THEATRICAL & MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1851, 17 August 1893, Page 37

THEATRICAL & MUSICAL NOTES.

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At the Princess Theatre on Saturday afternoon a matinee performance was given by the Liliputiaa Opera Company. Gilbert and Sullivan's opera "The Gondolier s" was staged, and was gone through to the evident delight of the young folks, who were present in great numbers. In the evening "The Pirates of Penzance " was played. Notwithstanding their efforts during the afternoon, the young performers were in good spirits and produced the piece with every success. Several of the solos were enthusiastically encored, while the chorus parts were rendered throughout in the most satisfactory manner. On' Monday night the company produced " Patience," and on Tuesday "The Little Duke" was staged. While the season was to be brought to a conclusion on Wednesday evening with selectiona from several of the operas produced during the company's stay in Dunedin. , - Mr Christie Simonsens, business manager, and Mr Harry Norman, stage manager for Mr Bland Holt, arrived in Dunedin by the Wairarapa to arrange the preliminaries for the dramatic season which commences at the Princess Theatre on the 26th inst. The repertoire brought to New Zealand by Mr Holt this trip is an attractive one. including, as it does, several of the lateet London novelties. They were recently produced in Melbourne and Sydney by Mr Bland Holt, and his managers assure me that they were in every way successful, and were remarkable for the completely new ground covered by the authors. All the scenery and effects have been brought over from the other side to ensure their complete representation here, and this, added to the personal popularity of the actor-manager, should result in a cordial and hearty welcome to the company during their stay in Dunedin. Mr Bland Holt and his company are among the passengers by the Manapouri, which is expected to reach the Bluff on Friday. The Liliputian Opera Company open in Invercargill this weak for aseatoa of six nights. They then return north, playing one liight at Gore and probably one night at Balcluthaon their way, and they leave Dunedin on the 28th inst. 'for Christohurch. After a short season there they will commence a tou> of t the West Coast. Mr Grattan Riggs, the well-known Irish comedian, attends to the front of the house. It was given out that he was .to play Cupid in a performance by the juveniles, but the Dunedin public have been denied the privilege of witnessing him in that character. The story is told that when the " School for Scandal" was first produced, so dilatory was Sheridan in its preparation, the actora were actually playing the fourth' act on the stage on the night of the first performance while the fifth was being hastily written by the author in, a side room, with the assistance of a bottle of claret. It is certainly surprising that under such circumstances so successful a play could have been produced. The character of Sir Peter Teazle is perhaps the most famous of Sheridan's creations; and the ' two . Surf aces, •Charles and Joseph, are to this day the types of the two different natures— the open-handed, free, generous, but extravagant' young fellow; and the close, avaricious, but oily and plausible hypocrite. The play has not been produced here now for several years, and no doubt the University Dramatic Chub's performances this week will bo very largely attended, especially as, we learn, the club is sparing no labour or expense to make the production elaborate and complete. Mr A. H. Adams, of this city, has completed the second and third acts of the libretto of his eccentric opera, which he has entitled "The Whipping Boy." Mr Adams has started with an ingenious notion, and though he may find it desirable to strengthen the dialogue in some places, he has worked it up with considerable smartness. The composition of the Opera has been undertaken by Mr Alfred Hill, of Wellington, and with the words wedded to appropriate music, the work should prove successful. On the suggestion of Mr Bland Holt's representative, the proprietor of the Princess Theatre has consented to make some necessary alterations in the stage arrangements, which will be greatly appreciated, as it will enable Mr Holt to display his fine scenery to greater advantage. Mr George Gordon has executed some beautiful sets for the plays to be represented during the season, which will be commenced on the 26fch inst., and with the present arrangements it would have been impossible to show these to advantage. "When the alterations are made the whole of the scenery and mechanical effects given in Melbourne and Syduey will be given. In the opening drama, "A Sailor's Knot," Mr Bland Holt promises scenic effects which will surpass anything yet shown here. Mr R. A. Underwood will pilot the Gourley and Walton Company down south.' They, are expected to reach Christohurch on September 5. The Holloway Company are still at the Tuam street Theatre, Christchurch, where they have produced during the week "The Wage's of Sin" and "Judge Not." Tohislong and varied list of accomplishments my old friend Twinning has added' that of an inventor of a cigarette. The London theatrical paper from which I glean, the information puts it thus :— " The latest novelty offered to smokers is a ' dramatic ' cigarette, known as the • Twinning,' which is intended to be smoked between the acts of a, piece. It is the joint invention of an Indian manager, Mr T. V. Twinning, and the Egyptian Cigarette Factory of Port Said. The cigarette is aromatic, and in pleasing contrast with the rubbish which is frequently supplied at theatrical refreshment bars." The Folejs are giviDg their drawing room entertainment in the Southland 'country districts. ■" * Miss Ella Carrington and Mr Charles Taylor continue to successfully do the Victorian provinces. After a trip to Launceston Charlie will, according to Melbourne Puuch, take his show for a lengthened tour of. New Zealand. Several leading members of the stock companies of Messrs Alfred Dampier, .and C, W. Holloway have united, and were a.week or two back playing "Hands Across .the Sea," at Wagga. Mes3rs H. N. Douglas, H. Hodson, J. L. Hall, and Alfred Woods are amsngst t;he list, with Miss Ada Lee as leading lady. The D'Ensem-Dojle Company, piloted by Mr James MacMahon, are at present in Queensland, and are contemplating a trip to Chicago via Vancouver. They made a three -months' stay in Java visiting 14 towns, in more than one of which the appearance of an English company was a complete novelty. . ' . The new Gilbert and Sullivan opera is being rapidly pushed ahead at the London Savoy so as to be ready in case of accident to "Jane Annie," the present production there. Carados remarks that the aforesaid "Jane Annie hasn't caused much of a conflagration in the adjacent Thames. \ . Mr Gilbert's libretto is said to bs •• practi-

