MELBOURNE NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2433, 31 October 1900, Page 55

MELBOURNE NOTES.

(By Onlooker.)

MELBOURNE, October 20. Dear Pasquin, — Once more T'jn spared "to give you an account of theatrical goings on since the 9th inst., when I wrote you last. Talk about good times! We were being spoilt "with excellent fare so far as arnuscnierft went, and there seemed no opening for an improvement in them, as they were, of the first order. However, good Mr Musgrove took pity on us poor Australian lovers of grand opera, and has come out with a strong body of operatic artists and instrumentalists, at a terrific expense to himself, and -with out-and-out generosity is putting before us the cream .of grand opera,— aye, the very, essence of the noblest works of -our -dear and grand departed composers. If we fail to lecognise his goodness, oj. if we are slow \o realise that this is a chance nevei offered to a colonial in his whole life time of hearing music that should lift all true enthusiasts from the pit of second-rate music to the circle of the most superb, then we don't deserve to 'hear grand opera put on in Australia again ; but may Mr Musgrove, at the end of his Melbourne season, and also tit the termination of the Australian season of his grand opera company, be able to say, "Australian grand opera lovers, I 'have offered you the best' fare in opera that man could ever offer the public, and you have been wise enough to support me right loyally, which is -an incentive to me to give you diet of even a more beautiful and elaborate variety; but if he can't say this, or tantamount to it, by our having failed miserably to support him, then we deserve to get nothing in future b\it opera of the poorest second-rate type. While on this point, let me record an incident which happened in my presence during one of the intervals in the dress circle lounge the second night of the season, when '"II Trovatore" was on. A rather wealthy Melbourne man, and one who has not

travelled much, but poses as a critic on these matters, said: A'ot a principal ir> tiie imported, cvovrd o: Musgreve's artists are Tiondo.i operatic stara. Why doesn't Musgiove bring out the very best English aitists, and we would .support him?" Being enraged at this severe opinion, I ejaculated : ''Bosh, old man ! You are coie of those so-called musical critics whom nothing would satisfy in the siiape of grand opera, and your dart is ' Ta-ra-ia-boom-de-ay,' or some such insane air." My friend got cioss at my remaik, but I rubbed it in by adding the fact thai we ought all to be very thankful i lor small mercies, and not expect to get English artists of t_he first water out m Australia, , under very high salaries, when we cannot | recoup a man when he brings out the next best j that money could get, and 1 threatened to kick I ihe, critic when he refused to admit that the J characters of Azucena, by Madame Jansen, in "II Tiovatore " and Mr Charles Tilbury's por- ; trayal of Mephisto ia '\Faust" -were really brilliant pieces of work, showing their enormous gifts and powers, both vocally and dramatically. Such is the class oi opera lovei we have got to put up with, and probably suffer by his clique, in not getting such fine opera again. However, through the forethought and kindness of Mi Harry Musgrove, who kept me two seats (and -seats were bought up and being lesold at 15s to £1} I was one of those privileged to witness "II Trovatore ' on ihe 15th paid 17th inst., and "Faust" on 16th and 18th inst., and if "Onlooker" ever felt himself in the seventh heaven of delight it was on those two occasions he heard "II Trovatore. ' I give tho "bim" to "II Trovatore" as a really brilliant success, fiom every point of view, as it went smoothly from beginning to ci.d, and the .only noticeable defects were m the singing ot some of the principals whose voices 'failed them, due to climatic effects, a matter often foigo'cten by critics in their own land. l>t me say that people who sit in judgment ia such a way as did the Melbourne critic on the meiibs of .the imported operatic artists will be taken bad' a j bit when tjiey learn over half a dozen of the I principal? n,rc big artists from the Carl Rosa ! Companj. " ll , Trovatore" so far has been the general favourite of the two opeias produced night about. Azucena (Madame Jansen) is simply paralysing, for her glorious contralto instiument is a treat in itself to hear, and she is a great actress. Max Eugene as Count de Luna is in my opinion the next best in the opera, whilst he is closely followed by -Charles T.lbury as Fcrrando, an artist with a voice like a glorious organ, a s-oul of 100 artists, and artistic .capabilities of any actor we have ever seen m this work and part; but his lovely usrt is, as I said, Mephisto, in "Faust, and "oh! what a "great and gentlemanly devil" he is. A devil that ccxild entice the -strongest willed to j yield to his powers as a tempter. The "Miserere ' was the best I ha.ye ever heard, or I should say, ever expect to hear. The chorus and orchestral woik is indeed the backbone of I the opera, and as a wliolo wa& perfection, pioving that Mr Musgrove has unearthed some ex- j cellent material in Melbourne for chorus work. | Herr Slapoffski and Mr John Crook are re- j lieving one another as "conductors, and two finer conductors Australia has never seen wielding the baton, Professor Marshall-Hall notwithstanding. Regarding "Faust,"' I'm j afraid I must be honest. I cannot speak of it so j highly as of_ "Tl Trovatore," although I was at iiist certain that "Fp.ust" would draw more and be a. bigger success than the other produc- j tion; but it, was not to be, and I was a woe bit disappointed. The failuie of "Faust" to draw was, I think, due to the fact that "II Trovatore" took it out 6f the chorus people, and unfortunately the cast of characters was not so strong as in "Irovatore." However, | Mephistopheles- made up for a lot of short-comi-ngs, and created quite a sensation with his j "devilish"' singing and acting. The scenery in bgih operas is up to fhe knocker, and quite a delicacy to behold. For this Messrs G-oatcher j and Coleman have received tho highest and the warmest praise. How I hope you will get the company in Maoriland, even if it be" foi a j veiy short season, for my iiuthful opinion is [ (no fla-ttery) that New Zes landers are better discerners of real merit in art and more appreciative in matters of high-class music than all tho Australian audiences I have had occasion to be amongst. Yet from Mr H. Musgrove I can get nothing definite re the visit to your land; it seems now doubtful, biit that doubt wil pass away, and I shall be able to re- " port you arc going to get G-. M.'s company in New Zealand. "Faust" and "II Trovatore" run tilL 27th, when we are to get "Carmen"' and ! "Lohengrin" for a fortnight, night about. What a pleasure, eh?

