THE GHOST WALK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2561, 15 April 1903, Page 56

THE GHOST WALK.

By Pasqtjin, Jux.

The Jubilee Singers spent Easter in Ballarat. Tenor Dani is singing at Sunday concerts in New York. Meyer Lutz, musical director of London. Gaiety, is dead. . Baritone Ernest Fitts ie Rickards'g leading attraction in Melbourne. The Lynch Family of Bellringers contemplate a South African tour. The end-men at Adelaide Tivoli at present are Joe Rocks and "Wai Cottier. G. W. Hunter and Wallace Brownlow wera at latest at Adelaide Tivoli. The Brough Company had at latest reached Shanghai, where they disbanded. The death is announced of Richard Allen, "the father of the theatrical poster." Snazelle ("Snazzy"), of music,- song, and. story, is contemplating a tour of India. Musgrove's Comic Opera Company are la Tasmania for Eastsr ; Albert Clarke, advance. Bland Holt opened the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, with "The Prodigal Daughter," at Easter. Owing to their recent successful Australian tour, "Wirth, which Is mostly circus, is spelt Worth. The Boxing Harvey Boys, who toured New Zealand under the Dix banner, are in South Africa. "Ma Mie Rosette," with Wallace Brownlow as Henri of Navarre, was revived in Melbourne, at Easter. . Mr Chas. "Westmacott is the gentlemanly business manager of "Sweet Nell of Old Drury" Comrjahy. Johnny Sheridan commences a New Zealand tour at Wellington in August. Dunedin followa at Christmas. . . Clive O'Hara, Spry, and Monti, Jennie Opie, Eileen Boyd, J. W. Winton, and others were at Broken Hill for Easter. Miss Susie Vaughan, one time of Broughs, will return to Australia shortly under engagement to J. C. Williamson. Critic (seriously): "Madame Melba, when in Maoriland, had to pay income tax on her. profits, amounting to £3000. The Amenican Dramatic Company— FrawleyNeill— open at Her Majesty's, Melbourne, on June 1, under J. C. Williamson's management. The Westminster Abbey Glee and Concert! Company, at present touring the North Island,, are due in Dunedin next month.

Williamson's Musical Comedy Company, recently in New Zealand, opened in Adelaide on Easter Saturday in "The Messenger Boy.' Courtice Pounds has returned to Australia •with Musgrove'a new Shakespearian Company, which opened in Melbourne on Easter Saturday. Misa Gothame : "But ' Bigoletto ' is such an! old, old opeia!" Mrs Chicago: "Oh, I don't know; that ' Domia automobile 1 aong eeemS about up to date." The young Australian manager, Win. An.J derson. Doaularly kttQwa »J "J&IW &«»«»

fiis Melbourne season of drama, to a close with ''Honour Thy Father."

Miss Maude Daxrell has just, succeeded Miss Grace Palotta as principal boy in Mr Robert Courtneidge's Prince's, Manchester, pantomime, and has made a very great hit. ' The Gourlay-Miller Variety Company in Launceston are doing good business. Fred Bluett, George Williamson, and Johnny Coleman's wife (Lottie Lome) are at this house.

Miss Ethel Molßson, Mr J. C. Williamson's rew leading lady for his "Are You a Mason?" Company, for several years supported Mr Richard Mansfield on the New York stage.

Armes Beaumonf s farewell benefit concert in Adelaide Town Hall on March 26 was a great success. The veterarn tenor now retires, having been before the public for 40 years. Fuller's Good Friday "sacred concerts" in "Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin broke previous records. At Alhambra Theatre nearly 100 people were accommodated on the stage. Mrs Latimer and Miss Blanche Latimer, of Sydney, are on theii way to London to join Miss Edyth Lotimer, of Wilson Barrett's Company, who has been prostrated since her sister's death.

Miss Nina Schiotel, a clever violinist, one time of this city, took part in the Good Friday night sacred concert at Melbourne Opera House. Arch. Newbury, also of this city, assisted.

