THE STAGE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16845, 22 September 1922, Page 4

THE STAGE

m Miss Daisy Jerome was at the head of the new bill at the Princess Theatre, on September 18. " *»* % Mr Leo I)u Chateau, who is at present directing the preliminaries for the advent of the Sistine Choir Soloists, in receipt of a cable deputing him to book a New Zealand tour for the Westminster Abbey Glee Singers. Mr Du Chateau will direct the tour, which is now booked*to open at. the Town. Hall, Wellington, about the beginning of the New Year. Popular misconception connected with the Sistine Choir soloists « may prove mischievous, and the director of the management, Mr L. J. Carroll, would like it known that*this band of distinguished vocalists comprised the essential basis of the famous Sistine Choir, which created such enthusiasm in Australia. The lamentable mental breakdown of Monsignor Perosi in Rome compelled the return of the deputy director. Monsignor Rella, atid the consequent curtailment of the Australian season. However, through Monsignor Rella, negotiations were opened lip l>3 r cable with Rome which eventuated in the nine principal soloists and the maestro, Signor Casolari. being allowed to remain behind to complete the Australian itinerary. and make a brief tour of New Zealand. Tlio New Zealand tour will commence at Auckland at the close of this month, and finish at Invercargill early in November. The Sistine soloists comprise two sopranos, thr€*o tenors, two baritones, and two basses, each and every one of whom lias starred in grand opera * at the principal operatic theatres, such as the Sc'aln, Milan: Regio, Turin ; St Carlos. Naples, and the Argentina, Rome. Hie sum of £ISOO (says a Melbourne paper) has been realised to assist Miss Wilma Berkely, the young American soprano, in her musical studies abroad The'Wirth Family, the riding act with May Wirt-h its star, who have been a sensational success in London since opening a few weeks ago, received a record salary offer for the circus at Olympic.. being offered £4OO weekly for five successive weeks, with transportation both ways for all members. The fares would amount to £1.600, aver aging the weekly salary at £750. Erne-lie Polini ho« a. decided literal a gift, and, in addition to having written several short pieces, has had tvv full-length plays produced abroad Miss Polini, in collaboration with Doris Callahan, has now finished s drama in four acts- It has been, reac 1 by the J. and N. Tait management, who have been so impressed by it that arrangements are being made to produce it in the near future. So far, the title has not been decided upon. Signor Agostino Balboni, the operatic tenor who (according to cable advice) was found in critical condition on the pavement in St Kilda, Melbourne, with his throat cut and a razor near him, came to Australia Rome years ago with the Gonzales Opera Company, and at once achieved popularity in tenor roles. When the company disbanded ho was one of several members who remained, in Australia, and latterly had been singing with success in picture theatres. Among picture patrons in Melbourne, and many of the suburbs, he was very popular, and his appearance at any theatre was always an attraction. It was said that Signor Baiboni’s health had been troubling him, and that other worries were obsessing liis mind, Elizabeth Parkina. who toured these parts a dozen years back with a serial sweet voico and a concert party of hei own, died a few weeks ago in liei American homeland (writes a 1 ' Bulletin ” correspondent). This sopranc was the first singer heard by Amy Castles in Mnthild© Marchesi’s studio, and her voice at that time was sc great and gorgeous that Amy wept and ivanted to come home because she had never imagined there were such wonderful organs this sido of the celestial choir. - Marchesi thinned it to a ghost of its former self, and Parkina climbed no higher than secondary parte such as Musetta to Melba’s Mi mi. Eventually she developed a malignant throat trouble, and faded altogether from view. Melba was her staunch friend to the encl. Miss Ada Reeve (one of Fuller’s “ stars ”) admits to -being psychic. “ Before I am on the stage two minutes,” she declares, can feel if there is what we call a ‘ good ’ audlionce. Of course, I am nervous, more so indeed than when I started out- as a child of eix. The higher one goes the more one realises the weight of responsibility. The hardest work I ever did was to unfreeze niv first American audiences. I Turing my last tour I found it comparatively easy. You see we use certain expressions with quite different meanings. It was with difficulty that I restrained from giving them ragtime, but after all, when America