The Crane-Power Company finished their Melbourne . season at Her Majesty's on Saturday, 13th inst., with "Trilby," played to a tremendous aitdience. Charming Miss Edith Crane was as alluring as ever as Trilby, and Tyrone Powei as Svertgali was as strong as in previous demonstrations of the, part. You may see him in it ere this reaches you, so watch for a grand piece of work.

Harry 'Rickards's Variety Company at the Melbourne Bijou has got the best crowd at present I've ever heard. Black blood reigns supreme, but they axe good, and a- revelation in nigger-minstrel business.

Fred Ayton, Rickards's smart and energetic Melbourne manager, is going to stay with us, and will manage the new Opera House. I am glad of this,' as I'm only finding him out and getting to know him as well as one shoiild know him.

Sheridan's "East •Lynne" Company, at the Royal, has run for three weeks to great biz., and was to leave the boards for "Fun on the Bristol" to-night, -but on latest reports to hand the widow is too ill to appear, and "East Lynne" will run another few nights.'

The charming American tragedienne, Nance O'Neil, celebrated her birthday on the Bth mst., and was the recipient (I rejoice to learn) of many numeious and handsome presents, among which was a beautiful diamond and emerald bracelet, the gift of the dear old actor-manager, Mr M'Kee Rankin. Sad to relate, the very night Nance received the bracelet, she lost ]t, and it seems that it, like a beautiful dream, is gone for ever. However, I never giudge her all the joy and gifts she can get in this world,

for she is just as kind and good as she is beautiful and clever, and a few little incidents regarding her Ihoughtfulness and generosity are worth recording. Take, for instance, first of all, her £400 odd donation to the Melbourne Hospital, the net proceeds (after deducting a few pounds for advcitismg) derived from a rnatmee peiformance of '"Hcdda Gabler" m Melbourne.

Another veiy kind work of licis -«as to make a weekly piactice of driving down the streets of Melbourne in her carriage, pulling up at the spot where the pool liower boys stand, i ending their violets, wattle, veronica, etc. One day I was an eye.-witne&s of this custom of Miss O i\ r eil's, and a friend of mine, seeing her purchase what he called cheap flo^eis, said, "I think Nance O'Neil should buy fiowc-is ironi the shopkeepers who pay rents. ' "raihoa" (or whft we call m Maonland "'Wait a bit'"), I said. 'We did 'taihoa," and to each of the several boys she bought a shilling bouquet of flowers from she gave os and 7s 6d. If that is not generosity, what is? Many other little deeds of kindaess of.Miss O'Neil's. that I know of prove that she is all I say she is, a good and beauUiul woman.

Johnnie Coleman, "the funny man," is a brother of Wm. Coleman, Ihe acenic artist George Muegrove imported, whose scenery m "'II LLlovatore" at the Princess is a lasting monument of his great capabilities with the ■irush.

Fred Sinclair, Sheridan's right-hand comic man, iiiuslied his engagement with "J. P. S." a foitmght ago, intending to join Dixs variety show m Maoriland ior a short season, prior 1 to 3ns engagement in "panto" at Sydney, under Mr Williamson at Christmastime. Fred tells me now th» so far as he is concerned the Dix contract is oS, as he cannot get his price. This is to be regretted, for Sinclair, always called by the stage term of "silly ass, would have been an immense draw in New Zealand, and he's never been m your fine colony before. An old landmark m the Opera House. TJourko street, Melbourne, has recently disappeared, and the workmen are at grait dealing the debris for Harry Kickards's fine new Opera House, that is to be built and opened before the middle of next year. We shall be well off then for playhouses, shall we net?

, T seem to drop across New Zealand boys almost eveiy dsy m Melbourne, and consequently have a good chance of showing thtm round ' Marvellous Siuellboume." The last x^akehas I have met are Messrs W. W. Rhelrncrdnic, Lite of Walton and Co., Dunediu ; and B. Orbell (WsikoXiaiti), who left Melbourne per s.s. Nineveh, on 10th inst., for Capetown.

Mr J. .B. Murdoch, of the rTalional Mortgage Company, Palmerstoii North (New Zealand), v.ps with them, but will. I undei stand, stay in Melbourne ior a short while.

I bahe\e 3lr Saimdcift, of the Otago Daily Times and Witness staff, ppid a hurned aud brier visit to Melbourne last week, arriving by T he Waikaie on Sunday (14th), and leaving for Sjdney per next day's express. _ I was soriy I did not bump against him, but I did not hear of it till about the time his tram was going out, bul I was on his trail.