WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

Otago Witness, Issue 2175, 31 October 1895, Page 37

WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

Opera. House

October 25November 10.— Brough aud Bjucicault. November —Mark Twain. By P. Rompter,

October 17.

Deaii Pasquin,— For a long time now music hath giveu he' self airs up hero in the city of wind ; bnt the prewnco of Mr Wallac, who ha 3 coma down ahead of Brough aud Boucicaalt, must Wtrnlier to get umler the stairq for a while. The B. and B. tour this time is of peculiar arrangement. Coming down from Auckland (where they are now doir.g go^d Dusinci-s), they op -n for a H nights' Reason hero on the 25th, and aftor t*o ufght.s at Wanganui they go right down to your city of Dunediu. then up through Qautoibuiy. The rfcpeito're for the tour may be dubbed tl«t of the New Woman, for she fia;ure3 with a capital S and many toting* in the plays to be produced. Since tho first announcement the week's programme ha* been altered to suit a popular wish, to that now it will be this list :— F.May and Saturday, "Tho Second Mrs Tanqueray"; Monday nod Tuesday, "The Case of Rebellious Susan"; Weduesday and Thursday, "Tho PL-kpock«tt." "Tbe Caae of Rebellious Susan" is the feature, although marjy will be pleaded to renew the acquaintance of " The AmazonK." So now the soason of our discontent will be dissipated by the hum and buxz created by the busy B 's.

It is regretted by h«r many friends and admirers her«, as it will also ba in other parts, that the beauteous Hilda Spong is not with the Brough and Bouoicnult Company. Miss Spong is resting in Sydney, and will join the company when it agjiu enten upon it) Australian soasou.

Until they oome music hath charms to soothe our vacant breast, Mr Barnett's new nocicty's concert beisK announced for the coining Tuesday, the Feutival Choral's production of a concrt arrj»Keni*nt of "l-aust" following a couple of days later. At Thomas's Hall tbe Rev. Ha«tkett Smith opens hii tbree-ninht lecture season tonight on " The Iloly Land.' His lectures should draw. Mr Smythe bas secured the Opera House for Mark Twain's lectures, you bot ! The hall isn't big enough for Sam'l. It is F»fe to say that the Balling-Barnett concert, which cate off at Thomas's Hall on Tuesday evening, \va3 looked forward to and is now set down as one of the musical events of this season ; and surely our city has made much progress iv its tiste wheu a programme of ouly four items can fill a big house at 3i and 2s. It was my first hnpreesion when I heard Mr Barnett that he would educate our people to a proper appreciation of the masters— and here it was borne out. The piano and the violvalta were the means of interpreting sweet sounds, and well the fingers and braius of Mr Maughan Barnett and llerr Balling entertained us, though I must confess I atill prefer the3o musicians as soloists rather than as duettists. A large party from Government House were present, including his Excellency the Governor, and I noticed the musicians of the city were in strong force, and applauded the items as warmly as any enthusiastic amateur— and greater praise no man can giro. Miss ArnoH, well known in Wellington, who joined the " L-vud of the Moa" Company wlieu it was playing here, died in Auckland from consumption a few d-*>3 ago. Mr St. Clair'g Company— the Fausts and Hagan and Fraicr— have finished up their season at the Opara House, and I notice they are billed for a 6i "pop" at tbe Skating Rink on. Friday night, when they should draw like a linse«dl>oultice. They are due in Auckland almost immediately, and then come down leisurely, so that Dunedlnites won't «cc this really clever combination this «de of Christmas. And yet another musical note. Mr MftcDurT Boyd is trying to form a Scottish musical society. Tho Mksterton Jfuvenlla Operatic Society are billed to give " Pinafore " next TnuraUy,

Madam Eveleen Carlton, the eoprano, has decided to settle in this city.

There i« to be a begahit' at the Criterion on Monday, the hope-to-be-helped ones being Mr P«roy Shannon and Misses May Culleu aud Blttncho Leslie. I notice Miss Lilla Wil.'e's name on the list of tho3e who will apponr. l\nh*p3 that list \yill interest you, so here it is :— Mis?e3 L'lla Wilde, Daisy Montgouierie, BorLha Roberts, Marie Maflters. BUnchu Lenli^-, May Cullen ; Messrs Bob Ball, J. C. Bryant, Turner, W. Smatt, Morton Prior, Fred Kinesloy, Tommy Wood, Sid Frith, Gerald Shaw, and Percy Shannon.

At that unique concert at the Christchurch Exhibition last week (the programme being made up of our colony's very owu talent) Wellington was ii)t left out, beinsc represented by Mr Alf Hill's song, " My fairest child." After nil the contradictions, it ib still probable that the E-stiHiantina Band of Christchurch will psrform here in aid of tha hospital. 'J he Opera House Is avAilabia for the 21«t and 2?rd tnst., and the trustee* of the hospital decided this week to inform Mr Are a 9, of Christchurcb, who had kindly offered tho services of the band, that if h« will secure the building for tho3e dates they will do all th*y possibly can to make the performances suoceßsful.

