Music and the Drama.

Otago Witness, Issue 1586, 15 April 1882, Page 19

Music and the Drama.

1 For lam nothing, if not critical. 1 ' ■ ■' ■1 ' Theman that hath not music in himself, i Let no such ma'n'be trusted. , \ '' ' ' >\ / ■ '"'• '■'' -SdAKK^BAIiR THEATRICAL Wf)if .'. '. -' BtBvOK; ' ,•.<•], [Contribution* from the Profession chronicling tlmr movements and doings are respectfully invited.] ~ Intorprovinclal. ,W. E. Sheridan's agent was a passenger by the last California steamor, and is arranging there for Jus advent. „ , , \ . , Williamson's Opera Company are due in Melbourne at tho end of Juno. " Patience "fis then to be rehabl- ' litated.'j ■ , ,-. ( , •• 1 f ' A few items from the (Janteibury, Times wMr. , J?}»her (comedian and burlesque) has' settled dotvrf in; business in Christchurch.— At the opening rehearsal, of Mr Willlam'g'on'H Opera Compariy.'one of the rnenlhers fell through a trap on'tho stage isd hurt h|sfJeg badly. Mr Boitf.y happened to be present, and at once had the gentleman conveyed 1 to the shop of iMr - Townend, chemist, and the injured limb was attended to, "The sufferer was notable to attend tohis.du ies, till Wednesday night, when he w»s,no doub^.agneably surprised, to find two cheques' for substan ial 'amounts waiting for him. It' should bo' mentioned' thdt the 1 cheques bore the Mgiiatures of Mr Beatty 1 and Mr Williamson! respectively.— -It used to be he . fashion (and still is for. what we know) among some , professionals to' talk. <?f Christchurch as the bent " phow !* town in the.Co^ny. „ ,)Ve!l, we have for" some time been of opinion ( that Dunedin is far, ahead of it in the extent' to which it patronises really 'good enier'tainmenta, and we should think the ''Pitiflnfle" season ought to disabuse anybody of their belief in the City 1 of the Pliine.' 'The. opening night at D in- ; edin was £60 better than the first night here, and hej houses since will bear.no comparison. A carofyl re-, trogpect of the past few years should convince any >ne that whateyer Christchurch. may have been, long kgo it cannot compare with the Soiitncrn capital now; i s a' Stand for theatrical. managers. • Particularly ia- ' his the cave with musical companion, . Where six- pec plo go to a'theatre'.her'e to he'&r ari'opera',' tori go ih D mIdin. ''" ' ■" ' ' ! ■■■!?[' iThe Comedy and 1 Burlesque Company have b en .doihir good business' in tpe.jout-dlstricts; of Wellington, T,hey were.thiea^j^angan,^ on t^e,..]ath; ' Naturally all tho entertainments J in Chrls'tchu '^5 'were-weli'patroh'ised on E»sto'r f 'M'otf%." THe'diisra waßpabked to 'the doors; dtid'no-tond '6f nibney; ras, turned away.- 'I hear that tha takings that bight "w sre considerably! over j£2(l|o. , c, v ,;.;,•■ I " ; The Mendelssohn Oixlntette Club. Mr Morris Greo'nwall, the agent of' this Club, aFriVe'd in Dunedin during the early part of the weok, 1 nd loatno time in arranging for 'their' appearance' here, - The notices that have appeared in these columns 'of he wanderjngs of the; Club in Australia ought, to hiveinvade my readers pretty fai^iiHar with the of; 'the Cl'ub.ahd wit"h the calibre of the gentlemen.; ho 'constitute' th'e Olub. ■.Mr'Gree'nwall Has'.'rthink.'aote'd' wiaeiyin selecting the Temberanc'6 Hullfor the Club's concerts.' 