MUSIC

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XX, Issue XIV, 2 April 1898, Page 411

MUSIC

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The Dunedin Mandolin and Guitar Band, a photograph of whom we reproduce on another page, is one of the best known musical institutions in the Southern city. It was organised in 1890 by Mr L. D. (.’ox, the present conductor, who was a pupil of Senor Fernandez, one of the famous Spanish Students. Since its foundation the band has been most successful in winning publie favour, and in introducing to the public notice a class of instruments and music with which the majority- was little familiar. In addition to the mandolin and guitars the band has in use an excellent mandola and a fine lute. Both these instruments are not merely novelties, but form a valuable acquisition to the music of the band. The lute has only lately been revived in Italy, and is almost unknown in this country. Its tone resembles the ’cello, being deep and resonant. Signora Duse, in a recent interview in Rome, announced that she was utterly tired and sick of what she described as romantico-philosophio plays. More especially was she wearied and disgusted by such pieces as ‘Magda’ and ‘La Femme de Claude. At one time she was fascinated by Ibsen, but she no longer finds anything attractive in the Norwegian realist and pessimist. Her great ambition now, she declares, is to revive the tragic masterpieces of Aeschylus. Sophocles and Euripides, in whose grandeur and simplicity she recognises the fundamental emotions of mankind. Some interesting figures are published in London concerning the cost and the profits of pantomime. It seems that the late Augustus Harris expended £20,000 upon ‘Dick Whittington’ at Drury Lane, and £ 15,000 was spent upon ‘The Babes in the Wood’ this year. Both investments proved exceedingly profitable. It is proposed to turn some of the rooms in the palace at Versailles into a theatre, and give there special performances of the plays of Moliere. The plan is to make the theatre to a certain extent the Bayreuth of Moliere’s plays, and one feature of this will be the performance of the comedies with the costumes and scenerycopied from the original. The magnificent theatre in the Eremitage Palace at St. Petersburg, which was originally built by Empress Catherine the Great, but has not been used at all for years, is being restored to its pristine beauty and will soon be finished. Only in great intervals the large hall has been used for amateur performances at the Rus* sian court, arranged by Grand Duke Sergius Alexandrovitch with great magnificence. A short time ago the Czar ordered the house to lie thoroughly repaired; the stage has been entirely rebuilt, and fitted with modern apparatus and electric lights. The company of the Imperial French Theatre is to appear in the newly furnished Eremitage Theatre toward the end of this season. The theatre will not be open to the publie, howeverbut can be entered only by invitation of the Czar. It will contain the most luxurious furnishings and will seat about 1,000 people. In France the doctor of the theatre has a seat given him for every performance. He must be there every evening. Fifty-eight new plays were produced at the West End theatres of London in 1897. Where, oh, where are. they now? A fierce musical campaign is to be waged against the united Italian kingdom. and before long a conquering army will force the Alpine passes. It is proposed to take into Italy a great German opera company, with orchestra, chorus and all tin* paraphernalia of a first-class institute, in order to show the Italian people the perfection of modern German productions of opera. The manager of the new company will be the well-known impresario. Emile Durer, while Conductor Arthur Nikiseh, at one time the head of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, will wield the baton. Besides Wagner operas, Mozart's ‘Don Juan,' ‘Kinzl's

‘Evangeliniann,’ Humperdinck’s ‘Hansel and Gretel,’ ami a few other operas will be performed by a select company of artists. Part of the season will be spent at Turin, where a theatrical exposition will be held at the same time, but Milan, Koine, Naples, Florence and other cities will also be visited. T began life,’ said Sir Henry Irving, ‘as a poor boy. 1 was denied even the. advantages of a common school education. 1 entered upon my theatrical career when not more than 17 years of age, and the struggle to gain even the means of the poorest living was not the easiest imaginable.’ In- recording the production at the Paris .Renaissance by Sara Bernhardt of Signor d’Annunzio’s tragedy, ‘La Ville Morte,’ the Paris correspondent of the London Times says:—Mme. Bernhardt displayed a tenderness, eloquence and grace; she has evoked in this role of the blind, loving and suffering woman an emotion, a sympathy which are indescribable. But it is painful to think that efforts so admirable haev been placed at the service of so monotonous and morbid a production, in which much talk takes the place of action, a work which will, no doubt, be read with pleasure, but which has nothing of the theatre about it. Signor d’Annunzio has himself written this tragedy in Frencn in a brilliant style. He has sought to mingle with modern passion the breath of the fatalism of the antique world. Never did a tragic poet have a happier opportunity for success. But his work is without life; it even seems insincere; it shakes the nerves, but does not cause the heart to beat nor real tears to flow. There is a signal want of proportion, and the very setting of the dead and cursed city is out of harmony with the sonorous phrases which seem to be delivered by actors promenading on stilts. Very few persons are aware, says an exchange, of the origin of the word ‘deadhead,’ which is so frequently used in connection with the theatrical representations. It is stated to be as follows: Many years ago, in the time of turnpikes, the principal avenue of a town passed close to theentrance of a road leading t o the cemetery. As this cemetery had been laid out some time previous to the construction of the road, it was arranged that all funeral processions should be allowed to pass along the latter free of toll. One day as a wellknown physician who was driving along the road stopped to pay his toll he observed to the keeper: ‘Considering the benevolent character of our profession, I think you ought to let us pass free of charge.’ ‘No, no, doctor,' said the gatekeeper, ‘we can’t afford that; you send too many deadheads through as it is.’ The story travelled around the country, and the word ‘deadhead’ was eventually applied to those who obtain free admission to a theatre. An event took place the other day at the Grand Theatre at Nantes which, as far as we can discover, is without parallel in theatrical annals. A performance of ‘La Poupee’ was announced, and the crowd was so great that the audience was not seated when the curtain rose. The first act consequently was played amid much disturbance, and when the second commenced it was hailed with noisy protests and calls for the manager. On that gentleman making his appearance he. was ordered to start the opera again. After a hasty consultation with the company this request was good-humouredly complied with, and the whole of the first act was repeated. Fraulein Fuchs and Miss Emily Reeve are going to make a musical tour of the Australasian colonies. The former is a clever young violinist,only seventeen years of age, who has just come to Auckland from Berlin. Miss Emily Reeve is an Aucklander, who has been studying music in Germany, and has returned to her native city. On the voyage thitherward she met Fraulein Fuchs, and a campaign of the colonies was planned. The two ought to have a very successful tour. We understand that a syndicate has been formed in Dunedin to run ‘Ziska, the Egyptian Mystery,’ at the Otago Jubilee Exhibition. The, syndicate has secured the entire plant, and New Zealand rights from Messrs Maskelyne and Cooke, of the Egyptian Hall, London. The Two Little Vagabond Company closed its Auckland season on Saturday last.

Fitzgerald’s Circus opened a three nights’ season in Napier on Friday, and are now making for Auckland. Pollard’s Opera Company were visiting Marton, Palmerston North and Feilding. Madame Amy Sherwin and her Concert Company open at the Wellington Opera House on Friday evening. Miss May Pollard leaves for London this month, and it is probable that she will appear with ‘The Firm’s’ company at the Shaftesbury.