Music

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXI, Issue XXIV, 10 December 1898, Page 756

Music

-and grama.

To-night (Wednesday) the Auckland Opera Company commence their season at the Opera House with a revival of the ever-popular ‘Mikado.’ The opera has been in rehearsal for months, and the production is expected to be very successful. The cast is a strong- one, Mr Archdale Tayler taking his old part of Koko; Mr A. L. Edwards that of Nanki-Poo; Miss Emily Reeve, Katisha; Mrs R. 11. Hopkins. Yum Yum; and Mr E. Keesing, the Mikado. To-day (Wednesday) a special organ recital will be given on the exhibition organ by Mr Arthur Towsey from 3 to 5, and in the evening a grand concert by the Ladies’ Orchestra will take place. Both entertainments are free to visitors to the Exhibition.

On Friday in addition to the usual attractions at the Auckland Exhibition there is to be a free gymnastic display by Professor Carollo.

On Saturday one of the most attractive entertainments of the Auckland Exhibition—the living whist—will take place in the Exhibition Hall.

Captain Chas. Lorraine, an old Parnell boy. who has won fame as a parachutist in the Old Country, is making arrangements for a balloon ascent and parachute descent in connection with the Auckland Exhibition.

The following are the successful candidates who passed the local practical examinations in music, held by the Associated Board of the Royal Academy and the Royal College of Music, London, which were conducted by Mr F. Davenport, R.A.M., who was in Auckland last week for the purpose of holding the examinations on behalf of the Associated Board: — Senior tirade: Alice Batger, honours; Ettie Myers, pass; Audrey Player, pass; Evelyn Wyman, pass; and the following 12 students from Mr J. F. Bennett's School of Music:—Division IL: Meta Margaret Dacre, Florence Camilla Steele, Emily Walton, Jessie Thorne. Marianne Estelle Davis. Division I.: Helen Morris, Ellen May Douglas. Hilda Steele, Helen Aitken Lamb. Harry Steele, Mary Geddes, and George Pete Steele. Some 27 candidates were examined, of which only 16 managed to reach the standard required for a successful pass, and out of these were 12 pupils of Mr J. F. Bennett. Mr Davenport expressed himself very pleased with the candidates who passed, and considers the results most satisfactory. He left for the South last Thursday to conduct further examinations there, after which he leaves for Home, expecting to reach England about the end of January next.

A very successful and enjoyable little concert was recently held at the Hastings Wesleyan Church. Amongst the performers were : Mr Renaud. who gave much pleasure by his rendering of a solo on the organ; Miss Caulton. who contributed some enjoyable music; Miss Malcolm, who also gave much enjoyment to those present by her singing; Mrs Symonds, Mrs Ileighway, Mr Jull. and Mr Heigh way. who took part in some pretty quartettes. There were several other performers, and all afforded great pleasure to the audience. A banjo, mandolin, and guitar club lias been started in New Plymouth, and intend giving a concert shortly. A musical recital given in London by Miss Muriel Griffiths, the Sydney violinist, with the assistance of Miss Beatrice Griffiths, pianist, and Miss Theresa Sievwright. a New Zealand soprano, was a most successful affair. On Saturday evening last the Greenwood Family opened a three nights’ sea-son in the Auckland Opera House, the piece chosen being ‘Jo.’ The wellknown characters were fairly impersonated. and the play was warmly received by the audience.

Herr R. C. Zimmermann gave his seventh annual concert in the Auckland Opera House last week. The programme embraced violin solos by Herr Zimmermann. Master Herbert Tutsehka, and Misses Sotie Oberg and Sybil Lewis; songs by Miss Ethel McIntyre. Madame Chambers, Mr A. L.

Edwards and Mr T. W. Allen. Humorous recitations were given by Mr Montague, and a violin quartette from Schubert by Madame Chambers, Herr Zimmermann, Dr. Cox and Mr J. A. Beale. Miss F. Thorpe accompanied on the pianoforte. The first large free concert in connection with the Auckland Exhibition was given on Friday evening last by the Auckland Liedertafel. As was to be expected the auditorium of the Choral Hall was quite full on the occasion. The programme was an excellent one, including in addition to the part songs rendered by the society, solos by Mr John Prouse and Mr Hill, of Wellington. Mr Prouse sang Marzial’s ‘Leaving, Yet Loving.’ and ‘Ho, Jolly Jenkins.’ For both he was recalled, and gave another item. Mr Hill’s songs were ‘Twenty Years Ago,’ ‘Oh, Love of Mine’ and Somerset’s ‘Song of Sleep.’ Mr Towsey, who conducted, contributed an organ solo, ‘Selections from Water Music’ (Handel). The items given by the Liedertafel were: —‘Reveries,’ ‘ltalian Salad,’ ‘The Young Musicians,’ ‘The Retreat,’ ‘The Sea Fight,’ ‘Warrior's Song,’ ‘When Evening’s Twilight,’ and ‘lnterger Vitae.’ Miss Florence Menkmayer, a composer and pianist of considerable repute in Europe, is to visit New Zealand shortly, and intends giving a series of concerts there, supported by an excellent company.

