THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2877, 5 May 1909, Page 68

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES.

By Pasqcin.

TUESDAY, May 4, 1909

Just on going to press the Australian mail to hand brings advice of the approaching: departure to America of Mr Harold Ashton, one of the Firm's most trustworthy and respected managers Mr Ashton, to whom the tup must have been altogether unexpected, following so closely on his return, leaves Melbourne on May 10. He will visit the majority of the principal centres of the United States, and it is possible that he may join Mr J. C. Williamson in England lat-or on

'"Fra Diavolo." from Ma=terton, under date May 1: Hooking for "Merry Widow" tremendous ; all dr«*«« circle and stalk gone shortly after opening the plan. Madame Melba to an interviewer : "I am enjoying the tour immensely, in spite of the accident on the Riverina — you will perhaps have heard how I sprained the ligament? of my leg as the result of slipping on the brass of the companion way. I should have taken a header but that I twisted round to *aye mysolf. There was a Tremendous swell on at" the time, and I bad been previously pitched out of my deck chair into the scuppere. Some people thoiight that as a result of the accident I should have had to lay up, but I have a good deal of determination, and determined that those I had come to sing to should hear me. You know, this tour has been taken mainly for sentimental reasons. I am carrying out an idea I have had for a long time — that of vUitinjr all the little towns, just as Jenny Lind did in her native Sweden. Of course, you will say New Zealand is not my native land. I wish" that by any act of mine I could bridge the little breach that seoms to exist between the Commonwealth and the Dominion. To me New Zealand is very dear. I have several cousins here, and in London, when I 6peak of my native country, New Zealand is included a 6 much as Tasmania or New South Wales, or, in r aet, any of the Australian States outside Victoria, which is my birthplace, and from the capital city of which mj name of Melba is derived. Oh. yes, I have enjoyed my New Zealand tour immensely, so far. It was co good of the New Zealand Government to send a special boudoir car down alongside the steamer for me at the Bluff, and the civic reception accorded me in In\ercargill was a very touching* compliment. . . . Getting on to things musical Madame Melba eaid shp was longing foi the day when <=hr> could achie\e the great object of her life — to produce grand opt-ra in Australasia on the same 6cale as at Covent Garden. Of conr-e, it is an immense enterprise," 6he paid "I hepe to get the choral societies in the different States and train the choruses for the presentation of different opora.s, and thu= get a magnificent combination of Australian vciccs of the loveliest quality. When the choruses are trained they ouprhfc to be something worth hearing. Whrn the operatic scheme is finalised, I hope to got the chorus to work at one*, aiid one of the best masters from Europe will hi brought to train them. It will take fully 12 months to make all preparations fcr the stag-ing of the operas, and six months of that r;'<V\ r>« <-f nt training 1 the jaitetaiu. composed jv.ircli. of Ai~t.al;an^ and

two of the most famous conductors in Europe will be engaged to lead. I hope to be able, to produce Tannhauser, 'Lohengrin,' and possibly 'Tho Flying Dutchman' t Wagner), 'La Tr-aviata,' 'Rigoletto,' and 'Otello' (Verdi), 'La Boheme,' 'La Tosca,' 'Madame Butterfly' (Puccini). 'Lucia di Lammermoor' (Donizetti), 'Figaro' (Mozart), and ' Carmen ' (Bizet). This is a good repertoire, and I shall do my best, for the sake and reputation of my beloved native land, to make the season in the Commonwalth and New Zealand worthy of the best traditions of operatic productions, and one which will afford much musical and intellectual pleasure to fellow- Aiistralians."

