WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

Otago Witness, Issue 2167, 5 September 1895, Page 37

WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

By P. Romptbr.

OUR FIXTURES.

Saptember 7.— Woodlocb's Circus, in Opera House.

October 24 to November 7.— Brough. and Boucicault Company, at Opera House. Noveuibur-Decemb. r.— Bland Holt Dramatic Company, at Opera House. Boxing Night to January 10.— Mrs G. B. W. Lewis Company, at Opera House. August 31. Dear Pasquin,— And still another quiet week, ■with more to follow! The Albambra Gaiety Company opened'in the Cri. Monday evening, and havd done eood biz. They are a woe bit betterthan tbe Hverage Boredeville crowd that have been with us during rec°nt years, the stars beiug the two trick ryciists, Kerr and Kingsley. They will be With us yet a lit* ls while longer. Weave promise! something quite new today week, when W. P. Woodloch's Great Americau Circus nud Academy of Educated Animals will open its season— on the stage of the Opera House ! Just fancy that, now — a circus in an Opera House. The reasoa given is " too much wind knocking around Wellington." Mr Woodlocb. expects his Bavarian Band (of 20 pi> ces) over nsxt week, and thinks he can fix u\» a good ring oa our stage. Well, here's luck to his enterprise I Wo have had two musical treatsduringthewoek, the Orchest al Society's concert in the Op-ra House on Tuesday evening, and Mr Maugban Burnett's Chamber Concert in the Art Gallery on Wedneiday afterno' n, both being successful beyond the average of such functions up this way. In fact, both Mr A. F. Hill (conductor of the society) and Mr Barnett have ee.-n some rrturn and reward for the energy aud enthusiasm they have put into their pro luctions. L'ir<! Glasgow and bis household are doing a great deal for the encomagrmei-t of high-class music in Wellington, attending all the beat concerts, local aud travelling. At the Orchestral Society's inaugural concert (sixth season) ttrere was a large and fashionable audience. A notice ible feature wa3 the "coming out" of Miss Phcebe Parsons, a daughter of that lady who has been so prominent for very many yean» in our musical circles. Miss Pardons made a succt&feful debut. Her voice i» soprano, of similar tone to her mother's— which means that she is a lucky jtirl. The chief item on the programme w-ts Schubert's splendid Symphony (No. 7) in C, the fuur movements of which take 40 minutes to perform. It was pluyed in an alto-g-ther admirable style throughout, and each movement was he*rtily applauded. Another most enjoyable orchestral item was the "Scenes Pittoiesques" of Massenet, the four d visions of which were made licb pieces of musical colouring. Mr A. F. Hill gave us a tast« o^ bis high quality with the violin, Mr Bird (champion trombone soloi-tt of Christchuich Band contest) also performed, and Mi«s Medley, at the piano, gave delight to her hearers. Again Mr Maughan Burnett found a large bouse awaiting his afternoon pop on Wednesday.^ It was the fifth of his second series. To my mind, the programme w»b the very best of the fine series Mr Baruett has presented to us. When you count the items they aro few, but look at the quality. I give you tho lists of the three players, omitting tbe enco:ea :— Madame Eveleen Carlton (soprano), "Unguduld" (Schubert), "Lullaby," and "My Lady" (Maughan Bamett),&c. ; Mr Alfred Hill, (violinist), " Romance" (Beethoven) and " Sonatina " (A. I'\ Hill) ; Mr Maujthau Barnett (pianist), sonata "Moonlight" (Heethoveu), " Froher Waurfercr" and "Rtigen" (Jensen), " Chanson," and "The Horseman," (Manghan Birnett). To my way of thinking, the special feature* of Mr Biinrttt'g concerts are the original compositions which are produced— not only bis own, but other local composers', thus encouraging not only the talent we have, but showing that thoee home-m-ule pieces suffer not one whit by comparison with the n>t-.;d composers of the older countries. Both M. Birnett and A. F. Hill are names which will ornament any programme. oe * ne .y never so select or classical. Bifore leaving this nofc'co I should like to whisper to Mr B.irnett th*t when next he gives an evening concert he will repeat the lovely " Moonlight " sonata. The amateur performance of " Our Boys " in aid of the Parsonage Fund of St James's Church, Lower Hutfr, took place at tho local Oddfellows' Hall on Wednesday night, and proved successful roth from a theatrical and financial point of viaw. The hall was packed, and all the characters were creditably performed. Those who have marvelled at the wonders of stage mechanism shown them so often by Mr Bland Holt will regret to learn that the man who has been responsible for so much of them has just died at alelbourne, in the per.on of Mr Herbert John Winning, the clever mecbani»t of the company. His age was 43, and his funeral was attended by the members nf the company. Letters from Fitzgerald Brothers, the wellknown circus proprietors, dated from London, are to the effect that they made only one engagement in the United State*— a star rider named Bulow. After Canada they got to London, and there they bought the "Talking Horse" (whose conversation with " Commodore" ought to be interesting), also securing the Hanlan Family of star acrobats. In Paris they Rot Madame Antonio, a tensatioual article, who. inter alia, fa'ls backwards from a pedestal 100 ft high. A number of otln-r first-rate artists are coining, and tho new company will open in Auckland some time in September. The managers and some of the best people are at Papatietoe, near Auckland, in winter quarters; and Herr yon dv Mehden, bandmaster, is engaging a large band for the new season in Australia.