'This hall is adapted to chamber music, And what in it woulfl in fact b«):ft profitable audiencd wo ild> be almost lost in ,the Garrison Hal). From oauseg w)iich cannot, be'explained, | b,it t which are defllortil by every' musician and' lbvcr of music hi Australia, pho Club did not meet, with,, that succrss their collective merits and excellence deserved. The compositions; of Mendelssohn, Schubert'; Mozart; Beethoven, and ithe ' other groat mastois, soulfully interpreted and admirably executed, had no attractions for those who prefer to be the " uulchah'd " ol the Australian cities. { Qf course, it cquW not, be expectpd that the mob woiild patronise the, Club whoh opora-boiiffe and sensational drama were' at their .doors.' It is, 'however," to .'the credit of the musical 1 profession of Mblbo'urno that, mortified at the coldness of 'the reception accorded to the Club on^firs't appearing, in that city, 4 they did wliat , Jay in their power to remove th,e bad' impression) &nd gave to the Club,' oh the ovo of their departutojf-r theso shores, a "send -off" so ha'ipy'inits inau'tmra-, tion and so successful in its carrying out m will csyise 1 the CiuV to recall wiijh pleasure formally days to« me" their last hours in the Victorian capital. It has lj een the boast pf Dunedln in tb,'e past that we have always shown a substantial appVe'ciattoVo'f anything good in the musical liiie that Comes our way. The Mendfelssohn Club bring vs 1 tho highest credentials, a'nfl I hop,e,, therefore, jthattfeey wijl be able ,to go out fi om' amopg,'uß impressed wltlj,tho ( heljef jtha,^ 'as,a o>m'.' miiuity our appreciatiofi of the divine art Is solid—nofc - superficial. A few' words now as to the origin' of ithe Cluß and the artistic careers of the men who rare about to introduce themselves 1 to the public of Dunedin. The private performances of chamber najisic by a, few artists in Boston led f 0 a desire ,011 tho part of a few music-lovers 'in that cityfor public" performances of the same character, and this led to the formation of the Club in the winter 'of 1848-9. The oiiginal members wore August Friers, l^t violin ; Francis Itiha, 2nd violin ; Edward Lehmann, viola ami flute ; Thomas Kyan, viola and clarionette ; and Woll Fries, violoncello. Mendelssohn's op. IS Quintette having been associated wiih much of their private study, led to their selecting the name of that favourite composer for their Clvb — which gavo it* iirat pubic contort, by invitation, al, the rooms of Junaa iJIiU-Kerinfr, of pianoforte icdown, and I have be-on iavouiod \ul.h a copy of the first pro^raniiue, which i 3 as follows:— (1) (JuiufoUo o;> IS, Mendelssohn; (i) solo violi ., La JJebncolie, Prumu; (() trio conueiiante for Hute, violin, and violoncello, Iv\ liwod> ; (4) cinjcevto for cla. lotiette, Burr ; (o^qui itetfc op. 4, Mi'Otliovon. No kooi'O' w.w tho C v)) fairly oruvuiifspil shan t'loir uorn'orts, wo.iv urowilcil in I» ibtcn, anil they vory ao<»n vi-iud other citios, do.nc the w> vk of nm&ical mi i-bioi;jric<,i -bioi;jric<, and wen cv. rywheve reci'ivi'il with enthuiiubui. In bixteon yi>ars after its foimaiion we find that in one year— October, 1861, to October, 1865-ittravelledoverlo,ooomileg,withouthay. ing been but once out of New England, performing at 203 concerts besides fulfilling other eauajiemunts, Ihe.flrafc change made in the Club w«a by the resigna..

