Music and Drama

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIII, Issue XXIII, 2 December 1899, Page 1019

Music and Drama

The Pollards closed their Auckland season on Monday evening and left for the South by the Westralia on Tuesday. The company's stay in the Not th has served to confirm the wonderful popularity it enjoys, and whenever it chooses to return it will be welcomed back by full houses. The final nights of the season were tievoted to the production of “Girofle, Girofla" anil the revival of "In Tow n." The latter piece is one in which the Pollards appear to great advantage. When it was played on Monday. Miss Jennie Opie appeared for the first time, taking the part of the Duchess of Aluffsliire. At the annual meeting of the Wellington Amateur Operatic Society, the .report showed assets £375. and liabilities nil. Staging "The Gondoliers” cost ■the Society £ 54-', and the nett takings wore £ 672.

Mr Harry liiekards has engaged Miss Ixtttie Collins of “'Ta-ra-Boom-de-ay” fame for Australia. Among other stage celebrities this pushing manager lias secured tire Miss Marie Lloyd. Miss Marie Loftus, Miss Billie Barlow, a negro comedian minted MticMahon. Miss Irene Franklin and Emmerson anil Emmonds from Chicago: the McCarthy Sisters, gymnasts, musicians, ami wire walkers', the Newsky troupe of Russian singers; Paul Martinelli anil Company, pantomimists; and the Boissett troupe. who are in the same line; the Montroses acrobats; Bob and Jamie Leonard, song and dance artists; the Casseli Sisters; Coleby and Way. vent riloquial sketch artists; Johnston, Riano ami Bentley, grotesque performers; and the Jackson family of musicians; Frank Latona, Mme. Liieretia. Marie Loftus, Alee Hurley,

Charles West. Fred Harcourt. Dr. Dan Conroy, G. D Albert. The Auckland Choral Society will.

as in past years, give two performances of "The Messiah" next month. The performance to subscribers will take place on Tuesday, December 19. and the free public performance on the following Sunday.

The new conductor of Pollard’s Opera Company, Mr Arthur King, won big'li honours at the Stuttgart. Conservatoire, ami was for some time with the D'Oyley Carte Opera Company.

The Gaiety Company continues to hold its own in the Auckland City Hall despite other attractions. Miss Dora Judson gives a piano recital in the Auckland Choral Hall on the 15th of next month. Aliss Judson has just returned from Frankfort, where she lias been studying the piano under Herr Ernst. Engesser, at Dr. Hoch’s Conservatoire.

Millie. Trebelli passed through Auckland by the Mariposa for Frisco on Monday. She goes to fulfil her American engagements.

At the annual meeting of Hie Wellington Amateur Operatic Society. Mr Bert Hoyle, representative of Messrs Williamson and Musgrove, explained that if all reputable amateur operatic societies throughout the colony would form an association to ensure royalties being' paid lor, lie believed ‘‘the Firm" would allow their operas to lie played at the old figure of £5 5/ per night.

In point of nmqbers the audience assernbled in the Auckland Opera House on Saturday afternon on the occasion of the matinee of "The Belle of New York” probably beat all records. The press of young folk was enormous. They crowded two in a seat, they filled the aisles, and their elders stooil five deep wherever there was room. The feature of the afternoon was the re-appearance of Miss Gertie Campion as the fair, but unhappy Fili. The part is simply made for Miss Campion, and she excelled in it. Everyone was moreover glad to welcome back so clever an actress after the months of "resting" necessitated bv her accident. Miss Campion’s foot is still lightly but strongly bandaged, but this does not affect her dancing, anil she is as active, as vivacious and as incomparably "Frenchy" The Auckland Musical Union, which came into existence during the present year, gave the final concert of the season on Monday evening last. Cowen's cantata “The Sleeping Beaisty.” and a number of miscellaneous items constituted the programme. The solo singers wire .Miss A. Lorrigan. Miss Lynch. Air A. L. Edwards and Air W. J. Gunn.

