Music and Drama.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVII, Issue VII, 17 August 1901, Page 321

M usic and Drama.

Mr J. F. Sheridan, known all over rthese colonies for his inimitable impersonation of the Widow O’Brien in ‘■Kun on the Bristol,” commenced his 'Auckland season on Monday, the 'initial performance beinsr "When the Lamps are lighted.” Sensational to the last degree is this melodrama of Messrs Sims and Merrick. Exciting incident succeeds exciting incident, and no end of rollicking humour is squeezed into the spaces between. There is not a dull moment in the drama, which is cleverly constructed. The plot is ingenious, the characters swell drawn, the dialogue bright and effective, and Mr Sheridan has with him an excellent company of which he is the heart and soul. After the rather severe demands the opera season has made on the purses of Auckland theatregoers, the success of any theatrical company immediately sue* reeding Mr Musgrove's might have been questioned. But if Mr Sheridan •has more of the same kind to give as ‘‘When the Lamps Are Lighted” he twill not have to go out into the highways for an audience. The present piece will run all the week.

Mr J. C. Williamson's Italian Opera Company commenced their Sydney season on the Saturday before last with \ erdi’s “Aida.” The performance has won unstinted applause. The “Daily Telegraph” speaks of the orchestra as the best operatic band Sydney has had. So pleased were the audience with the music that the conductor. Signor Hazon, had to appear before the curtain at the close

of the evening in response to the vociferous demands of the house. The ehorus is spoken of as very large r.j'd admirably trained, and the scenery and dresses superb. The first novelty of the Sydney season is to be Verdi's "Otello,” with “La Gioeonda” and “Romeo et Juliette” shortly to follow. The remaining events on the prospectus include “Les Huguenots,” “Faust,” “Fedora,” and possibly “La Favorita.”

Mr J. C. Williamson, who has just returned to Sydney from his European and American tour, toid an interviewer that in the course -of his travels he had witnessed some undoubtedly first rate performances both in England and America, and also in both countries had sat through representations drawing crowded houses that no Australian audiences would tolerate.

Here are some of the attractions Mr J. C. Williamson promises his patrons during the coming twelve months:’ —Mr Gillette in “Sherlock Holmes,” Miss Maud Adams with L’Aiglan, and Miss Edna May in musical comedy. The enterprising manager has arranged for the production of “Ben Hur" before it appears at Drury Lane. He has contracted with C. Frohman, Messrs Brady and Grismer, and Messrs Klaw and Erlanger in the United States, and with Messrs Greet and Englebach of the Savoy, and half a dozen other London playhouses, and Mr George Edwards, for the production of everything good that appears on the English or American stage.

The Government of the Australian Commonwealth has presented Mr George Musgrove with a handsome silver writing set as a memento of his having rendered valuable services at the recent Federal celebrations in Melbourne in connection with the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York.

The vanishing lady trick with which Bertram, the conjurer, is mystifying large audiences at the Palace Theatre. Sydney, is a very clever thing. The lady seated on the stage is covered with a cloth, a pass by Bertram, and she vanishes, reappearing almost immediately in the body of the hall.

M. Jean Gerardy had a little experience of Sydney pickpockets a couple of weeks ago. He was watching the ruins of Hordern’s fire, and noticed a man in the crowd fingering a pocket not far from him. In that case the result, happened to be only an orange, to the disgust of the thief. A little later, however, M. Gerardy felt a hand in his own pocket, and turning sharply round he gave the man a smart blow on the face. In a second the thief (who had fortunately been unsuccessful in obtaining anything) was out of sight, and a roughlooking crowd surrounded the young Belgian. The police were, however, luckilv at hand.

Mr Sullivan, who used to be treasurer with the Pollards, has gone on the boards.

The Greenwood Company are now in Sydney, having had a successful tour in Queensland.

The fate of Fitts of Pollards has been decided in three different ways by the newspapers lately. He had joined Dix's on one authority; he was singing in Sydney “pops” on another; and he had taken to dentistry on a third.

Alec Middleton, the advance agent, is making arrangements for the appearance here and iu Australia of •‘Pitrot's American Globe Trotters,” a clever troupe of dancers and jugglers.

This (Wednesday) evening, M. Jean Gerardy, the great Belgian violinvrllist, will gi*e the first of a series of concerts in the Auckland Choral Hall. M. Gerardy conies with a European reputation. He has been associated on the concert- platform uith the greatest singers and musicians, and in America he is a household word among musicians. In Australia he found immediate recognition of his genius. In the South he was equally successful.

••Sensational” is the only word for the new bicycling feat at the London Pavilion. Charlie Jones, the ex-ama-teur champion of Australia, rides furiously round a special track which is laid at an angle of nearly 50 degrees. shedding clothes and sections of his machine with engaging deliberation. To watch him is to induce a cold perspiration, which not even the sliding roof can avert.

Howard Chambers, according to a paragraph going the rounds, holds the record of never having sang "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep” without being encored.

In spite of the bad business now being do*ne at London theatres.it is not possible to rent one for any length of time except at. an exorbitant rental. Mushroom managements paying huge prices are preferred by the gentlemen who traffic in leases to those es s tablished on a common sense basis. Thus it is that the Garrick, for which Mr Hare paid a weekly rental of £ 100, is now leased at £250 —and kept closed at that!

Home papers announce the birth of a son to Mrs. Robert Mitchell (Miss Bessie Doyle) in Paris.

Mr. Henry Stockwell, the wellknown Dunedin tenor, is now leading tenor in an opera company at Hull.