I must not f oi get to mention that Mr Myles Birket Foster has been with us during the week, and seems to have beeu astonished at our pro-^ gress ! Ob, we arc gettmg on musically all right, v but it's pleading to hear from a Foster that we are, you know— it confirms what we already had discovered for ourselves.

Our Am%tour Operatic Sjciety have this week announced the cast for the coining production of " Prinrrss Id*," which will come off abivut the mid lie of Jamury, and is likely to ba a most eucceisful porfo'iii'iico The cast, at any rat-*, is of tha very best of otir tal nt. Hwe it is :-King Hil.'eto.md, Mr W. D. Lyon; HiUrion, Mr J. W. Hill Cyril, Mr E. J. Hill ; Floriin. Mr G. Parsons ; King Garni, Mr A. Lsvi ; Ar«c, Mr R. H»ll ; GuroD, Mr W. J. Huoston ; Soynthius, Mr N W. Bill; Princess Ida, Mra H. J. Miller; Lidy BUuche, Mi>s J. N*.\vb->n ; Lndy Pnyche, Mi.s Cudicu; Melissa. Mi '6 M*b«?l Hill; Sajfcariaso, Miss Mowatt ; OhUe, Mrs Wcolcott ; Ada, Mis 3 Cjok.

October 21

Dear Pasquin,— The event of tin week has been a musical one, the initial concert of Mr Mnughun Barnett's Musical Society, and never has tan city list^n^d to a better beginuing than that scored on Tuesday evening in the ('pern Houfcc, whou the D.C. and stalls were picked, and late comera wore driven to a pla-ju in the uppi-r legions of the F.C., or had to go down even into the pit. But there w« no "pit," us tueitregoers usually understand that nether and infernal region of the vlayhouae. From tho very begiunin<; of the concert an uuusual onthusiasm was noliceablo, aud this gathered in strength and expression as Horn followed item, until in the grand finale to the chief p'eoo of" the evening thera wai no denying the encore. Thia foeling, of ounje, had its own tewivd, for all conceruod strove to tu\g ont their be3t note*, and truth to tell, not a false one struck the car. I could not help noticinga special feature about the audience, and th^t was it comprised almost a cew set of faces. I think I am not fa^ out in sayiug Mr Barnett has caught the ear of the Great Middle Class, and that nic-ins and spells financial success, for our new conduct r can vary well be left to look after tbe nuuical staniard. One thing is now cle»r— Wellington h« at least one conductor who writes Finish across his work, not Rush.

Mr B-ivn-U hod tho gicateut possible assistance from the finest orchestra tint has ever led singer* in this ci y, an 1 for this Mr A. F. Hill must be giveu c c lit as conductor of the Orchestral S>cioty, but it seemed to me there was batter control shown over the vocal than over the orchestral work. This also might be accounted fjr in the separate p'actices of the two divisions. The chief item for the evening was "Comala" (adrnnutic poem aH.r On-nan). for solo, cliom*, and orchestra, by Niels W. Gade. We lam in the story that Coinala, the daughter of Sarno, King of Imiistoce, had conceive! a violent passion for Fmgal, King of Morwen. Fingal returned her affection, ami Com.ila followed him, difguided as a warrior, on an expedition against Caracul, Kiog of Lochlin. On the dny of the battle, by the bank*) of tho river (Wun, Fin_g»l parted fiom Couiulj, leaving h^r wish her mit Men? on a mountain, from which the could witness the battle, and promising to return in the evening aftur the battle wns over Full of 8«d foreboding, Comala aw.»ittd the return of Fingal. Ani'd'.t the roaring of a storm, there appeared to her the spirits of the ancestors who had descended to the battlefield in order to guide homa the souls of the fallen She imagines the lnttlo is lost and Fiugal slain. Overcome with jrii«f, Ca'iiala dios. Fingal returns a conqueror, and learns from the weeping maidens the death of his beloved. In Ills sorrow he rnllfl upon the bards to KAise her in son*, and the chorus of maiHens and bard 3 couducts her dep.rting soul to the mansions of her fathers. Toe solos woic entiu^ted to the very best talent, of which Wellington has a rich endowment just now, as this cast shows :— C'initU ... ... Madaran Kveleen Carlton Dersigrena ~, ... ... Miss Gwen Davies Melicoma Miss Parsous Fingal MrJ. Prouse And as further evidence that there are no half measures with Mr Barnett, Mits Constance H*theily was brought down from Wanganui with her haip, and pi'ov.d a delightful substitute for the piano, the music of this latter instrument not being heard throughout the evening. " ComaU" lasted just an hour, and the honours of its recital must be given to the male portioa of the chorus. Such hearty aud tuneful singing as cime from th.it compact body one seldom hears. It was a treat to hear and see them, aud iv "The Darkness of Clouds " the whole chorus, with Mr Prouse, scored a repeat. In tbe pccoikl part, the orchestra, under the baton of Mr A. F. Hill, gave us "Fesfaoz" aud "tttunden Walzer" (Dellbcs); Mis 3 Hatherly delighted us with her harp, so much so that sho had to grant an encore (though she did not do so in a very gracious spirit, duelargalr to extreme nervousneia, I should ray) ; and finally our people wei-a given a fair chance oF judging tha genius which dwells among us in "Time's Great Monotone," written for and sung by Mr ProußO, supported by tbe chorus. Mr A. If. Hill is tho composer of the mim<\ that clever young Duneclinite, Mr A. 11. Adams, supplying the words. This is iv my opinion a great work, and when an outside opinion comes along and tells ub of our genius hidden a*ay horeabouts Mr Hill will find himself famous. Horace Greeley would have said to him, "Go west, young man!" but evidently he hopes to find his land of promise among his own people. Well, Tuesday's production of hi 3 "Monotone" was a worthy production of a very noble piece of music.