Miss Caroline' Barrett, x niece of the actor•uthor, has been playing with success the heroine Elswitha in "The Christian King," Mercia in "The Sign of the Cross," and Acte in "Ino Vadis."

Madame Clara Butt, who had been suffering from a severe illness, had almost recovered when the last mail left England, and was booked to sing at the Queen's Hall ballad concert on March 7.

Mr Bernard Espinasse, who is well known in Australian theatrical circles, and ss a contributor' to the Otago Witness, produced his drama, "Sappho," at the Princess Theatre, Manchester, on Easter Monday. . The Steele-Payne Family of Bellringers have leached ."farthest north," judging from a marked copy of a far north paper to hand. The money is just the same, and as there appears,to be plenty of it business is good. Miss Lulu Evans, who toured the North Island with Tom Poliard Company, and later appeared in Australia with J. C. Williamson's Boyal Comics, is touring the English provinces with Mrs D'Oyley Carte's Opera Company. ' Signor Luigi Arditi, who wrote, among many other notable compositions, the famous eong, "II Bacio," which has been sung more often by Madame Patti than any other song, "Home, sweet home" excepted, is now 80 years *I age. One of the last works upon which the re-cently-deceased composer, Planquette, was engaged was the preparation of the music fcjr the ballot of "Les Cloches de Corneville," to be produced in London Alhambra during Easter.

"My" graoious!" exclaimed Mrs Korntop, "here's a piece in the paper says most actresses sr>2nd most all the money they make fur clothes." "Well, well!" replied Farmer Korn'.op, who htd seen the ballet iv town, "that jest chows they don't make much money." The Boisee Company of 14 artists — acrobats, pantomimists, and conjurers — will appeal under Mr Rickards'js auspices at Perth, W.A., on the 16th met. They appeal iD pieces of their own that last an hour and a-half. This star attraction will appear in Sydney later on. It is stated that since 1884 the Boyal Choral Society, London, has lost £10,000 by producing new' works. Xwo oratorios, "Messiah" and "Elijah," keep the society in funds; nearly all the others result in a loss. Australian choral societies have met with much the same experience. Wirth's Circus struck a Victorian representation of a cyclonic disturbance on its opening night, and was worsted in the encounter. For ■the comfort and convenience of Qalrons it was deemed advisable to postpone the commencement of the season until the following night, by which time all damages had been repaired, and everything was in order.

Mr Frank Thornton, who opened in Sydney at the Criterion in "Charley's Autit" on Easter Saturday, describes New Zealand as vastly overdone from a theatrical standpoint. In his first week at Wellington, a city of 45,000, he had Madtme Me!ba, Fitz Gerald's Circus, a variety show, and the Williamson Opera Company to contend with. EaTly in March, within a, radius of 50 miles, there were five distinct dramatic companies touring in the Taranaki aistrlcts. •

The Paris Opera has now 103 performers in its orchestra, and these, including the cop ductor, who gets £12 Is 6d per month, and bis twq assistants, who get £20 a-piece, cost a few pounds short of £14,500 per annum. The nine principal singers at the opera ar paid a sum of £-24,100 a year, and this does not include the two^De Reszkes. Mme. Heglon's salary is £321 *a month. Mme. Breval's £230 a month, and Mme. Ackte and M. Delmas got « monthly salary of £280 each.

Mr Cyril Keightley, the Australian actor, '■who has been engaged by Mr F. B. Benson to play in London the leading role in the poetic drama, "Paola and Francesca," is a son of Mrs Keightley. who is mentioned in !Eolf Boldrewood's work, "Eobbery Under Aims." 'JTTien bushrangers stuck up her husiband's place in New South Wales, Mrs Keightiey rode for miles to secure a sum of money demanded for his ransom. About 12 years ago ■Mrs Keightley and her son took to the stage. [Mrs Keightley, whe was a fine, tall woman, •with a good figure, and great beauty in her youth, "died a few years ago.

" At the Auckland Police Court Gordon Bruce Mathieson, formerly a traveller with John Reid and Co., was committed for trial for the theft of £2 Is 9d from his employer. Bail in £50 and two sureties of £25 each .was granted.