The Nelson Harmonic Society’s last concert consisted of Cherubini’s Requiem. Rondo, for two pianos, and ‘lna Persian Garden,’ a song cycle. The Requiem proved rather too difficult for so small a society. Both the ehorus and orchestra were inefficient for the demands made upon them in the difficult passages in which this work abounds. The first chorus was fairly rendered, but the Dies Irae was weak, also the Offertorum, but the latter part of the work improved. Herr Handke conducted, Mrs C. Wilson led, Miss Melhuish presided at the piano, whilst the organ was cabably played by Miss F. G. Sealy. The Rondo, for two pianos, op. 73, by Chopin, was delightfully played by Miss Fell and Miss Melhuish, who received an enthusiastic encore.

‘ln a Persian Garden’ (music by Liza Lehman) was sung by Miss Pratt (soprano). Miss Walker (alto), Mr H. Poole (tenor), and Mr H. Kidson (bass). The musie is bright and full of difficult chromatic intervals, but each of the performers was note-per-fect. Although the musie was too high for Miss Pratt and Mr Poole, and their voices tired towards the end, they both managed remarkably well, and never once lost the true spirit of it. Mrs Walker sang well throughout. Mr Kidson has seldom been heard to better advantage. His singing, especially the two solos, was indeed a treat. The quartette, ‘They Say the Lion,' received a well deserved encore. Great praise is due to Miss Melhuish, who again presided at the piano. Drury Lane is to be the first theatre provided with electrical power for the changing of scenes as recommended in Mr Edwin Sach’s work on ‘Stage Construction.’ Some experiments have been made, and satisfactory progress is re|»orted. When certain alterations have been completed, large sections of the stage floor, measuring 40 feet by 7 feet, will be capable of being raised to any level above or below the stage, separately or together, by working an ordinary switchboard. It is hoped to have everything in readiness for the pantomime at Christmas. The management of the Theatre Metropole, Devonport, has hit upon a peculiar, but effective method of advertising the drama ‘A Spin for Life.’ The other afternoon a pseudo-convict, in the broad arrow costume, ‘scorched’ through the streets on a bicycle, hotly pursued by a policeman, also on wheels. When the sensation naturally created was at its climax both pursuer and pursued were stopped in their mad career by a real limb of the law, who fell into the trap set for him by arresting the pair for riding to the common danger of the public. ‘lt is a good habit.’ says Sir Henry Irving, ‘and calculated to obviate some awkwardness, to wear your clothes for a few hours the day previous to assuming them on the stage. Many actors do this—it is my practice; and it is said that Macready carried this to such a length that during the rehearsals of ‘Henry V.’ he used to go to bed in his armour.’

The Paris correspondent of the ‘Era,’ speaking of the re-opening of the theatres after the summer vacation, says:—More triumphant than ever has been the return of Miss Loie Fuller to the Folieis-Bergere. The inimitable artiste appears in four new danees. entitled ‘Le Firmament,’ ‘Le Feu,’ ‘Les Fleurs,’ and ‘La Danse Noire.’ The. fire dance is particularly brilliant, a marvellously pretty spectacle, and the flower dance is also charming. Apropos of ‘La Loie,’ as she is called here, M. Francisque Sarcey has hit upon the discovery that she cannot claim the invention of the ‘fire dance’ which has established her reputation and popularity. When perusing Goethe’s works, the eminent critic came across a page in the recital of the great German poet’s travels in Italy, which shows that Miss Loie Fuller had a precursor more than a hundred years ago, and that precursor was no other than the celebrated Lady Hamilton, Nelson’s mistress.

Bergliot Ibsen, daughter of the famous author, before going to Rome for the season will sing at several German concerts. The Vienna impresario Minkus has engaged her for ten concerts in October in Berlin, Hamburg, Dresden, Vienna, Prague and Buda-Pest.

Of late years the personality of dramatic people has certainly been brought too prominently before the public. Formerly even the names of those taking part in performances were not published on the bills. But it remained for Mme. Jane Hading to cap the climax in this respect. This lady is now making a tour of the Belgian cities, and the public is informed that all the dresses, costumes and other paraphernalia used in assuming the different characters will be on exhibition prior to the performance, so that ladies interested in gorgeous and expensive clothing will have an opportunity to inspect closely what they admire from a distance on the stage.

During the last scholastic year the Guildhall School of Music, London, has received from its pupils the large sum of £33,600. The pay of the professors is in proportion to this sum. The director, Mr Cummings, receives £ 1000 a year, ten professors about £750, five professors £5OO, and twelve others about £4OO. In spite of this liberality, about £2OOO has been added to the reserve fund.