tion of Mr Lohmann in 1852, his place having been filled successively by Gustav ,Krebs," Kobert; Goering, 1 Edward ' Beyer, Edward Heindl, and tho present' flautiat, William Schade. The next change was m»de by the resignation of Mr Itiha, 2nd violin, in 1854, succeeded respectively ;by Ctvrl Meisel, Carl Hamm, Charles N. Allen, Gusfew Danruther, and the present fonest Thiele. In 18C8 Mr Augußt Fries resigned, and his impoitant post '(first violin) was filled first by Mr William Suhultze ; afterwards in succession by Messrs Jacobson, Heimandahl, and tho present Mr Isidor Sehnitzler. In 1872 Mr Wulf Fries— after 28 years' membership— resigned, succeeded fin>t by Mr .Rudolph Hennini>s (who remained a member for seven years), and afterwards by j the present. Mr Frederick Giose. ' The'reputation of the Club boint,' well known amongst musical people in' 'Europe,' it Mas alw.aya been .' a comparatively- easy', 'msittai 4 to replace rotjring m6mbers by 'aWists 1 'of competent ability. Mr Thomad'Kyari is'the'6illy reihainingi !ori(;inal member of tho Club. He is not only ,a' masterly performer on the clarionette, but; on several other instruments, and a composer of music iof a high' character.. It has bnen mainly under his' musical and business guidance that the Club has so long maintained its enviable reputation. Mr Schnitzler (flrsf violin) is a native of Rotterdam. At the early age of ejght ihe played solos in public; when 14' he was sent ( byj the King of Holland to Bruxelles to study under Wieniawsky, and afterwards to the Royal MUsic^ jSohool.at Berlia, under Joachim, where he graduated ' with high honours. In 187S he made a tour of Europe, ' and. in the following year played frequentiyiitrSfc.'JameV'' Hall, London, MrEarneßtThiole(secondviblln)w£u3borri i in Philadelphia. .He graduated at the Consatvatorlub t in Leipzig, Germany, with highest honoursao 1878,' and joined ,. the :Club in,. 1880. Mr William 1 Schade ' (flute) is a native of Cincinnati. He studied for three ! years at the Royal High .School fdr Music In Berltfi," and joined- the Club in 1879. Mr Frederick ' Giejje (violoncello) is. a natire of Ha»g.-< He received his first' 1-sson fiom his father (an eminent player) Whert only f,our years old— a viola being used for 'the purpose; When only nine years old ho played in public, and travelled, extensively as a prodigy. At 15,' at the' expense, of the King 1 of Holland, he spent one year id' . Dresdeu and- one in Paris under the bedt master^. Qn ' his return he was made solo 'cellist in Gothenburg' ■ ReturniDg to Holland he was" appointed soto 'cellist de la cour. He was invited to join tho Club in1879. Miss Cora Miller, the vocalist of the, company, is very highly spoken of as the possessor of'a sweet, highly-cultivated soprano. The Club opdned at im'ercargillon Tuesday, aodappearon Saturday at the .Temperance Hall.

' ( Homo and Foreign. > Goorpe D'arrell' comiiiunlcato-( t^ one of tho Sydnpy papers ii chatty letter Riving Jiis version of tho Davonport ro\v, and his impressions of the leading liuiiesjof t.ho Statps. ' It iv iiitereiiting.cnough to,givo inlfull ;— "My flwt, appearance in JSo^v York waß, atithe Fifth Avouue THoatro, in tho 'Suhool ior Scandal,' with Miss Fanny Davengorfc^J was fortunate enough [to pcore a ligitimate'succesawflh tho Pr,eßß and public»a Josepli'aii'd'Dazfclo, my orlly app^rfrin6?s. l Thus taj I had completed four months of my engagement without a tinge, of, unpleasantness with my lady star, but a storm arote. A long part in a now play was takfen from tho 'heavy load,' and sent me) to play at, 40 liou 's* notice. I declined. The proceeding was unprof issional; besides, throe new dresses wererequired.aid the time.Wfis insufficient for study. Here It is niecesaary to he port tct to the elevation of an eyebro w and tle turn of a wrist. Trio managpr ultimately declared) \t had broken my contract