MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5697, 16 October 1896, Page 3

MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC NOTES.

♦ [" Canterbury Times."] Harry Sprowle, Harry Roberts, Walter (Haybittle) Rivers and Laura Roberts, members of Maggie Moore's "Trilby" Burlesque Company, all hail from New Zealand. The Charles Godfrey Company^ finished its Wellington season on Saturday, and appears to have done much better . iv the Empire City than in Christchurch. Wanganui is the next place to be visited by the company. Pollard's Opera Company, which has been doing excellent business in Auckland, is now in Napier. It made a great success with "Sip Van Winkle." At Napier, "Nell Grwynne". was to have been produced for the first time, followed by "Boccaccio" and "Falka." The Christchurch season opens on Nov. 2. The Rev Haskett Smith, M.A., the great Oriental traveller, whose entertainments were so popular here a year ago, has returned to Christchurch, and will give two or three farewell lectures before taking his departure for America. It is understood that he has several entirely new subjects, which will be illustrated with exquisitely-coloured limelight views. I take the following from "Orpheus's" notes in the Wellington Post: — Professor Lazern, the New Zealand conjurer, who began his career in Wellington, and left for England a few. months ago, was appearing at the. Crystal Palace _\vhen . the last mail left; London. ; He writes. in .glowing terms to his friends in Wellington of his prospects in the Old Country. It is his intention to tour the provinces at the termination of his London engagement. Messrs Sntton Vane and Arthur Shirley, authors of " Tommy Atkins," are engaged upon a companion play, which will be called" Jack Tau." Mr Walter Reynolds's penny tax on all professionals entering the Theatre Royal, Leeds, continues to add to the funds of the Actor's Benevolent Fund. The amount collected for July was just short of ;£3. Bulletin pars : — " Geo. Coppin's visit to Adelaide recalls the fact that he built the first Adelaide theatre in 1848, and himself took a hand with the spade in digging ' foundations, afterwards acting 1 with • G-. V. Brooke. Subsequently Coppin made a f ortune out of, the Exchange Hotel, Adelaide (still standing, by the way), but dropped it in mining. " ' Skipped by the Light of the.Moon/ originally played by the Girards in America, seems' to be quite new to Hingland, although G. R. Sims wrote it. Geo. Walton is taking 'skipped' on a provincial tour, and Sims's own particular organ, the Referee, rises to explain that ' this play is described as an electric farce, with music' How little they know of Australian theatrical doings in thp. little island ! Not long ago the Referee spoke of Nellie Stewart as 'a young actress with considerable knowledge of stage business/ " The Vaidis Sisters, two muscular little women in blue, are the latest attraction at the Opera House. Their aerial gymnastics are new and original, in so far that they perform on a revolving double trapeze, brilliant with coloured electric - lighted lamps. Also, they shine personally in the matter of being able to suspend themselves from a tricky little mouthpiece, by their teeth and- spin around at a dizzy rate. Likewise, one of the sisters dives into a net, and impresses any beholders who haven't seen graceful Madame Antonio fall backwards from a much greater height." Madame Simonsen, the famous operatic artist who, as the cable has already, informed us, died in Melbourne on Sept. 16, was born in France, where, as Mdlle. Dehais, she studied at the Paris Conservatoire, and made her operatic debut. After her marriage with Mr Martin Simonsen she came to Australia (says the Sydney Referee), and about thirty years ago joined with the violinist in a series of concerts. Her great success in light opera was as the Grand Duchess in the piece of that name, and during her long stay as prima donna of Lyster's company she sang in " Faust," "Trovatore," "Traviata," "Les Huguenots," and other operas. Her last operatic tour was through New Zealand, about fourteen years ago, with a strong company of which Signor Palladini was the tenor and Signor Riccardi the basso ; and her last operatic appearances were on two occasions in 1887, when she replaced Signora Ciuti at the Melbourne Theatre Royal, in the rule of the blindwoman in "La Giaconda." Upon her retirement from the stage, Mdme. Simonsen settled down as a teacher, and soon achieved eminence by bringing forward several clever vocalists. Her chief success was with Miss Ada Crossley. Mdme. Simonsen also trained Miss Frances Saville, who has appeared with Abbey and Graii's New York Opera Company, headed by the De Reszkes and she brought, out another capable artist in the person of Miss Clara Montgredien, a Melbourne mezzo-soprano, who visited Sydney two years ago. Miss Flora Graupner,Miss Juliet Wray and Miss Julia Simmons (the Ariel of Mr Rignold's production of " The Tempest") were also numbered amongsther pupils. Mdme. Simonsen, who was fiftyseven years of age at the time of her death, left a family of nine children, of whom Mdme. Schreider, Mdme. Frances Saville, Miss Florrie Simonsen, Mr Jules Simonsen, Mr W. Simonsen (now studying in Paris), are all following in her steps as vocalists. About the last stage appearance pf Madame Simonsen happened (says the Sydney Bulletin) at Melbourne- Opera House, some six or seven years ago, when she played "Maritana" for her benefit. There was a big muster of former admirers —among them Parkes, who had come to Melbourne for the Federation Conference —and buxom Fanny's performance showed good cause and reason for the rally. Even then, at fifty-five years of age, she sang much of the music fetchmgly, and many traces of endearing young charms were apparent in her acting. "Yen I first married my Fanny she vas a very pnt^y oirl " Martin Simonsen used to say in Jus familiar discourses upon "vunmin m general. No doubt about it.