DRAMA AND MUSIC.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14360, 4 February 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

DRAMA AND MUSIC.

KUBELIK.'S "STO-AJJ." Boforo leaving London for tho Continent last mourn, Kubelik, the famous violinist, ooiuptouid (says the "Daily Telegraph") tuo pureliu-so of the famous "Emperor" btradivariua viohn, witiuli ha~ lor a number ol years been in tho possession of a well-known Leeds instru-i me lit collector. 1; has btcri valued ut iIU.OOU. ' It has not been played upon in public lor over a hundred years, Olid it is expected ihnl KubaliU will perform upon it mi the CjiiocnVhall next Juno. One of thu big concerts of the sskkoU was that giwn by Kulwbk and. Hackbans at tbo Qupu'n's-hall in December, it is .seldom 'Unit tho publie 'line the privilege of hoariug both singly and in combination, two .stars of such mnguilude, and the unsocial it:n of these favourite players drew an overwhelming audience. Many who came late hoping to book seats, paid the p2iial*y of unpunctuulity. TI:o "Ivreutzer" Sonata was one of tho features of the programme.

THE SECHET OF THE SUCCESSFUL PLAY.

An luWeoLiug, tunc wi.h Mr W. b-'jiauiieb 4kiau|>iiaii, tile weii-kuowu uiauiULst, w rucuiued liy a New lurk uuei-vuwvr. luuucntuliy j\ir jiaugiiun, who UaU 10 waif nve years or so before tu eouid. get lna plays accepted, unit thou was earned w the Hood tide of •socetss so cmpiiaucuily iliat no had lour plays ruuu.iig at tho one time m ImiiOuii—an unprecedented feat—says it is not absolutely necessary to have iuU'lleetuol' ability m order to write a successful play. The great thing is to have "the knack of getting what you have to say over the iooilights. Jllll what, that knack is precisely, pr how it comes, he cannot say. "Fortunately," he added, "unly a very few have it, and those who have it yre abio to keep tho wolf from the door."

As to the "coming drama," ho was unkcd for a prediction. "Tim coming drama,' J:o replied, "will bo tlia sinic type of play that lias been successful lor tlie last 2000 years, and will be for the next 2000—that play that entertains and interests. The drama that is not going to conic in the future, just a a it hasn't coiuo in the past, is the drama that- bores while it pretends to elevate."

"You don't believe, then, in the drama of npliftP" ~ "Personally, I don't want to be uplifted, but I daro soy there are people, who do. Tho only thing I roscnt is that they should ask me to uplift them."

"Do' you think, then, that tho play with a purpose is pasting awnyP" "I don't know. The fact is that th« first thin;: needful for a drama is the dramatic instinct. Tf a man has got that there is no knowing what he can get the public to aceopt from him. I think the 'public will tnke any amount ami any kind of preaching if tho man who preaches is really a bom dramatist and life the dramatic instinct. But the trouble with most of these people who try to: give us what they are pleased to call ideas on the. stage, and want to uplift mid elevate and educate us, is that they haven't the dremntir instinct, mid' they don't suc.:o"tl in making what they have to say iniererting. Things are often quits interesting in a 'book, and when you sro them acted yon arc bored to ■extinction." The author of "Lady Frederick" was under the irnyirrs-ion that this play had been, refused by 17 pcoplo bef'iro it was nut on as a slop-gap. All of lis carlic;' plays had been refused by every manager in London. Success camo after a long and weary struggle. If he had known lie would have "stuck to doctoring." "I don't know what it is like hero," said Mr afanghan in conclusion, "but in Hngland a man who goes in for play-writing, unless ho has a private income, is an awful fool. It is a hard and dreary businors."

BRITISH OnCITESTIiAS.

AVrit in tbe "Musical Times." Professor Thcodor Mii'ler-Kentcr, of Crcfeld, records liis I'liipic'iiions of musical life in London, gathered from a t.tay of a mouth, during which timo he at'.ondcd a number of conceits, etc. A ca-refnl observer, he says-, cannot fail to notice that for ninny years there has «xistert between England and (levmany a musical rcrixuocity, which could only have been made pi.s.silile through increased musical activity in England. 4 generation of native, highly capable musicians has sprung up, and' caiiioicuoiis in .the forefront are nitUt- able to conmeto with the best that Germany and the Continent can produce. Cnmcinrmrmry Jiritish coninnsers are making tht-ir foothold in liormutiy e\ er .siuvr, but English virtuosi and s : ngcrs not so well

known to German aiidieiK cs. 'fir.' writer has much to say in oriiise ol' the London. Svmohoiiv Orebestr.i. wbicii is to ail iir.eiits a ilritisb 01 cbe itrii;, he was also delighted with tho performances of the other concert orchestras as wolf as tbe opara, orchestras of Covent Garden and Hia Majesty's M'heatro <Beecham Orchestra). He was impressed by tho wonderful crchostr.il tone, which, without doubt, exceeds that of German orchestrns in its round, full cpinlity. Summing up, bo says that English orchestral performances are on a very high level, English composers are well able to hold their own, and the rising generation of English virtuosi and singers is more than very capable. Taken altogether n (1-eriniin musician can to-day learn a very great deal in London.

NOTES,

I 'J'hn appro* iativo enthusiasm which greeted "Jade and the Beanstalk" on tlio opening nielli, <>f its performance ;it Her-Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, seems likely to attend it in nil its career. The iinnniinous op'nion to, lie that the new pantomime in many respeet.s excels all previous productions and in strength <if its cast, tlic liijih quality of its chorus and ballet music, tlio subtle quality of its oomody, and the tiistcfnliKss of its costuming, it is certainly on a very liitih piano of excellence. "Miss Sybil Arnndiile lias leapt rijilit into public favour as the principal boy, while Miss Dorothy Firmiu is a dainty principal girl and Mi' Noil Kcnvon as tlio Dame is a fund of humour and kerns tin- audience bnhliliiiE with laughter from start to linish. Altogether tho Pantomime thorou»hly deserves the success which is attend!ng us production. Sonie idcii of tlio popularity of "Our Miss Kibhs" in Sydney may be liv the fact that <ine evening dnrinc a nw.auht lvin:l_ rectd in on- of the papular in !-\dnev. 1h» crowd aft or hearine the m.is'c of "Oar M' - *-. nihl,,." which wax played about ti«»:it throiiidi lb" nivv-ninitm, vociferously demanded flint it should h- plnvfri all over airahi. nor did tlvv r-st. null the onrniiiT birs of the popular on«ie anpri-ed then nf the fa.-t, Ih:,t. t'leir roouest ives r.i h' crant-ed. The vmibcrs •■' the rtenran Hand „'">. wlc-n t.airin- round the RvdiKv -tveets. are boiler eonstanllv "sk-d 1- rV-hs and officials exnerallv to p'ay <h- -o m,. 1 nt the reigning musical coiiudy.