Music and the Drams.

Otago Witness, Issue 1581, 4 March 1882, Page 23

Music and the Drams.

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

— Shakbspbarb.

THEATRICAL & MUSICAL $OTES.

By Puok.

[Contributions from the Profession chronicling their movements and doings are respectfully invited.]

Miss Amy Horton has seceded from the Lyons' Tourist Party, and is at present in Christchurch. R. Love is now agent for the Tourists. The Canterbury Times informs me that, work has been commenced on the Tuam street Hall, which will be ready for opening in December.

The Sydney Bulletin has the following sad intelligence about one who in days gone by was a favourite in Dunedin : — " Poor Johnny Moran, whose Irish jigs and stick-twirling used to make his audiences yell, is now stonoblind, and led about by his little son. However, Johnny still follows his profession, and has of late been doing well on the Victorian side."

Miss Leaf has joined Raphael's English Opera Company. A joint-stock company, with a capital of £30,000, has been started to build a new theatre 1 in Hobart. Mr G. R. Johnston, of Mel-, bourne, is to be the architect, and the site is next the Ship Hotel, Collins street. Mr Coppin's venture in establishing an Olde Englishe Fayre in the Melbourne Exhibition building was a most signal success, from a pecuniary point of view. Mr Harkins closed his Christchurch season on Saturday with " The Merchant of Venice" and "The Colonel." The previous night he played "Virginius" and "Katherine and Petruchio," on his benefit, to a poor house. The company sailed on Tuesday for Auckland. Thompson's Diorama appears to be having a good time in Christchurch. Professor and Madame Weston are giving an entertainment in the suburbs of Christchurch.

The Montague-Turner Company. My anticipations proved correct. On Friday night the Queen's Theatre was comfortably filled in every part, the circle having quite a cheerful appearance. It was soon evident, from the heartiness with which the prima donna was received on entering, and the reception accorded to every number she gave, that she was the special object of the audience's attention. And the performance was in every way worthy of the large and fashionable audience. It opened with the second act of " Faust," which went so well that there was a general wish expressed that more of the opera had been given. I have not space to go into details. Suffice it, therefore, that Mrs Turner's singing of the spinning-wheel and jewel songs will have left a lasting impression on all who heard them. For my, own part, I cannot" say that I ever heard her in better voice, and it goes without sayingthat her actingwas as fine as hervocalisation. Some people affirm that this is an opera which suffers from being rendered in English, but interpreted by such artists as the Turners the defect, if it can be called such, is hot apparent—to me at least. Mr Turner, as Faust; looked the character, and sang the music with his usual ability. Mr Farley was an excellent Mephistopheles, and Miss Deakin a surprisingly good Siebel. At the close of the act all the performers were called before the curtain, and Mrs Turner was of course singled out for a special round of applause. " Mignon" in almost its entirety followed. The cast was the same as when it was first produced here, with the exception that Miss Lambert played Frederic instead of Miss Godfrey. In this opera the beneficiaire again showed herself to be a most conscientious and accomplished artiste. She achieved more than one triumph during the evening, but her effort was, without question, her singing of " The Swallows," which might be fairly described as an elaborate musical painting. I heard once of teaching music by colours, and think that had the system ever been adopted, Mrs Turner's singing would, on paper, represent a most beautiful pictiire. Mr Turner, as Wijhelm Meister, left nothing to be desired ; whilst Mr Farley, as Lotario, has a part that fits him U ke a gIQYe. His fine voice is peculiarly adapted to the music, which he gave with much sweetness. Miss Deakin was happily cast as Felina, which is, without doubt, the best effort she has made in Dunedin. Miss Lambert's Frederic is a decided improvement on the representation of her predecessor. She sings the music well, dresses the part tastefully, and acts with a considerable amount of vivacity. The performance was concluded shortly before midnight ; and the fact that not a dozen people left their seats till th.c end is proof positive that the audience were thoroughly pleased. The company's final appearance was made on Saturday night, when "The Bohemian Girl " was given to the thorough satisfaction of a large audience. On Sunday evening the principals appeared in a sacred concert, and the theatre was crowded. In bidding adieu to Mr and Mrs Turner, and wishing them good fortune in their managerial career, I hope it may not be Jong before we in Dunedin may have the pleasure of renewing their acquaintance. Tneir ability and accomplishments are admitted on all hands, and if they come among us again they may safely reckon on a hearty welcome, and support commensurate with their deserts. For my own part, I desire to tender my thanks to them for the pleasant evenings I have spent listening to them, and to Signor de Vivo for many courtesies.