It was but natural that Hrßirnett's admirers — and that undoubtedly comprises every singer and player under him— should take advantage of so fitting an event to make presentations— the ladies giving a "floral arrangement" ('twas a lovely harp) and the gentleman a baton. Sir Robert Stout was spokesman, aud, for a musician, Mr Barnett maclo a really good speech— a trio, in fact — in reply. We are promised "The Messiah" in December, which must prove a real treat. And here I<add my congrats. to Mr Maughan Barnett and bi? society. Truly, there is as much uncertainty in scoring well in audiences as in cricket. In Auckland, the Rev. Mr Haskett Smith had miserable attendances at his Palsstinistic lectures, yet here in Wellington his listeners have crowded his meetings in Thomas's Hall— so much so that he has extended his season, and will repeat a lecture at which on its first giving people were turned from the doora— " The Land of the Pharaohs." Mr Smith is a first-class speaker, aud abounds in fhshea of that humour which relieves weighty matter. Mr Fischer is the agent of that other Smith— the most-travelled R. o. Smythe. X Japanese belonging to Woodloch's circus Bhot himnelf in the hand at Waipawft while practising with a revolver. He will not be able to perform for some time.

I notice that the Land of the Moa Company has been reorganised for the Sydney season, Miss Amy Roselle and Mr Dacre (that unfortuuate pair) beiug in the cast, and some " real savages," genuine Ngatimauiopotos, have bceu secured from the north, The major part of the Maoris we saw during the New Zealand tour were tame felloes, though a few of them were caught up ia

Parihaka. These latter are still iv the company. I have it on authority from headquarters that the tour through our own colony paid exes. Mr W. M'Lean i<» managing the Sydney season. The I'Vstival Chorus Society (conduct )r Mr Rubeit Parker) is giving to-night in the Opera House a ovneert urrangament of Gounod's immortal "Fwiist," which is the first timo of mich a pioductlon in New Zealand. Particulars in my uex'.

To-morrow night the long-expected comes upon us, when Mews Brough aud Boucicault open their season of 14 niffhts with that play of the Cintury, "Tbe Second Mrs Tauqueray." There are tomo new face* In the company— notably, Miss Beryl Fal>er and Mr Bindlws, both with reputations from Home, endorsed by Au-ttraliau public opinion. Mi.-s Watt-Tanner >\l o ndJ* her weight to the CJtuhiiution, and Mis-" Kttherine Hardy's presence ii of special interest to WellingtontatM. In the cast for to morrow tho changee aro— Eilem, Miss Fabjr (picvioiuly playe 1 by Mi-> 8 NoMo) ; Mrs Cartelyon, Mies Watt-Tanner; Captain Hugh Ardale, Mr Bindloes. The company arrived in town yesterday, and tbo pri' cipiK were to b« preterit at "F*«HBt " by special iuviution The members of tbe company are Messrs Broagh, Boucicault, Titheradge, Carey, Biti'Hojs, At'lntyre, Dorrington, Ac ; Mrs Brough, JMtxes F«ber, Temple, W^tt Tanner, nardy, Hill, &c. The co»up*nY ( after the fortnight here, go up to Wanganui for tlirue nights (November 11 to 13), aud ve.y likely will put in the 14t°i at Palmerston North. Thcu duwn your w&y, to open in Dunedin o» the IStb. After the Dunediu Beaton Oamaru, Timaru, aud Ashburton follow, then Chrife'.chuich.