by m.V.poreistent refusal^ my lawyer thought; other wiso, and ia'th'o ond'Miss Davenport and' her' husband were served' with papdW in] a suit to recover , 2500 > dollar* damages. As it jatands it is a very, iprotty quarrel. Every leadingman in New York sidba with me,,and the case will reeolVe itself into a question' of experts. It is looked on as a test case for' the profession ; if the manager wins, then artists here have no rights or standing. Moauwhile it is midwinter: Doubtless ore the case (be settled,, as law. goes hero..s everal winters wilL have . passed. I ,am> enabled to iuspeefc^he streets by day, and ',do* the, theatres ,at. nfgbt. Of three,. artists Icaii Write in terms pf,''enthu'»iM,«n. Mary" Anderson, America's own : tragedienne; T saw at,Bqoth'a r a3 Galatea. She is young and'strangetybeautiful, with eyes full of expression^ 1 and features of marvellom mobility, &■ willowy formiisearftaJy-yeti matured, and a , yoice of , phenomenal , range ■ and Bweetness. -i Her , methods are peculiarly fyar own, her actions gv^eful, her scholarly Intelligence palpable to the meanest Observer. ' She is, of all young artists I have seen, in my opinion; the 6n'e womaii capable of rivalling' in classic 'grandeur 'the Rachel, Rietori, and Siddons of tho prat. ,Last,niifht I witn^&ed^ossi's farewell appqaranc in ,New YorkjasHamjet.,) iLiievergaw Hamlet idoali ed before. "Tome ltwasa revelation. Liber ties were ta ea wltnthetext.th'eseerilbarraDgements.andtbebusiheV; but the interpfetatiorl by.th^Jtaliari of Shakespea t'e subtle creation' was' colossal, by reason of its mas ye < realisation and overpowering intellectuality.. The foremost actors of London, lam told, of New York Ikn w, gaßß.^Bi in light rple§ superior to Salyini,,aqd Vet 6's'si is comparatively,, a failure pecuniarily hire, 'whilst mel6dt J a(iia at The Square and .Nibtb's," and comic opera at'tfae'Stah'dwd are played nightly, , with 'standing 1 room: oilly/. exhibited; » Another art at, 'equally great in her way (iis Clara' Morris \ asanenotioqaljacpress shej»,rmpj3(i certainly iin'Ameriqa, i p( er-' less. Her Mercy Merrick, i^f The New Magdalen is a performance to be remembered'; pathos and intensity 1 are 'herstrbriff' polriW, and her audiendea'are inyariablv remdrlcaply Bympathetic.' Nine-tenths ,of iho American managers' ;can'-' be truly classed with Mr Haverly, who haSjbaeni justly describad as a, .'speju,,lfttor,iniassured.'Buc(;ess(?B.'. a p(pofof the rant; of ori^inaj, prpductipiis,, l, hs^ve, simply (to.^jite ,tha at present the TSpyr York theatres are playing, as .folio s : - Unibri SqualeJ'^Lighilis A''fidn^an f ;'VaHdck'8 > '^!he -Money iSpinher's the 'S'l4tta&Fo5 u P<ttiehce' > ;''Ff th Avenue; ' Olivette • ; the Pttrk; • The Golon'el ? ;Dal 'a, ■f Odette' (French); with.'fYoutH,' • The Black <Fli g.! 1 Manktn4l' and , •' T.akeu f Mm $41?,', ,uudetllned.. ,, ot onepr^iioUqaoriginaHoA^ri^.f' .„ ,( ....y .., ; *' A cose in which an actjor not unknqwn in this p irt of the 'world figured as a'prlncipaj/xece'ntlyjenga ed the attention of Lord'Fraser in the Court of Sessfoi at ' Edinburgh. 'A! Miss Josephine" Herbert,; an actn as, (claimed £125 las alimony and ;£26 r per annum<for he support of- h,e,r which sjie, declared J?ent ey waß|the father. i.Spme very funxiy^vj^onoe'wis eil en during tKe hearing. "The" defendant swore pdsitiv ely ,tha<f ho had nevorbeeh"f^intHar-with 'the'^ia'in ff. ■Ho also' detailed' to the Court 'his' 1 professional exp ri•enceß. -He said tbat ini iB6O, when he wW'stxt en yeara of age, he was apprenticed before tho mast' on a. vessel belonging, to, George Thompson; and Oo. ' pie ' afterwards weut abroad to Australia and Now Zeala id. , Ho rail away from his ship at Sydnoy on , jvew Yei .r's < Nigty', 1867,. ' His" prof esrional careor' was be'srun,in Auckland,' in the northern part of Now Zealand! £He Was afterwards articled to