Music and the Drama.

Otago Witness, Issue 1504, 11 September 1880, Page 20

Music an d the Drama.

By Puck.

THEATRICAL & MUSICAL KOTES.

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

The complimentary benefit to Mrs Florence at the Temperance Hall on Friday night was not so well attended as I had hoped to see, and I fear the result will not realise the expectations of those who took the matter in hand. Mrs J. B. Steele'a two recitations were alone worth the price of admission. The vocal portion of the programme was much above the average. Mrs Angus and Mrs Inglis contributed numbers; Mr Florence was heard to advantage in the air from " La Sonnambula"; Mr Barriagton, in his selection from " Ernani," showed how much his voice has improved ; and a brother of hia astonished his hearers by disi playing a bass voice of considerable power, which if properly cultivated would be capable of doing great things. The company at the Princess have formed themselves into a commonwealth. Their erst while manager, feeling himself unable to meet engagements, thought a trip to Wellington would benefit his health ; but some of his creditors getting wind of his intention, sued out the necessary detainer at the hands of Mr Simpson, R.M. Ifc is said that the scene on board the steamer, and the efforts made to induce the late manager to remaia iv Dunedin a little longer, afforded considerable amusement to those on board. Jenny Lind's eyes are described as being as lovely as ever in their expression and in their soft depths of lustrous blue. Her abundant brown hair, slightly Bilvered, she still dresses iv the old fashion. The Lingards appear to have made a hit in Auckland in " Stolen Kisses." The company includes Mr J. B. Steele, Mrs Fitzwilliam, and Mr Charles Craig. After a short season at the Thames, the company comes South. Burnand's " The Turn of the Tide " is playing at the Bijou, Melbourne ; and Mr Fair clough continues to give Shakespeare at the Royal; whilst. "Lost in London," with Sam Emery as Job Amroyd, has been played for a week at the Peopled Theatre. St. George's Hall, Melbourne, is tenanted by a variety company, styling themselves "The Franziai Amusement Company," after the female bicycliat, who ie a member of it. Mr R. J. Roberts, Misses Leaf and Heath, and Messrs Harding and Crane, aro also members. The Sydney Telegraph haa the following :— " A brief but painful case was brought before Mr Justice Windeyer in his divorce and matrimonial jurisdiction. It was that in which Mrs Maria Thatcher, a young, ladylike, and sorrowing suitor, applied through Mr Want for a rule nisi for the dissolution of her marriage in 1872 with Mr Richmond Thatcher, a well known theatrical agent, on the grounds of cruelty, adultery, and desertion. Strong evidence of each of these charges having been adduced, his Honor had no hesitation in granting the rnle, which will probably be made absolute, unless the respondent can show good cause against it, in six months from date. It was sworn that Mr Thatcher had more than once struck his wife, that he had lived with another woman as man and wife, and that he had deserted his wife and children, leaving them no means of support when starting for England with the woman referred to." R. B. Lewis' "Uncle Tom's Cabin" Company are performing in flohart Town, Miss Nellie Holmes is Lutle Eva. The Juvenile "Pinafore" Company is draw--ing immense houses in Sydney. The attendance during the week ended August 29th was over 8000, the largest ever seen at the Queen's Theatre. Sydney telegrams state that the New South Wales Government prevented Professor Proctor from delivering his Sunday lectures there. Popular concerts on Saturday nights have been successfully inaugurated in Adelaide. There is no truth in the report that Barry Sullivan goes to Americp. Ha commences another toar of the English provinces this month. Charles Wilmot estimates his personal loaa by ihe destruction of the Duko'e Theatre at £2000. Emily Soldeno was playing in Dublin on July 4th. Frank Mayo has been playing "Davy Crockett" to large houses in Liverpool. Barnnm's new Museum at; New York is to be conducted by a company, the famous showman being the general manager. L: is proposed to erect a new building of splendid proportions, which will contain neaily eleven acrea of available floor room. It will be five storeys hi<*h, and will ever the entire block bounded on the north by Twenty-seventh street, and west by Madison avenue. The lower storey will be known as the colosseum, and its size will be 200 ft; by 400 ft. This will be devoted to chariot races, trotting matches, military drills, &c. The first floor wijl be used as a first-rate opera house, and on the same floor will be lecture rooms, an aquarium, skating rink, &o. The second and third floors will be devoted to a variety of shows, such as Punch and Judy, marionettes, Chinese jugglers, fdfe women, giants, dwarfs, &c. T&o fourth floor will be employed as a tropical garden, in which concerts will be given. An observatory will also be included ia the scheme. The directors of the company will be Messrs Vanderbilt, Barnum, Henry Cummins, and other well-known enterprising speculatora. ; The Lentons are meeting with much sue cess in their new entertainment, " La Perche Tournante," at the Westminster Aquarium. Jnles Cohen'j opera, '"Estella," haa been played by Adelina Patti and Nicolini at the Royal Italian It is vofed to be commonplace, without a vestige of originality, and abouuding with echoes of Meyerbeer, Koseini, Gounod, and Bellini. Its production ia England ib solely due to Madame Patti's admiration of the work, to whose pare the only attractive mueic falls. The author was paid £200 for the right of performance in London. Yet another of J. L. Toole'a jokes. Whea the company had done laughing at the "game pie" episode (mentioned hi List week's Notes), j somebody whu denied all intention of being "crusty" suggested that if the actor named had himself purloined the missing portion of the pie he would deserve imprisonment. " Well," said the popular arcist, " that would be nothing new to me, for all the world knows I am a Jail (J. It,) Toole " Offenbach will write the music of a piece, in one act, by Mr Ernest Blum, ia which Madame TLe'o will make her debut at the Vurie'ce's, Paris, in October. •'Daniel Ttochat," expurgated and mutilated, C 8.4 proved a failure at, Vienna ; but in Italy, j <m the other hand, its success has beau marked : I Floreuc^, Tmin, and .Milan have thown it RVbnt favour The omtdy, ifc i-j estimated I has already pko d a &ura or 1 £5000 to M. Sai t'on'fe es<'vU f . '* WfaaVs ia a naiao ? ' ■ Mies Guilietta Ardi i(a daugLter ot the conj ductor at Her Majesty'a) Lai made a very sueI ceaaf ul debut aa a tragedienne, 1