Saha ret. the Australian dancer, li.is just finished a triumphant season in Vienna. On her closing night she was given a farewell benefit, as is the custom in Germany tn all stars. The beneficiary receives no money, but presents and flowers with emblems of the country as souvenirs, and she fared splendidly, receiving a beautiful diamond bracelet, a watch and pearl chain, and several wreaths of flowers front the management ami several wealthy patrons of the gardens.

Mr G. S. Titheridge was resting in London when the mail left. He should not lack engagements, for the opinion is expressed that he is the most important additiorr Hi the English stage for the last twelve months. Australia, however, always knew his worth. Sir George Martin, who is now travelling in South Africa as examiner lor the Associated Board of the Royal Academy and Royal College of Music, was recently detained as a spy at Pretoria (says the "Era”). When Sir George explained that he was organist at St. Paul’s, the Boer ortieef. who understood very little English, only caught the words "St. Paul." and regarded Sir George as a lunatic believing himself to be the Apostle. Ultimately he was released. Apropos of Captain Lorraine's unfortunate end. the following account of a parachute accident is interesting. It comes from America, where Miss Helen Gaylor attempted to make a parachute leap from her balloon at Pleasure Bay. near Long- Branch. N.J. When at a height of nearly 1000 ft. Miss Gaylor tried to make her descent, but was' unable to free her parachute from the balloon, and wtis carried several hundred feet higher before the big balloon, front loss of gas, began to descend. She landed safely on top of the steamer Little Silver of the Patten line, which lay at Lafatra's dock, less than a mile from where the. ascension was made. The balloon wrapped itself about the stern mast of the steamer. One A. C. Crissey, of Johnstown. Pennsylvania. met with quite a different fate. He made the ascension, anil when about 1800 ft. in the air he was shot from a cannon or tube. His parachute, which had been rolled tightly to permit of its entrance into the cannon, failed to open, and he was dashed to the earth and instantly killed. Crissey was inexperienced as a aeronaut, this being his first, attempt. Iler Majesty the Queen is a keen observer of ’musical and dramatic talent, and almost every artist of note, has been favoured with a. command to appear before the Royal Family. According to the "Daily Chronicle," all the musicians who go to Balmoral are charmed with the appreciation of the Queen, who thoroughly understands the good points of a performance. But the piano at Balmoral is said to be very inferior, anil none of the performers like to mention it. Thev sav there lias not been a new one there since the death of the Prince Consort. All's T.anglrv's book, which will deal with her life from social, sporting, and theatrical standpoints, will, it is expected, appear about ( hri.-J nuvs. It will, no doubt, lie an extremely interesting publication. A splendid group of the Auckland Banjo. Guitar, and Mandolin Club, photographed by Mr -I. It. Hanna, is reproduced in this issue, by which it will be seen that the number of playing members now reaches 21. Since the Club was registered in July, 1896, it has steadily gone ahead, anil the nianagement are to be congratulateil on the excellence of their programmes. As a proof of the popularity of their former concerts given this season, not a single scat was left unreserved at the time of opening the Opera House, doors. Their third quarterly concert season. 1599-1900. takes place on Thursday. December 7th, nt the Opera House, under the eonductorship of Mr Arthur Towsey, the Club numbers consisting of "Martaneaiix overture, “A Dance in the Wood." "Rosedale. Waltz." “Yellow Kid's Patrol.” and "Plantation Dance." The Estudiantina Quintette will play a "Medley of Scotch Airs." Air A. Wynyard Joss will play a mandolin solo, and Miss T.ilv Barker a guitarra solo. "Mona." A skirl dance, with limelight effects, anil music by the Estudiantina Quintette. will be danced by Misses Dunninglinni and Reytmlds. Vocal items will be given by Miss Ethel Mclntyre. Messrs Arthur Ford, Percy Blackman, anil others. The box-plan is now opened at Messrs Wildman and Lyell's, and with such a complete programme, and the nianagement of affairs being in the hands of Messrs S. E. Coleman (stage nutnager), Mr Jas. McDermott, (lion, treasurer), and Air H. Fountain (lion, secretary), there is no doubt that the usual bumper house will be

•retired. The stage decorations are under the supervision of Mrs Jas. McDermott, assisted by Miss Mcllhone. «>