a firm of solicitors'. On he 4th October, 11874,' hp arrived in London,, arid be an to act; that »aio!:tb ■ Afterwards h,e came, to E< inbiirgh,, tod acted , in the Pjrincqsß PFhpatro. Sul sequeutly he formed a dramatic company, and mat a 'tour through Scotland.' "Tbe evidoncb*'on both ''bi es was of » very contradictory nature, and the case ' 'as adjourned more than once, but on tho 10th Jahu try iLoid Frasfqr gave, judgment, His Lordsbjip decla -cd tho result must be in, lavour of the defendant ' lis ' Lordship't however; gave no costs. ,' ;',DE'i»taincr, the well'-kuown organist pf jSt. Paul's, [ London, 1 and Princi[>al of the National' Train og School for Music," has given his croed on'the subjec of the' tonic sol-fa system. The favourable opinioi of , tho system formed twelve yeafsago has not, tie re- ' marjes, changed in the smallest degree., Both in p b-' Up aud.priya'te he has advocated, it warmly with d rtain reservation's. 'He believes the tonic sol'-fn n< ta. , ' ttbii ' to be" the"lrue' notation forvotces.Vwnile he r6'-' ' gards tliostaff as best for 1 itlscrumen'talists. The topic .idlfa system is invaluable is 1 a' logical and philqao-' phlcal method, ot teaching singing. L»rStiiner believes that the btafl presents special Uilflcultios to would be , singers, who cannot play on any instrument, and t lat tlietoniosol-faremovesthedifiiculties, Forelement try school^, 1 rural choirs, and persons' generally who h ive no time to devote to an instrument, hq considers tho tonic sol-fa the best possible systom. It is at jthe same .time no bar whatever to the appreciation of the staff notation. ■ It is highly improbable now that Christine NUsson will visit America this yctir, Her husband's sad death has upset her p'ana, and «Qino of her intimate friends say that she will not he heard in public for the next two years. Of M. Rousseau's fatal illnooa, J. 11. Huynie, writing from Paris to B.vtnu'a Dramatic News, Baul :— " When Nilsson marriod him she had a fortune of fcv>o million trincd ; ho was earninjr all the way fron no.OOO »o J 00,000 t'jiiiicrt a year as a stock broker. •She loot half h«v fortune in apeuulating in America, and this faut alwayu wonied him. A few months ago he wai coaxed into a soucalsition in ov ler, as lie sad, 'to r-'oover the money Ohiisfcine lost.' lie rlid'i't win, and lie 0103011 out Ihe Iranwicliun immodhviioly. '1 profei 10 ]■)"'. twoiinyeis (tun my whole haml,' axid Uc to hi* friends. A few days later his wife saw ho was lion compos mentis, and, hoping to hring him back to his senses, she humoured him in his strange idea, which was to start a bank. For five days and five night» she never slept a wink; he kept her hard i at work all the time writing, at his dioUtion, Iheide-.l tailed plaDB of his grande maisonde bphqut. Xheahe I was token to a private asylum, tbe fourth porsjm in j

that one hospital alone jvho, has been attacked by madness as a result of th'e'financiaf cM*«tr6phe which jell upon France within the 1 past fey' days., Poor Madame ' Nilsson is Wering,tfer4bV un^Pthia 7 sad , blow, and I .pity her from the bottom dfmy Heart. I ,' . • ..»"?? Ma y has been Playing Pek6e f tn'"the burlesque of "Aladdin "at Liverpool. ,T, T ' '( T ..The success of "The Lights 'o'' London" at the , Union Square, Now York/ has put" .all .thoughts of novoltieß out of Manager Palmer's lle^d ' On the anniversary of Burnand's'fcsthe'tlcal /comedy (it had^ actually been played '379 times at this house) the Prince of Wales Theatre management produced a comedietta entitled " The 'Marble Arch," founded on ° n , e ,°s X9 n , M P, 9er '<l stories., Miss'Hjvtf SQtherrt, as the -hero We. greatly pleas.cd' the critic^ 'By 1 the 1 ireshnesa and natdralneßs of her acting. "••'"^" ll .