Australian.

In a Melbourne Entr'acte I came across a chatty American letter from a resident of that city who is " doing" America, and who, writing from New York, says inter alia :—" Charley Backus, who twice visited Australia, has Ins own opera-house, has made a pile, and is still adding to it. ... Emmett is again to the fore. In the early part of this month (December) he opened a short season at Haverley's Fourteenth Street Theatre, where 'Fritz' played splendidly. He is now a total abstainer, and religiously keeps to it. He is now playing ' Fritz in Ireland ' to crowded houses, and making another pile. He is as popular as ever, and says that new engagements are pouring in on him right and left from all parts of America ; but he certainly looks forward to another visit to Australia and New Zealand. Sam Rickey, the Irish comedian and song-aud-dance man, is once more in this city, but he is thoroughly broken down a,nd apparently played out. Mrs Emma Waller, in the early days of Melbourne a most excellent actress and singer, has left the stage, and is now giving readings, interspersed with vocal illustrations, at the Chickering Hall. . . . Val Vose, lately in New York, challenged E. D. Davies, who advertises himself as the ' premier ventriloquist of the world,' to a performance for a certain sum, but the challenge has not yet been accepted.'' R, B. Wiseman has resigned the treasurer'

ship of the Adelaide Royalj and returns to Melbourne.

C. E. Jones, the ex- Victorian politician, is lecturing in Melbourne on America and her institutions. Always a favourite with the people, he has been warmly welcomed. At the Harwood benefit Miss Nellie Stewart was the recipient of "one of the most beautiful bouquets with streamers of ribbon " that could possibly be made up. Her admirer is said to have been an officer of the Russian squadron. The Mendelssohn Quintette Club have been giving their concerts at the Melbourne Operaouse to enthusiastic but not over large audiences.

Mr F. Mervin's Sydney admirers have tendered him a benefit in that city. "Michael Strogoff" at the Sydney Gaiety fains in popularity. Messrs Emmett and S. 'oole are the two newspaper correspondents. Hudson's Surprise Party, after a successful tour of South Australia, are back in Melbourne.

Batchelder and Bent's Minstrels have returned to Sydney. It is stated that Miss Murielle has gone to Melbourne to study under Madame Lucy Chambers.

There is absolutely no news of interest from the other side this week.

Miss E. L. Thomson, the armless lady, was exhibiting herself at Hobart at date of latest advices.

Walter Reynolds has been playing the Butterman to Miss Carry George's Mary Melrose. The Hobartonians liked both impersonations.

Wilhelmj's concerts at Hobart were largely and fashionably attended. Musgrove's season of opera bouffe was to commence at Adelaide on February 2Qth. Emma Waggenheim is prima donna, and it is promised that "Billee Taylor" shall be produced during the season. The Royal College of Music, the claims of which two of the Royal princes went to Birmingham recently to advocate, aims at giving a complete course of professional training, extending over several years. It is intended by the establishment of scholarships to provide wholly or in part for the education and maintenance of deserving pupils. Fellowships will also be established, carrying _ with them pecuniary advantages, to aid rising musicians who, having acquired distinction at the college, might otherwise be tempted, on commencing their professional careers, to sacrifice the higher aspirations of their art to the necessity of providing immediate means of subsistence.. Paying pupils will also be admitted on such' terms, as to entrance fees or otherwise, as may be deemed to be most beneficial to the interests of the college,' provided that they are willing to undergo a test examination and a prescribed course of study. An application has been, made to the Privy Council for a charter, and, pending its grant, a trust has been created in the names of the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Christian, the Duke of Westminster, Sir Richard Wallace^ and Lord Charles Bruce to receive subscriptions. The Prince of , Wales is' president ; the names of the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Leopold, Prince Christian, the Duke of Cambridge figure among the vice-presidents ; and Sir M. Costa, Mr Otto Goldschmid, Dr Grove, Mr Halle, Mr Leslie, and Dr Arthur Sullivan represent the profession on the executive of the institution. Home and Foreign. i