So "poor George P. Carey is gone. I knew him well —an actor of infinite resource, and a gontlemau whom it was good to know. There are so few of the G. P. Carey type left that the passing of the veteran actor is doubly regretted. George Carey was one of the best-known and most highly-respected actors in Australasia. He was always a popular figure, and anything he did box© a deal of polish rarely seen amongst typical Australian actors. The late-lamented George- Carey differed in many respects from others of his class, and ihe difference was just that which made him co universally iv?6pected An actor and gentleman most fittingly describes him as I knew him. George Carey was one of Australia's leading- ptock actors, aaid in his lime — a matter of nearly 40 years on the stage — h© played many parts. His first appearance in Dun-edin was in 1891, when he toured with Jennie Itee, of "Jo" fame; his next visi 1 ; was in 1904-' with William Anderson's company, playing in "Her Second Time on Earth," " When London Sleeps," and "Man's Enemy." The late George Carey twice visited Dunedin in 1905, playing with the Julius Knight Company jn "A Royal Divorce," "The Eternal City," " Darling of the Gods," and "Monsieur Beaucaire." The yeas- 1906 saw him again in Dune-din, with "The Squaw Man " Company, and Augutt of 1908 Avas his last appearance, with Allan Hamilton's " Little Bread-winner '' Company. Prior to 1908 Goorge Catoy Ha-d becTi in -erwc-eect-higly bad health, and his life was dcspaiied of. He .'.ecovered, and _to the joy of his many friends was able to resume his profession. When J saw him in 1908 he was far from well, but such was his nature that hs opined he would recover his usual health on the New Zealand tour. H-e ne\er did. Returning to Australia he played with the Allan Hamilton Company in Queensland, and a few \\ oeks ago moved down to Sydney, where a season wae to lisve commenced at Easter. As stage manager he had been working- at high pressure on a new production for the Sydney season. George Carey was destined never to see that season through. A few weeks ago he broke down completely, and was advieed to take a long rest. Entering the S1;S 1 ; Vincent Hospital hopes were enterarned for his recovery, but a few days ago he took a bad •"urn and died on Thursday of last wi>plc. While in Brisbane ihe late Oorgo Carey dropped me a postcard on which he had written, " Looking forward to seeing you in Septembsr." September will come, but no George Car-py. Actor and gentleman, he has passed with the rc-t He was married to Miss May Hill, daughter of Mrs Walter Hill, a famous actress in her day, and is survived by his widow and son, Ree;« Carey, who, as Billy in the production of " Sherlock Holmes " v. ith the American actor, Cuyler Hastings, mado something of a hit a year or two ago.

During the forthcoming season in this city of the Premier Dramatic Company, under Edwin Goach's management, the company will during- Winter Show Week transfer to the Princess Theatre, where will be produced for the first time in Dunedin the highly successful melodrama " Lured to London."

At the conclusion, of the Geach Dramatic Company's season in. Dunedin the company will play Oama.ru, Timaru, arwl Ashburton before taking a big- jump to Auckland. Other towns to ba visited are Gisborne, Napier, Hastings, Palme-rston North, Marton, llawera, New Plymouth, Wanganui, and Master-ton. The final departure of tho company will be taken from Wellington on Augu-st ]3.

A line to hand from the Stagpocles, who wero loun-d in New Zealand under the Fuller banner. The Stagpooles (four) were at latest showing- at the- American Music Hall, New York, one or the chain of independent vaudeville houses embracing- the principal cities of the United States.

R. G. Knowles. who toured these hospitable parts some time- ago, and 'who wa« not particularly enamoured of the appreciation of Maoriland audiences, was- at latent appearing at the American Mu.no Hall, New York.

A line to lia-nd from Perth fW.A.) is to the effect that William=Qii'§ Musical Comedy Company was broyuclng " The frirjce of Pil^en'' and "The Belle of JsTew York" in thi+ city 'with rare euccees. There vete 2-">>->ti .'^ii'tioafl In th± oasis of tji^se

productions from that seen here a few weeks ago. Herberi Clayton, who toured New Zealand with "The Merry-makers" Company, and who subsequently returned to England, is out again, having been reengaged by Mr J. C. Williamson. Herbert Clayton arrived in Melbourne in time to join " The Red Mill " show after its New Zealand tour. Proceeding- to Perth with, the combination, he took up the leadingbaritone roles — the Prince in "The Prince of Pilsen " and Harry Bronson in " The Belle of New York." These parts were played ir Dunedin by Edmu-nd Sherras, who was to have been re-engaged. Harold Parks is no longer with the musical comedy show, and "out west" Frank. Stirling played his parts. Miss Olive Godwin 4 , Ivy Scott 7 and Mario Ba-ton were the leading ladies. The company is to be reorganised in Melbourne, and seve.ral artists from Londcn have been engaged 'to strengthen the combinatiqn.