cally" complete; at all events the first verse is so, and the concluding verse is said to be almost ready for immediate use. The musio is likely to be finished by the beginning of September, and the opera produced ear y in October. The coalition of Sir Arthur Sullivan and Mr Gilbert, in the production of another English opera, infers a reunion of friendship between them and Mr DOyly Carte, and will gratify all who are well acquainted with the popular triad. . Sir Arthur Sullivan, it is said, has quitted London for a country house which he has taken, and where he will be able to devoto himself, without interruption, to the completion of the new opera which will be the autumn novelty at the Savoy Theatre. At present, it does not seem likely that the opera now performed at the Savoy Theatre will hold that position long. It has been decided that should the present weather continue the theatre shall close, for a short time. The Melbourne correspondent of the Daily Times writes : — A sensational incident occurred at Fitzgerald Brothers' circus in Sydney on Friday night. During the lion act W. E. Humphreys, the tamer, was in the cage making two lionesses perform. It was noticed that the lion (which was also in the cage) was in an extremely bad temper, and suddenly, to the horror of the spectators, he bounded behind Humphreys and caught his right arm in his mouth. Humphreys wrenched himself round, fortunately releasing himself. As he did so it was seen that the sleeve of his tunic and shirt had been ripped away, leaving only shreds of the shirt on his arm. He had also been clawed by the lion, and the whole of the skirt of bis tunic had been torn away. For the moment it was not known whether he had been hurt, but as he stood confronting the enraged animal blood was seen to discolour the remnants of his shirt sleeve. The spectators rose in intense excitement, fearful that a terrible accident would happen, but Humphreys continued his performance as if nothing had occurred, and calmness was quickly restored. Mr Fitzgerald also went into the ring, and asked the people to remain in their seats. The Premier and the Minister for Mines happened to be present at the time. After tbe act was over a medical examination of Humphreys's ann showed that it had been severely wounded in three places to a depth of 2£in, the bone being exposed in each case. The three lions are over 13 months old, and had been in training for only three weeks. This circus, which will shortly visit Maoriland, comprises a menagerie of 25 cages and waggons, and employes 100 people and 120 horses.

M. Leon Driver, the New Zealand pianist, who left Auckland recently for America, has written from San Francisco stating he has received a very good position, being appointed to the chair of music at San Francisco in the Conservatoire of the University of the Pacific, at an excellent salary. The institution is one of the oldest in the States. M. Driver found that the only thing against him in America was his youth, he being the youngest man in the conservatoire. He states there are in San Francisco music teachers in hundreds, all Germans and conservatoire men.

The friends of Mr Frank Gerald, of the firm of Gerald and Duff, who will be remembered in New Zealand in connection with the Harry St. Maur Company, will be pleased to hear that he has come in for a small fortune, which he has gone to England to receive. His intention on leaving was to return to the colonies in the course of twelve months' time.