Music and Drama.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXII, Issue XV, 15 April 1899, Page 487

Music and Drama.

Miss Maggie Moore and Mr H. K. Roberts are doing fair business at the Auckland Opera Bouse, where they remain till the end of the week. ‘A Prodigal Father,' whieh was staged in the middle of last week, and ran for three nights, is a remarkably funny piece, ami keeps the audience in laughter from beginning to end. Saturday saw Dion Boueicault’s famous production, ’Arrah-na-Pogue’ put on with all the completeness of a firstclass production. Miss Moore is a surprise in more ways than one in the name part, playing with a delightful mixture of Irish vivacity and coyness. Mr Roberts impersonates Shaun well. To-morrow (Wednesday) evening the mining drama of ‘Forty Nine’ will be staged.

At the celebration of the 100th consecutive performance of ’The Geisha’ in Australia on Saturday’ evening before last, each lady’ visitor was presented with an elegantly prepared souvenir, containing autograph photos of the leading artists, and also photographs of groups taken during the progress of the piece, and in the greenroom, and behind the scenes. Williamson and Musgrove's pantomime. ‘The Forty Thieves,’ was played in Adelaide for the first time 6ri April

The Pollards are now giving a three weeks' season in Wellington.

Adelaide University now confers the degree of Doctor of Music. Probably ‘The Geisha' will be produced by the Pollards in this colony, the Firm finding a difficulty’ in sending its Opera Company over. The fact seems to be that business is too good on the other side. ‘The Geisha,’ by the way, still enjoys a marvellous popularity. Mr George Alexander will shortly produce a dramatised version of ‘The Prisoner of Zenda.’

The performance of ‘Dorothy" by the amateurs of the Christchurch branch of the New Zealand Natives' Association is favourably criticised. The choruses, in the opinion of many, were better rendered than by the best professional companies, while the leading roles were capably filled. Sir Henry Irving is partly giving up bis control of the Lyceum, the freehold of the place having been acquired by a limited company.

The Gaiety Specialty Comedy Company is drawing well in Auckland. The Christchurch Amateur Operatic Society produce ‘The Pirates of Penzance' this (Tuesday’) evening. Miss Rose Blaney, of Dunedin, will play the part of Maher. There is a chorus of sixty voices, and both scenery and dresses are specially selected for the occasion. Bland Holt is now running a new play in Melbourne, entitled ‘Women an<l Wine. It is meant to be illustrative of Parisian life. We learn from the ‘Sydney Morning Herald' that ‘another infant prodigy has been discovered in Melbourne, where tin* Mayor and an influential committee are endeavouring to form a fund to send Fritz Muller to Europe. Little Fritz is eleven years of age, has already written sonatas and concertos for his adopted instrument, the piano, and is said to play with feeling.’ The famous German pianist, Herr Albert Friedenthal, is now in Victoria. The last London ‘Sketch' says of Mr Walter Bentley: ‘Mr Walter Bentley, the brother of Mr Faithful Begg, M.P., the new leader of female suffragists, is not merely the State teacher of elocution in Melbourne, for lie still keeps up his connection with the stage by acting as agent for Messrs Wiliamson and Musgrove. Mr Bentley is a journalist also. He runs a paper called the "Saturday Night." and is a very candid critic of plays and players. As a consequence of this eandour, he recently had to defend his paper against an action for libel. Mr Bentley himself for lie is a barrister

-delivered a speech that lasted for 2 hours and 20 minutes, and the jury, without leaving their seats, brought in a verdict in his favour. A wellknown j :dge afterwards said, in his

chib, that this oration was the most eloquent ever delivered at the Mellum me Bar.' All thi* is very complimentary to Mr Bentley, no doubt; but it may be news to him, and to a lot of other people as well, to know that it occurred in Melbourne. Mr Bentley lives in Brisbane, and conducts his paper there.

On Friday last Miss Pattie Brown was tendered a farewell matinee performance at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, prior to her departure for England. The programme was a most varied one. The Royal Opera Company contributed the best part of an act from ‘The Geisha'; Mr (’has. Holloway’s Company gave an act from ‘Our Guardian Angel'; and Mr Rickards, Dante, and Mr Walter Bentley and several members of Fitzgerald's ('irons Company also aided.

‘The Belle of New York' was staged for the first time in Australia at Melbourne on April 1.

The ‘Secolo’ correspondent describes the inauguration of the new theatre in Vienna under the auspices of the Mayor Lueger and some more dignitaries. No music by .lew composers will be played there, even converted Jews are ruled out. Lueger advised the manager to favour Vienna comedy. He cried. ‘Who writes comedy in Vienna?’ It appears all the Viennese comedy writers are Jews. Lueger replied, ‘lf Viennese writers are hard up for matter, they'll find it in the Municipal Council.’ Lueger is a very tyrant, and most rudely from the chair interrupts speakers with. ‘That's enough; don't annoy me with any more.' The correspondent winds up his letter with the observation that if these agitators got at the rich Jews, there would be some point in their action; but only the poor Jews suffer at their hands.

Leschetizky, the man who taught Paderewski, says that the number of hours that should be spent in daily practice depends very much upon the pupil's power of concentrating his mind upon what his fingers are doing —five hours he would call a maximum, and less is better. ‘Don't practise so many hours.’ he is always saying, ‘but use your brain more while you are practising. Learn to listen to what you are playing—to listen! How few there are who know how to listen!’ And then, to illustrate his meaning, he will strike two notes in succession, say G and D. and show what changes and shadings of meaning may be effected by varying the time and tone quality. A little strengthening here, a holding back there, the quickening of a pulse, the change of an accent these make all the difference between soul and elay. between art and artifice. but it takes a listening brain to feel them. And then there is the habit he is always counselling of practising away from the piano; not practising with the hands but with the mind, by thinking out a piece, note by note, passage by passage, until a distinct and original idea of it has been obtained. This work may be done, he says, at almost any time, once the habit is formed, and may be done with or without notes. While walking in the street, while riding on a tram, while idling in a room, the real musician may be playing rhapsodies and concertos in his fancy and actually advancing toward a more perfect conception. Seldom has a dramatic year contained so much interest, says the ‘Era.' as that which has just concluded. In endeavouring to take a comprehensive survey of the productions of 1898, one is astonished at the variety of the ‘entertainments of the stage' which have seen the light in the past twelve months. And 1898 was full of interest, despite the fact that--perhaps, to a certain extent, because—our two leading purveyors of plays made a very moderate output in that period. An amusing incident recently occurred at the Theatre-Royal. Halifax, during the performance of ‘The Penalty of (’rime.' In the first act the villain seized his opportunity to rob a gentleman with whom he was staying of a large sum of money which was kept in a safe. The lights were lowered and the thief entered, exclaiming, ‘Now is my time!' when an aiigry voice* from the ‘gods.’ evidently that of an elderly female, shouted out in angry tones, ‘1 shall tell him if tha does.’