Tho long-awaited visit of Meynell and Gurm's Comic Opera Company, which has been looked forward to with keen interest for some time, is to eventuate at Auckland on May 24, when the company opens in the pantomime of' "£Snderella." The. rest of the bookings include Palmerston North, June '21 ; Wellington, June 26; Christchurch, July 26; Dunedin, August 9; Invercargill, August 25. ~ The artiste have heard so much concerning- the Dominion, that they say they have never looked forward to any tour with more genuine interest and expectation than their forthcoming visit to New Zealand. > A phase of the labour question, which. Madame Melba met with in the 6outh appealed strongly to her sense of the humorous (says the Christchurch Press). "I had no idea," said she, "to what extent labour legislation prevailed here until it was bi ought practically home to roe. In one of the towns where I sang I was unable to get any supper after the concert. The members of the Cooks' 1 Union would, "not work after 7 p.m., and had my butler "not gone to work and cooked me a chop I should have had to go supperless." To see Mr Reginald Roberta fooling in -The Dairymaids" and. "The Girls of G-ottenberg" one would scarcely imagine that ha was the* fiiat to play the role in Puccini's magnificent work "La Boheme" in America -<n Bhglioh, y<st such wastha case. Indeed, if all the performances of Mr Roberts were counted up it would be found that ho had done more in the realm of grand opera than in the class of lighter opera and musical comedy that the' Koyal Comic Opera favours. The story of hie first appearance in "La Boheme" in Chicago is worth the telling. He was playing stock under the manag-ement of Mr Henry Savage, and it was customary .to play alternate weeks of liglv and grand opera, and with the aid of a double cast it was possible to give the principal, who played a big part one week, a small one the next. One day Mr Savage announced? that it was his intention to stage "La Boheme" on the follow r ing Monday week, and that Mr Roberts was to sing the tenor music, of which he at that time knew nothing. One the Sunday week before th« show all assembled at the theatre, and went through the score with tho conductor. "Tha beauty, romance, and passioa of the mueio gripped our souls, and we all went home full of it, I realisin/g what a task was in front of me. I battled with the score all day, with the aid of -a. pianist that iVir Savage provided me with, and who dogged' my footstepo all the week. After the performance at j-iight I used to go home, and after a bit of supper and a cigarette would undress, get into a dressing gown, he on a couch with the score, and 1 with the aid of the pianist hum through the music, trying to photograph. the stuff on to my brain. It was the only way I thought I might be able to get to know the paTt in time. By the Wednesday I waa seeing notes in the air as I walked along, and bits of the score dodged across tho- focus of my eyes. I felt like getting brain fever, and I told Mr Savage that it was impossible to study the ,>art. by the Monday. He said it had to be done, and I worried along, feeling rotten. On fche Sunday before the performance there was a full-dress rehearsal, during which my voice broke down completely — went right away, and it knocked me right over for & bit. Mr Savage put me into a cab and! sent me home. That evening I and some of the other boys went for a. etroll down: to the Italian quarter of the city, and in order to try and acquire some colour for, '•Boheme" had an Italian dinner. Mr Savage came down afterwards, and as we drank the warm vintages of Italy we got a little merry, and a sin.g-fcong started.-, Mr Savage dared me to sing, but I got! on my metal, and said I would sing my, big 1 solo in "Bpheme," commencing "Yoi'iv litHe- hand is frozen," _^9 niy ci'u su-unss I found that my voice had ic-.Airrs*J, and I was able to sing the eonjr All ri?V. Meanwhile an understudy ha.d been put on io t^ke up my pa-rfc, but abfiut 11 £>'clock Uio next iaornina I aco*

J. C. Wlliarnson Co.— June 6 to 22. Allan Hamilton Co.— June 27 to July 2. J. C. Williamson Co. (pencilled).— July 13 to 23. Meyaell and Gunn. — July 25 to August 3. Pollard Opera Co. — Grand National Week. J C Williamson Co.— September 16 to 29. J C. Williamson Co.— Sept. 30 to Oct. 8. J. C. Williamson Co.— Oct. 28 to Nov. 12.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE, CHRIST-

CHUECH. West's Pictures. — April 26 to May 16. H«rbort Flemming's Estate. — May 6 to 13. Musical Union (pencilled).— May 17, 18, 19, Meynell and Gunn. — May 20 to June 5. Allan Hamilton. — May 31 to June 5. Meynell and Gunn. — June 7 to 17. Meynell and Gunn. — July 26 to August 7. Tom Pollard.— August 7 to 28. Jdlan Hamilton. — November 5 to 13.