I The new Theatre Royal, Dublin, ia to hold 1 3400' persons, or 500 more than the old one. Its position has been reversed, the frontage being to Hawker street, and thrown back 40 feet, so that the noble proportions of the fagade may be better seen. The architect ia Mr C. J. Phipps, F.S.A., who built the Gaiety, Dublin. From the recent action brought by La Come"die Francaise management against Mdlle Bernhardt it appears that her engagement at the house of Moliere brought her in £2400 per annum, a yearly benefit;, and a retiring allow* ance representing £800 a year. Mrs Hill, otherwise Mmc lima de Murska, ! haa .been figuring in the Court of Common . | Pleas as plaintiff against Mr Mapleson, of Her Majesty's Theatre. The aotion was brought to recover a balance of salary of £365 4a 4d. Madame de Murska had been engaged for a tour of winter concerts at £240 per month. Part of the money had been paid, hut Mr Mapleaon claimed to deduct the balance on account of the absence of the plaintiff through, illness. Mr Justice Grove considered that Madame de Murska was suing for salary which she had not earned. Mr Mapleaon gained the day. The etage of the Egyptian Hall (says the European Mail) 13 alrfeady graced by the presence of Fanfare and Labial, automatic musicians of no mean powera ; the advent of a complete orchestra may, however, be shortly anticipated. In the construction of these performers Mr Maskelyne has furnished very satisfactory evidence of his taste as an artist no less than of his skill as a mechanic. The independence of thought and action displayed by these figures is provocative of much amused bewilderment. When, while ci gaged iv playing with their lord and master, a musical absurdity quaintly styled the " March of the Disraelites in the Key of Asia Minor," the automata break forth with the popular refrain, " We don't want to fight," the audience appears just for a moment almost too astonished to laugh, a silence, however, Which ia quickly followed by rounds of applause. The Albert Institute at Windsor being fa debt, Princes 3 Christian organised a concert in order to clear it off. She had the assistance of Mr and Madame Lind-Goldschmidt, Sir J. Gk Elvey, Lady Ponsonby, and the talent of the Oastleand Royal borough. Princess Christian, herself played with Mr Otto Goldachmidt an arrangement of Sterndale Bennett's celobrated overture " The Wood Nymphs," and there was nothing to distinguiah the rendering from that of a professional artiste. Her Royal Highness displayed charming talent for style and admirable command of execution. Princess Christian has always been one of the most remarkable amateurs of the Royal Family, which appears to inherit much of the faculty for music possessed by the Prince Consort., Madame IjincU Goldsohmidt followed with the songs " Sohil. flied" (Mendelssohn) and "Orpheus with big Lute" (A. Sullivan), the well -remembered notes and expression of tbe Swedish nightingale recalling to the memories of m&ny present the enthusiasm created by a display of her unrivalled powers when she charmed the town as Jenny Lind. There was naturally a great rash for tickets, which in some cases realised advanced prices. The proceeds of the concert amounted to LI6OO, leaving a balance in band of LSOO after liquidating the debt on tbe building fund. Mrs Catherine Lewis "bested" the acute manager, Daly. At the head of a Royal Middy company she was a prime favourite with the New Yorkers. Manager Daly wanted to take bis company on a tour with an inferior " star," bub the inland manager* telegraphed back when they heard of his intention, "Don't want tbe Royal Middy without Catherine Lewis." Now, Manager Daly, who had discharged the lady, was