Mr, Arthur Matthison's successful comedy, " A Thread of Silk," is about to start on a year's tour of the provinces, where it will be unwound by the skilful hands of Miss Rose Leclercq. Mr DOyly Carte takes it to America, Mr George Rignold to Australia, and it will shortly be produced in the evening at a London theatre,

Walter Raleigh, the unfortunate author, of " Queen and Cardinal," which was such a huge fiasco during Mrs Scott Siddons' brief management of the London Haymarket, unwittingly , pays a high tribute to independent criticism; The piece on which " ten years' labour and £200 " were expended to go "in a moment " was on- the morning after its production- con- 1 demned in unmeasured terms by 'all the leading Loii'don jqurnals. " That morning," writes Mr Raleigh, "no less than 100 stalls booked at different plaoes were cancelled, every one of them, and on Friday (next day) the receipts fell to £16, the result of the Times' article." i

Mr Richard Drummond, the youngest son of a Scotch lady of title, has taken to the stage. He made his first appearance as Bertram in " Guy Mannering " at the Edinburgh Theatre Royal. His performance was very successful, his singing of "My pretty Jane " being very neatly delivered, and his acting, more especially during his first interview with Meg Merrilies, was decidedly in advance of that usually displayed by "singing walking gentlemen." Henry Irving, on completing his tour of the English provinces, was presented by his company with a handsome silver bowl, suitably inscribed.

The Prince of Wafcs has presented to Mr Edgar Bruce, in commemoration of the " Colonel " performance at Abergeldie, beautiful engraved portraits of himself and the Princess for the decoration of the Prince of Wales' Theatre.

Sardou's "Odette" has been purchased by Bancroft, and is to be produced at the London Hay market in April, with Ma.dam.c Modjeska as the heroine.

Sarah Bernhardt, in "The Lady of the Camelliaa," wa? &% first coldly received in the Russian oapital, but before the close of the performance the audience were most enthusiastic. In the spring Mr Mapleson intends to produce at Her Majesty's, London, the series of operas known as "The Nibelungen Ring." Herr Neuman will direct, and Herr Anton Seidl, of Leipsic, conduct. Massenet* " L'Heriodade " has achieved a phenomoiul success at Brussels, More of this extraordinary work anon. Concerning " Parsifal " and the connection of Patti with the leading role, W. BreartKingston writes to the Theatre" :—": — " His (Herr Richter's) veneration for the Beyrouth Prophet, which, is unbounded, led him to the conclusion that the Queen of Song could not close her extraordinary career in a more memorable manner than by identifying her name foy ever with the theatrical genesis of Richard Wagner's latest heroine. I procured him the opportunity of expounding this view to Madame Patti in person, which he did in my presence, with the fiery eloquence and contagious enthusiasm that are among his many attractive characteristics; and the diva lent a well-pleased ear to his arguments and pleadings. I fear, however, that the probabilities are but slender of Adelina's appearance on the Beyrouth boards next summer in the great and arduous part of Kundry. In the first place her transatlantic engagements cannot but stand fatally in the way of due preparation for so difficult a role. Secondly, Kundry is a maleficent witch, whose normal condition is to behave musically as such, and to be ' made up ' ugly into the bargain. These two stipulations must be complied with by any prima donna undertaking the part. Neither of them, I apprehend, would be deemed acceptable by Adelina Patti, although she is well nigh as fervent an admirer of Wagner'B genius as Hans Riohter himself, and would delight in impersonating Senta or Elsa. ■ But, then these parts arc melodious throughout}