1910. West's Pictures.— Dec. 25 to Jan. 15 (1910)T J. C. Williamson Go. — February 21 to May 7. 3. C. Williamsen Co. — March 15 to 24. Catholic Bazaar — March 26 to April 13. West's Pictures (pencilled).— April 10 to 23. West's Pictures. — April 16 to May 6. J. C. Williamson Co. — May 24 to June 4. J. C. Williamson Go. — June 6 to 22. Allan Hamilton Co. — Jun« 27 to July 2. J. C. Williamson Co. (pencilled). — July 13 to

. 23. . Mey»«ll and Gunn — July 25 to "August 3. Pollard Opera Co.—-Grand National Week. West's Pictures. — Carnival (two weeks). J. C. Wilhaui&on Co. — September 16 to 29. J. C. "Williamson Co.— Sept. 30 to Oct. 8. J. C. Williamson Co.— Oct. 28 to Nov. 12. West's Pictures.— Dec. 26 to Jan. 15 (1911)

1911. West's Pictures. — Easter (three weeks). West's Pictures. — Carnival (tv;o weeks). West's Pictures. — Christmas (thre« w«eks

from December 25)

COLOSSEUM, CHEISTCHUECH. Ths Royal Wid*-world Pictures (ni'htly)

OPERA HOUSE, WELLINGTON Aleynell and Gunn. — May 3 to 18. Harry Rickards — May 19 to 27. HerWerl Flemming — May 29 to June IS. Allan Hamilton. — Jane 13 to Ju^y 24. Pollard's Opera Co— .July 26 to Aug. 13 G Mu=srrove — Kw 16 to 28

u=grove ..„„. J. C Williamson.— Aug. 30 to Sept. 12 J. C Williamson— Sept. 14 to "Oct. 1. Allan Hiimlton — October 2 to 16. J. C. Williamson. — Oct. 25 to Nov 13. J. C Williamson. — Nov. 15 to Dec 9 J. C. Williamson —Dec. 27 to Jan. 16.

THEATEE EOYAL, WELLINGTON. Fuller's Pictures. — In beason.

HIS MAJESTY S THEATEE,

WELLINGTON, Eoyal Pictures (nightly).

TOWN HALL, WELLINGTON. West's Pictures.— July i to 28.

PALMEESTON NOETH MUNICIPAL

OPEEA HOUSE. J. C. Williamson "Merry Widow Co."-

6 and 7. Madame Melba. — May 10. Cmqtievalli — May 18. H<irry Eickards Co — June 14. "Miss Hcok of Holland" Co —June 21 to 26. George Musgrove — Aug-; 12 and 13 J. C. Williamson-Julius Knight Co. — Sept. 20 and 21. J. C Williamson's * "Jack and Jill" Co. — Oct. 6 and 7. Hugh J. Ward's Musical Comedy Co. — Xov. 1 to 6 J. C. Williamson — Xov. 20 and 21. Eickards's Entertainers.— Dec. 26 to 31.

1910. Carter the Magician — Jan. 17 and 18. J. C. Williamson — Jan 20 to 24. J. C. Williamson.— May 19 and 20. J. C. Williamson. — June 8 and 9. Fred Graham's Musical Comedy Co. — June

20 to 25. J. C. Williamson. — June 29 and. 3o. Meynell and Gunn. — July 1 and 2. J. C. Wilharnson.— Aug. 18 and 19. J. C. Williamson.— Sept. 30. Allan Hamilton. — Oct. 1 to Nov. 5. J. C. Williamson.— Nov. 10 and 11.

1910. Caledonian f-ocietv — Jan. 1 Bert .Rcnle (peniii'ed I—Jan.1 — Jan. 17. B-rt Itoy'e (peiicii'cd) — J«n. 23. Vac.nl — February. Va( in — Maich Brit Kovle (per-i'W — .\ "~< 13i":cd O:ah?ru. — il«-y a .'..a vj.

Ber^t JRoyle. — June 4 and 24. MoyneT and Gunn. — July 2. Bert Eoyle. — August 24. Vacant. — September. ±sert Eoyle.— October 6 and 10.