NOTES BY PASQUIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1762, 29 August 1885, Page 23

NOTES BY PASQUIN.

Caesar, a man with a fairly Roman nose', a bass voice 1 , an eye like Mars, and so on, they were perplexed to find in the next act a man with a snub nose, a voice of the counter tenor variety, and an eye' in no way suggestive of the God of War. In the next act another Caesar would appear, while Mark Anthoriy was short and tall, fat and lean alternately.' 'But the amateurs pleased themselves, and their mission was therefore accomplished. • Mr 1 John Hollingshead, the popular theatrical manager, is reported to be in- deep water. The Gaiety Theatre Company, of which he was the originator and leading spirit, is being wound up, and the Empire Theatre, which the company have been running at a loss, is now off their hands. The Gaiety continues for the present under Mr Hollingshead's management, as of old. On dit that when Mrs Weldon gets out of her present little trouble she will appear at the Grand Theatre, Islington, as the heroine of a new and original play, based upon the iniquity of the lunacy laws. It 'is definitely settled that the Autumn novelty at the Lyceum is to be Mr W. G. Will's version of "Faust," mounted and elaborated with all imaginable scenic, musical, and artistic effect — Mr Irving, of course, playing Mephistopheles. Meanwhile "Olivia" has continued to cram the theatre, even in the dog days — or nights. The old story of the widow who caused to be inscribed upon her husband's tombstone that : — ltesigned unto the heavenly will, His wife keeps on the business still, is seriously reproduced in a recent advertisement in th 6 -New York Herald. A theatrical wig maker named' Fischer lately died, and the announcement made by the disconsolate family says :-p" Jean Baft Fischer's death occurred on May 18. Miss J. B. Fischer will keep the business, only she will improve it with a new stock of wig_s, both stage and street work ; also a full line of grease, paint, powder, &c." A possibly sorrowing, but a certainly practical daughter. Ouida's novel "Idalia",has been dramatised for thp second time and is now being played in London. • A new form of musical entertainment for Londoners nas been originated by Mdme Rose Hersee and Mdlle Ameris in the shape of entire sceneslfrom operas performed in costume and with scenery that can be fitted up in any large drawing-room. In this manner selections from " Don Pasquale," " II Trovatore," " Rigolettd," "Martha," and "Linda di Chamounix" have been given in the salons of the Countess of Wilton, the Countess Lovelace, and other members oi the nobility. Dr Hans yon Bulow, with a refinement of insolence, forwarded sixpence as his contribution to the Benedict Testimonial which was set on foot shortly before the composer's death. A man who was the last conspicuous link between this age and that of Hadyn, Beethoven, Weber, and Hummell, who was hand and glove with Felix Mendelssohn, and who at the age of 21 was chosen to preside over the opera house of San Carlo at Naples, was surely worth more than sixpence. When Hadyn died, Benedict was an infant; he was able to converse with Beethoven (then extremely deaf) only by the aid of tablets, but Hummell taught Young Julius the grand old school of pianoforte playing, and Weber| taught him the art of composition. A London writer says of Benedict that he had the faculty of carrying on long conversations when mpre than' half asleep, and used latterlY at all events to play his accompaniments in the same condition, and play them nearly as well as wnen awake. This is not saying much, for alt' lough in his better days Benedict could accom])any well when he chose, in his latter days h ; did not always choose awake or asleep. He -had many amiable qualities, and many friends . He believed himself to be a great compo ler, and was never thoroughly happy in the com pany of those who thought otherwise.