which Kundry's is not ; and, moreover, the operatic heroines identified with them are both choice incarnations of female beauty, whilst the ' Parsifal' witch, throughout one whole act at least, would vex her audience's eyes instead of capturing their hearts." A Home paper says that to convey a proper idea of " Foggerty's Fairy," Gilbert's new piece, it is necessary to sketch the story, which opens in the drawing-room of a Mr Talbot's house, where a wedding party is found assembled—the guests, in fact, who have come to assist at Foggerty's marriage to Jenny Talbot. Jenny is an extremely charming girl, and it is the wish of her romantic heart to gain a love which has never been given before. The young surgeon, Foggerty, has declared that this is his case, and Jenny has accepted him, though in truth he has been engaged to marry Delia Spiff, a wealthy spinster of considerable age and no attractions, whom he had met in Melbourne. In his best man, Walkinshaw, Foggerty has a defeated rival, for Walkinshaw had an excellent prospect of winning Jenny's hand until the discovery that he had entertained a former affection for a Miss Malvina de Vere secured his dismissal ; and it is Walkinshaw who breaks to Foggerty the direful news that Delia Spiff haß landed and is on her way to the Talbots' house. What is to be done ? In the good old days, when faithful lovers had fairy mothers, one of those guardians would have turned up to protect Foggerty, and he observes that if there is .such a thing as a fairy godmother, an opportunity of showing what she is worth, such as may never occur again, has arisen. In a moment through the wall there appears the Fairy Rebecca, his tutelary genius, ready to help him generally, and in particular to save him from Spiff. She even carries her medicine with her, and presents to Foggerty a phial and a little box of globules. Swallowing one of $he latter will always summon her, and for the former, if he takes two teaspoonsful at any time, previously expressing a wish to blot any person out of his career, blotted out that person will be ; but — and here ia the point — with him or her will be blotted out all the circumstances that have arisen from the acquaintance ; and the Fairy explains how, one thing having' led to another, he owes his very existence to the fact that a certain dog tumbled into the river Ganges. She warns him against taking the remedy, for it is a desperate one, and, its consequences, cannot be foreseen ; but he' accepts it, and when, at the very moment the wedding part is on the point of starting, Delia Spiff appears, claims Tfoggerty, and makes 1 herself peculiarly unpleasant, he has recourse to the phial, and , blots Spiff from his life. Suspense and, t surprjse are among the most valuable of dramatic qualities, and both are here in abundance. When Foggerty is found again he is in a back drawing-room in Harley street. How and why he came there is a mystery to .him;; i and Rebecca, who appears, declined to afford him any information, on the ground that her, knowledge of him having arisen through Delia Spiff, she is " spiffed out." It is with the' greatest relief, therefore, that he sees a couple of bridesmaids en^er, young ladies who had been found in that capacity before on hia wedding-day. He is, not married then, but is just about to be, and Spiff was a hide' ous dream. Jenny is upstairs, but before she comes down a Miss Malvina de Vere is an* nounced, a tall and tragic lady, who treats Foggerty as if the relations between them were 1 more than friendly. As he has never seen her before, this is painfully perplexing, and things are not made clearer when Jenny comes down in a wedding dress — but not, it seems, to marry him, for he is only best man to Walkinshaw. But for Spiff all would have gone differently, and this is the complexion to which things would have come. Yet, as Jenny confesses, she loves Foggerty beat, and when all seems hopeless relief comes from an unexpected quarter. r Many men have trifled with the) affections of Malvina de Vere, and .the 18th 'trifler is none other than Walkinsnaw. Hfl admits it, he cannot deny it, and he collapses; whereupon Malvina, to the horror r and astonishment of Jenny, pre--cipitates'herself into Foggerty's ' arms, and tells him how the obstacle, Walkinshaw, being removed, and turned over to the attention of her experienced solicitor, ' she can accept those professions of ' affection which' for the last 12 months he, Foggerty, has showered upon her. That unhappy man, struck with horror, incontinently flees'; Malvina, pursues him, andruns him down, after a long'chase, at the starting' point. Meantime, however, Talboft has called m two mad doctors, who pronounce Foggerty to be insane, and on horror's head horrors are accumulating, when a most ingenious means of escape is found, and that just when the audience is sorely taxed to see a way out of existing difficulties. Foggerty has still 47 globules left, and he produces Rebecca, rather cross at being called up. This he does not mind ; and having pointed out that things may be made awkward for her in consequence of the remaining globules, he boldly indicates the weak places in her arrangement. When hs took the draught, all the consequences of his having known Spiff were to have been obliterated ; but she, Rebecca, is a consequence, and here is in difficulties which she has brought about. Rebecca admits it, and agrees to put everything as it was on the wedding-day, with the absolute omission of Delia. Instanta* neously the scene changes ; all the characters are as they were when the curtain rose, and the marriage proceeds. Such is the wildly fantastic story with which Mr Charles Wynd* ham and his company at the London' Criterion are amusing large audiences.