obliged, on a three months' engagement, to re-engage her at double her previous salary. The same authority announces the arrival in New York of Alf. Haynian, who having announced hia engagement for the Colonisa of Louise Pomeroy, the Humpty Datnpty Company, and a variety troupe— all of whioh Coppia and Company intimate will appear at the Royal Melbourne, during the Exhibition season-— iti may be safely inferred that A. H. is representative of the Bourke street Establishment. This is the Cincinatti Enquirer's opinion of Amy Sherwin :—" She promises well as a soprano einger. She sang the romauza from " William Tell" with pathos and precision. Her voice is remarkably pure and strong, though ifc may appear somewhat strained. She puts her whole soul into the subject, and has overcome quite well the difficulties of transition from the very low to the very high notes. Her pianissimo is like an angel's whisper prolonged (!) and indicates a rate degree of culture. The best run of high notes was brought out magnificently and brought down the house in a tremendous burst of applause. Her singing, too, was listened to with breathless interest, generously ap plauded, and she enjoyed the distinction of a recall. Her voice ia a peculiar one, .but full of melody. She ainga with great expression and soul, and is really dramatic in her style. Her costume was a ciel blue gros graine silk and satin brocade basque and over dress combined elaborately trimmed with the richest Languedoo lace. She wears her front hair parted at the side like a boy and frizzed— an odd but oecoming style. Her ornaments were diamonds and plain gold bracelets. Personally Mias Sherwin is a charming little lady, easy and unaffected. She was brought out by au enthusiastic reoall." My Paris correspondent writes :— " There ia absolutely nothing at the theatres ; the only novelty ia that at the National Opera, where Maurel has appeared iv " Faust" as Mephistophiles. The music has been arranged, with the approbation of Gounod, to suit his baritone voice, but the artiste does more ; he presents us with a Mephisto., seducing, sceptical, and a gentleman, not a creature hotly arrived from Hades. He is the personification of evil, presented in the moat human form and with every terrestial advantage. The representation certainly brings the idea of Goethe more vividly to the mind of the spectator— a fantastic, ideal personage, armed from head to foot to exercise his malign influence on poor human nature. M Maurel haa by hia singing and acting, confirmed the high reputation that he has won. At the Continental Hotel, Professor Rudy gave the concluding concert of season, where a capital programme (and a new opera) of the choicest music was brilliantly execmed by the severa professors and their pupils." Mr Toole has issued a humorous notice apropos of ihe prevalent mania for foreign plays in London. The popular comedian "respectfully announces that, beiag ever anxious to march with ihe times, and appreciating the interest taken in the numerous foreign performances (Italian, French, German, Dutch, &&) a t Dre sent or shortly to be presently to the public he has arranged for a revival of that famous drama ' ?• -° a F ™ aciiis6 " a t a forthcoming matinee All the characters m this celebrated work will be sustained by English artists who will speak in their native language " At the Chateau d'Eau, Paiia,' a we n con structed and interesting old melodrama AnkSt i3our S eois and Albert's " Madeleine* "hatK revived. A i.et lo bo noted fa »& t a lrtS awitaw 111 toe puce, and that hi 8 tfradaa j£ honour of roligton and Christian cfifcv a re not hooted, Lut loudly applauded byIEJIS • democratic audience of this house