*■■« • '•• ' ', ' lAcod'sJneweat, and' as'sWpei&le' tbirik, highest, •W&< V J&?P#M.H( at the' Paris Nbuveautes^ri February fetti 1111 11, 1 and cdritiiiuea to'be jihe success of tho hqu'h It lias been' 'prodnc«l at ' Marseilles'wifjh the utmost enthusligni/the composer being cheered to the "echo" life? pelted" floral devices. . '"" ' '' ' 'v '• " '-■ H . H%b^rt;.Leritori, 'one rff ."the 1 'Lenton 1 'family of 'gymnasts, 1 injured'his spine duriWg'ni'porfbr'mance at Berlin. He had to undergo the operation of cutltiintr. '" Ttie4wb' ! 'thbiWa'ridth' n'igh'f'bl ( * (MWWima celebrated by Mr Duck> compaii'y ' a^Batfi' on 'FebruirV.lltH.' ' rV ' fl 'Oi '•' •' "'«'-•"• *t• «t ''''WvinfhdS'bMenoiected'a'toMgr^fihb'A^^^^ 'Club!' " ' 7 " ! ''''' '"■"■• F'lihn-l 't|;,/.!,iu. ' 'jWM 'the 1 , on'coWeU" to' ts'slayln^ ln'Lbn|loa with-Kismarriefl tJ^Wr. He & i VeM<My'freft%nti iSj^' thto exception 3Km'e r d«ea' n'bt seem to hayd laid 'Mlßliand heavily bb. him;' '• :': ' ' «' ' n;t •'iJMV'fT. WHmot havepurchftged' f6'rVfi^otK/ f tho ;>bVin'(}i a l \t\gW6t ««.i;oilth. f "- "rfeey n'av¥ klsd-gtarted 1 ari' extensive s6enery factbry''atf LatoHeth; r<lfr Jf "" • A Th &?^ c 8 °- f t* receritly^ritertain'e'cr 36'Ie^ding inomtors of the p'rof.es'stoWdt'M'arlbcfrdtigh'Hoilrie,, 1 Mri Langtry i 8i 8 going iilto the proVihcoy kiftHe^ad of a company. '' '" '°' '■*'' '•> "' ' '•' ' 'i«j' *-n"' v- ,B?, B ?. uci . ca !?!'" Il W s^'«?' with' the' hbptfthat ?/ A!' r £ B P'aywriffh* '^d'^ctoVp'rdve .a' verittble *he' old Slock;** and .wortHily'upholdlihe achttVetatofe 61 'htf -ftftr/eV. At.tSe'Obtjft Thta/his 'flrst u aiitemlSt'at dramatic" fappo'sT^oTiiw^'Gm'lnently successful; 'an'd hi's'actifj > gj;' r bolri / in this'^nd'irfthe new comedy which 'followed! wa'a^y gdrieial consent worfchj' of hearty' admiration/ '! '>•' ' "■•''' Sarth Bornhardt, at Genoa, hod among her a'u'dle'nco ( Verdl (thd'comnbser), Donadio (Patti's rival), and'the SHi'JS?**' ml&h actrtß ses k&JH and 'Campi: ! On Mdlle^arahßorhhard(!a,ppearlhi l oii''the stage a^fow or the' spectators' clapped theur hands, but tho rdat of the 1 audience regained Bilent/' Sh'tfr'Hy 'after the piece had 'commenced ,Mdlle Sarah .Bei-nhardt fell o'n^the stage in a fainting fit." There'woro crits' of ""Rldeau, rldeau," 'ppA' the'eqi-taih fell.' Animated disctisAion follqwedi'when a gentleman" apbeared' dn tho J rfage and announced that Mdilq l Sa i raH f ßernhardt' I *ad' very ill, but'Hbped to fob! better' in'l 'quarter- 'of tan -Hour and,so reßume acting.' Notwithstanding I ttfe advice given by several doctors. 1 Mdlle Sarah' Bemnardfin1 Bisted On continuing"the pie6e'. THe secqrid act' was a great 'flUcdesa; and so ,was tK6' third.' 'BriV dtirln'g'Hhe scene with Armahd's father lth'e actrßSS'fMhfed 1 again, spitting blood. She was' carried 'senseless' td"hor 'apartment in the hotel; a p r oh"ce inspector 1 requesting ';tHe 'public to pardon' if the play 1 could not be''continued. • The impressibn produfced waß's6 ; dreatl;hali ( on her reappeiaring the se'eorid pighit. to act' Adrienne do Lecouvreur she Imet Wlth'amort'^nthtislastio reception 1 , more especially '6h' "the part of the* lidies, who presented her' with" sblendid' bouquets' and 'presents.' " '• ' • ' >■ . m- ■ „\ -,{-, 1 A second edition of the " Rdb'inson 1 Ora^e" jiabtomime is being given at'Orury Lane.- «-The now attrao tion is a scene of old London, with a trades procession in honour of Crusoe,. , In! turnv there march to the front watchmen} 1 cl6okn#e>s,ifcweeps, bootmakere, tailors, barbere^hatters, umbrella-makers, carpenters! candlestick-makers, watermen, goldsmiths, silversmiths, grocers,' millera, bakers, fishmongers, butchers, 'poulterers; greengrocers, brewers -the jolllest-looking ofthelot, winegrowers, lampim'ake'rs.TOeofacle-makera, armourers, &0., dec. Now following these come bands of drummers, trumpeters, heralds: attired in satin and silver, and looking positively 'resplendent.! .They como to give eclat to' the entry of Robinson, who life be presented