m i goes to see England it does not want) l , bo get America, sc i just carried on j , eis usual and managed to get there all , right. As I said to my manager. ti;oy j c-ome to see us with ice in their pock- ; ets, but once you succeed in thawing it, ic is roses,, roses all the way. But 1 liad to unfreezo my audiences in every town we played in." There was a great audience at Her Majesty’s Theatre (says the Melbourne • Age when Dame Nellie Melba gave her operatic performance in aid af the Soldiers’ War -Memorial. A Melba performance is always full of impressive moments, and this one was no exception. The diva appeared in the opening scene of the fourth act> of “ Othello ’’ (“ The Willow Song ” and “ Are Maria”). and later on gave a scone f.'om Bern berg’s Elaine. The “Othello” excerpt is familiar enough here from; Melba, but it would take many more hearings to make one tire —if ever one would tire—of her beautiful expression of Desdemona’s swan song. The notable points in the performance were the tine elegiac feeling of the first section and the gentle devotion of the second. Tliere was great enthusiasm at the conclusion of the scene. When it had subsided, the Prime Minister made his appearance on the stage. Melba, he said, had made Australia known throughout the earth. She easily remained unchallenged Queen of Song. She had done much for Australia, and wo all loved her. Tn the last few months she had snmg to over 300.000 people. She had made her name immortal. The Conservator! urn. \ lias* one of her great and enduring j works. Then .fir Hughes gallantly ; kissed Melba’s hand. The diva seemed i greatly touched. “If I say a word j 7’ll absolutely break down.” she remarked. but in spite of this she went on to say it was eas-* T to do things for people when you love them. “ God bless you all,” were her concluding words. Melba went off 'wiping her eyes. “ Tons of Money," a farce which is likely to make a fortune as big as its name suggests, has reached its hundri’dth night at the Shaftesbury. The public ‘has paid £30,000 to see “ Tons of Money” in sixteen weeks. At Drury Lane “Decameron Nights” hss also run for a hundred nights. “ Ambrose Applejohn’s Adventure,” with Charles Hawtrey as the pirate king, is now approaching its 400th performance, while the “ I.ady of the Pose.” “ Lass O’ Laughter,” and Galsworthy’s “Loyalties” are other plays v.sjhch have outlasted the slump. A theatre for children is to be completed in New York this summer. It will be housed in wliat is described as “one of the most charming buildings in the world.” It is the gift of Mr August Hecksher. and will be devoted to the amusement and recreation of children. Its most attractive feature will be a children’s theatre with <379 seats. It is proposed that go far as possible the plays shall be written by children and acted by children for audiences of children. he no admission charge, and it will bo first come, first served. The mural decorations will veraeiously set forth the persons and adventures of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Beanstalk Jack, and other worthies. “The melodies in Sullivan's comic operas are as English as a picture of Constable, a lyric of Shakespeare- as English as eggs and bacon.” said Major Maurice Baring in a lecture, at the Royal Institution. London, on “Gilbert and Sullivan.” “ Sullivan,” he said, “was a rightful heir of Purcell, and a lawful representative of Merry England. Gilbert’s wit and fancy, Gilbert’s whimsical poetry played the part of the blue paper packet of a Seidlitz powder which, when mingled with the white packet of Sullivan's music, produced j the enchanting effervescing explosion, j Children who had been taken to see i first “Jack and the Beanstalk” and then “ lolanthe.” said the “ Tolantho” was a real pantomime, but that “ Jack and the Beanstalk'f -in its modern shape interluded with political allusions and music hall tags—was not. ’ Reported that a civil-list pension of £IOO a year has been granted to the widow of Henry Irving (writes a. “ Bui- | letin ” correspondent). After Irving s death on October 19, 1.905, *his will was proved at £20,527, which is a tidy sum as acto-rs’ estates go. Still, it is email compared with tho £400,000 left James A. Bailey, the showman; with D’Ovlev Carte’s £240.817 and Mrs D’Oyley Carte's £1.17.7.96. J. L. Toole cut up for £79,984. but he didn’t make it all on the stage. Wilson Barrett bequeathed £30,862; Geo. Grossmith. whose son is now in Australia, £19,628; If red Leslie, here with Nellie Barren. £16,113; George Rignold, £II,OOO ; and George Coppin, £10,232. At the other end of the scale were Kvrle Be Hew, £705; Willie Edouin. £995: Hermann Yezin, £l3B. and Oscar Wilde. £IOO.