WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 69

WELLINGTON WING WHISPERS

By Peter Pah. May 27. Dear Pasquin,—The J. C; Williamson firm should be greatly pleased with the. opening season in the Dominion of its Grand Opera Company. Wellington people are revelling in the musical banquet, and some of them seem scarcely able to obtain enough of the magnificent offering. I know of one enthusiast who has only missed one performance, and he is lamenting the fact. Up to date we have had " Madam Butterfly " and "La Boheme," but to-morrow night the well-known "Carmen" will be sung. Mddle. Bel Sorel is to sing the music'of the vivacious cigarette girl, and the music should 6uit 'ier splendidly. The company is a very fine one, but the orchestra is better; and never have the ears of New Zealanders been delighted with such musical splendour. Youir readers are in for a great treat. The season closes next Friday, when the company plays some of the inland towns, en route to Auckland.

Mr J A. Matheson, advance for the Hamilton-Maxwell Dramatic Company, is in town arranging for the opening night on the 4th June. The Auckland season closes to-morrow night, and the intervening time will be occupied in playing the principal inland towns en route here. "Women and Wine" will be the opening production. Mr Matheson reports splendid business in Atiekland. Old friend George Bu'.ler is managing for Mr Hamilton. On Tuesday night, at Feilding, two original plays from the pen of Mi Scoble Cornish—" The Roll of the Drum" and "Ngaio" (a three-act Maori drama) —were successfully produced. "Jack, the Boy Scout," another of Mr Cornish's dramas, is in rehearsal by the Feilding DramaticClub.

"Living- New Zealand," the new picture show which was billed to open at the Town Hall on Umpire Night, met with bad luck. There was a large audience, and after some 60 minutes had been spent in futile endeavours to make the machine fulfil its work, it was given out that someone, had tampered with it. However, matters were remedied the following evening, and the exhibition was given, and successfully. The permanent picture houses and Fullers' vaudeville house are attended by hosts cf regular patrons. At the Theatre Royal Garden Wilson, the clever mimic, is drawing like a plaster. Hassan and his vaudeville company sailed for the south last night for a seven weeks' tour. The North Island , will then be played, after which Queensland. A Wellington syndicate intends establishing a permanent picture show in Blenheim.