with'' the freedom of the city, and to do honour, too, to John' Bull and Jonathan, by whom ho 'is accompanied. From John Bull the hero stakes the Union Jack and from 1 Jonathanutbe *' star-spangled banner," and spiritedly he proclaims in song that the two nations they represent could 'toniteSd conquer the world. Miss Fanny Leslie, of courie, stn'gstbtf sonr, ' andls rapturously encored. The.senglbeTnqrfltiished, Mr Oscar Barrett, the Bblem&i&tneatrehird'torekestre, gives the signal for " Rule Britannla !I> i:wlth^.tf wave of his mualcil wand; his harmonious * army / antf f the trumpets on.^the stage "strikeutiM'in'eiihilaiating fashion, and suddenly the streets are festooned with the dolours of England and America, the crowds that fill the whole epace from' thefob'tllghWtdihe back of the stage wave flags of a similar description,' and a scene that is wonderfully effective calls forth can enthusiastic rouud of applause. " • f > '• ! <" 1 '•A!t Oxford la to be produced "Ecce-Homb',''» an oratorio' composed by Mr Mann, organist f6f'Kfng'ajfiqllege, Cambridßo. Part one is occupied with the subject of the Epiphany ; pait two consists of a description' of the I ' trial and crucifixion of our Lord : part three is occupied with' the 'ascension. ■ There is a probability of -the work being nerformed by the Birmingham Choral Society.' ' J " •'• - : " 1 ■'. ;, .'../'^rio^^otes,,:'-' ■;';" ,^?atti is drawing immenso houses in opera, but she is wretchedly supported. Helon Dungeon is the only aid -she-has worth -listening to.— In"TravUta )J «he-woro £25,000 worth of diamonds. v'^Ajfß'Wei'rsthe }?K sfc fP.B er »\ b » o H' te 'BS a l4M^ (i ty tho ■Melvilltf Company, tleals wlth-rf ßuVsidtreubject. The adapt ors have kjlled,'(hepie.(;e.j, ( ,; „,; ,{> . / ' A sop of Salyini has mode a creditable dabui.ln New York.' ' ' /r " ' ' ' '" ' -" ' " " ■ P.retty, clever' Lizzie 'M'Caul has bWdght herself 'into/sad dlssrace. Twb years airo- she- left the 'stage and: married into society,' her husband being a lawyer well connected. She married against tho advice of her own and against ;tho wishes, of her husband's family. For the first year of "her married life her home wai bright and happy, but 1 trouble grew out of Jealousy. Onairecoht.Sunday the. couple qua'rrolle'd, With the rosult that she raised a pistol and shot her ihusband fatally. , Saya' the husband in: his 1 dying.'depositions : " She was on her knees in an instant with fright, talking with great rapidity. Among other things she said, 'Tell them it was an accidont,' and she begged me to assure her it was an accident. ■ At that request I believe I did tell two or throe l people it was an accident, chiofly to avoid scandal." iWheri the moil left, Mrs Wall (Lizzie M'CauPs married name) waa lying in the county gaol, bail having been refused. She declares that, she, is unconscious" of tho shooting. To the profession she is known, as the little Kmily of Fawcett Rowe's " Micawbor," as Moya in the " Shaughraun," and as Evangelino in ono of Ricu's parties. » . , ,• • , \ „" A wealthy admirer of James O'Neill has offered to deposit £2000 in a Now York bank to guarantee him against loss if he will star next season. „ Patti and Max Strnkbsob. met together on a ! friendly bssiti in New Orleans, and she ox pressed hewe'lf ai neinjj HOiry for the manner in which bhe spoke of him when sho first arrived in America. She said she was greatly irritated at the time by finding her business so neglected by the French" people.who fyad preceded ,her, and allowed her feelings to, provoke her into unpleasant remarks 'about people^ who had done her no harm. . . , , _„, '„. '„ . ' , Charges Harris , has m captured New" York with "Ybii'th. 'Byrne says whether you'r&g'ard itjos a sham battle, a diorai^a.