated before a very fine game pie, which, curiously enough, was without a covering. "Why, what haa become of the ' Upper Crust ? ' " asked a lady near him. " Oh," replied the comedian, " that's all right at the Folly Theatre. Our kind hostess had evidently determined that it shouldn't have a rival here." The refueal of permission to play the pro* logue of the opera of " Mepkiatophelea " caused the utmost consternation at Her Majesty's Theatre. The music of the prologue to " Mephistophelea" ia considered by the - composer, Boito, as the best in the opera, and as he cannot consent to have it omitted entirely, it ia to be played before the rising of the onrtain, 30 that the audience may hear the dialogue sung by the premiers sujets, with ita magnificent orchestral accompaniment, without having to witness the appearance on the stage of the arch enemy of mankind in person. The original- intention of producing "Mephistopheles"at Her Majesty's on the same night aa that of "Eatella" at Covent Garden was therefore defeated. I shall have something to say about the work in my next. Gill's Combination and Jenny Nye'a Oddities are following each other over the goldfields towns. A Madame Ermyne, Messrs Fisher, J. W. Marshall, and Fanning constitute the latter. The Carandinia are doing well "on the West Coast. The Grey .Elver Argus is delighted with Mr Huxtable, who, it considers, haa the makings of one of the best bass singers in the south. Mr Walter Beynolds and Mrs Beynolds (Bliss Grace Hathaway) have accepted a 2* nights' engagement at Chris tchuroh, opening oa Saturday with hia own drama " TriedaudTrue," which was well received. The New Zealand Herald says that they have been engaged" for a - similar period in Qonedin ; but I have not bgen able to disoover on what authority the -state;' mentiamade. ■- ■ < . R. A. Proctor's fee for giving two leoturea in Ballarat was 100 guineas ; and it' paid the local institution to give him that sum. ' - ■ The Bulletin says that Kelly and Leon, who are on a tour with "Pinafore" in the interior towns of New South Wales, are doing capital business. Miss Emma Wangenheim is the Josephine, and ia well spoken .of. Messrs Jamea and Thome are going the rwht way to lose the popularity the Vaudeville has attained. Mortified at the treatment of Mr Albery's new play, when they produced " The Guvnor" for their benefit'on June 23rd, the* stationed menm blue inthe pit to repressive hoa tile demonstrations. A number of people who did not like the piece, indulged in bisaiog and were run out. So zealous; were the police that they actually ejected a'oheoktaker beldngfog to the establishment.- Thia father highhanded Prodding on, the part>q! Mews Jamea in