^a, p^cesaion, or '^ picnic it is "the most, 'animaijed, j^he most,, multitudinous jam of inciden's 'and 'active tableaux that the combined genius of stage carpentry and aUge disuipline has yet devised." It ' is okimed that " Youth" and "Not Guilty," produced in 1870-1, are the same piece ; only that in the former Wallack's people have been lavish with their money and cro wd the stage to the utmost. Whilst admitting, that no recent effort of realism, compares with this in graphicality and accurateness, whilst for optical effectiveness it is surpassingly fine, the authority from which I have quoted says with great force that if theso results are to be obtained by the subordination, of the individual njerits of actors to the collective effectiveness of mobs of people, then it must be unfortunate for the bosli interests of the drama. Tho chief parts are filled by Hose Coghlan, Edmund Tc.irlo, and John Gilbert. Vot the pieco was a fro.-t in Cincinnati. if there is anything ia the report that Strakosch is going to bring; Gesfcor ovorto the Colonieß.it is nob wi-houo interest 1.0 linowthat sho is supported by a new lonor ncvniod Giunnini, who ranks next to CampanUii itt Awerioa. He has a voice of almost baritone qii.vliry, and it ia fresh, robust, and tolling. He ispaid to bu a remarkably fineEdgardo in "Lucia." Leslino ia perhaps not in tho front rank as a singor, but she said to bo a worthy successor of Titjiens as a dramatic vocalist.

Signor Majeroni must be convalescent. I read of him performing with the Hoey and Hardy Combination at Albany, $. Y., on February, 21st, • , Rose Stella is again at the head of tbe Ideal Patients* Company, lent beard of in Boston, '

I

' Boucicault's eight weeks' engagement at Boston the star, and be supported by Mwsini, Talazac, and a ' thW tenor not named. Sembrich is the contralto S;meßays: "It has been guaranteed by the board ' ' KBS thaUhe subscription ahall amount to not %^g^!ss succeeds Osmund Tearle aa leading; ' row has' broken oit'atreßh. 1 ThVeenKnmeanwhile retires frpmjbe .company 1 ''SdSfflnirComley and Barton would give SmSuSSSmetßm to ihrow u E her engagement, ' S%rSn« their' anxiety to substitute Emma ''H^WBon^ldstfiemtothelrwntract. , , 1 „ ■ "gKSef Carte's Standard Ck)mpaj.y give "O# n.«,oj > * rtima niehts and " Patience the rest ,of the ' !! H ( 'texffion?liU be inaugurated'wlthGl■CrfaridSulHvan'snew^, •' The Prfn^s." .Charles, Harris manages for another term. 1 ' 'The reason why Boaßini'wrote ,but one workforce Frencli Opera-houseas thus tofd. The late.Dr ,Veron, oSumSg the direction of the opera, examined, tie SmSbbC and there found an item of ,10,000; francs I '^a MnVon naidW.fiossun, whose genius was show, , I ffi^ nSnrß pure him, to, do so tho road h;ad tp be n s&vtik'A' a"* «» 6D S other adyankageous, V i&ttoni figure* this small pension of 10.000 francs.^ ;In return toweveri Rossini bad engaged to give a St^ronWed th^pension which wound for ,the composer'u vanity. "For this, saia get one, note more from, ' me" At first Veron laughed in scorn at the idea,. II Mferbewhadmade himseif known by "Robert c Ke." and the director supposed he should ' Sver Vin want of ftossini again. He was misffin .and a few years later he personally, made ' ffln Tpioposals IWe man whom he had Injured. 1 ' Om moniing Rossini said to some friends whom he ' ffl flSSSVtaalifiirt with him, "They come to me andpropQSQjhat,l should compose^ nm^ecofot Siaoue'ra .They know Move money, and tnerelo^e ! they Sought to temp(i,ino with a largp sum. ■ po you, 1 ,'raidttat'J did so in a moment of anger and out »f '■'S I asked for 24, hours in which to consider the o&/They,will retain', here to-morrow and t .will ' St to them .what I have, already stated, that so ! "ff asT'the Acad.emy of Music remains under Mb/'Sagement I shall not compose them a smgte note. Ha returned, the ,loo,ooo ftancs and kept, his word. ' MTvSm continued- ttossirii's 'pension, we ' St Save hadto-day five orabc more masterpieces ■,like''fWilh'amTell,";; ,■■•!,