Music and Drama.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVII, Issue XXII, 30 November 1901, Page 1045

Music and Drama.

The Pollards, who are doing splendid business in Auckland, withdrew

"Tiie Casino Girl” on Monday, substituting “The Geisha,” which will he played to - night (Tuesday) and tomorrow night. On Thursday “The Belle of New York,” which proved such a favourite with the Aucklanders. will be staged and run for the rest of the week.

On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week the favourite opera,

“Lu t’oiipce.” will be staged, and “La J’ericltole" will follow.

The Auckland public who have shown a lively appreciation of the Pollards this season will be glad to hear that the Company have booked the Easter dales at the Opera House. ■lt is their intention to stage “San Toy” on tiial occasion.

The Auckland Choral Society gave their fifth performance of the season yesterday (Tuesday), just as we were going to press. The programme of the evening comprised the second ■and third parts of Coleridge Taylor’s “Hiawatha,” which were performed in response to a very large number of musical people who were charmed with Hie Society’s recent rendering of the first part. The management of the Auckland Opera House contemplate changes in the building- which will considerably increase its accommodation and improve the theatre in other respects. A gallery capable of seating 500 people will be erected above the dress circle, and the present, roof replaced by a movable one. The place will also be lighted by electricity instead of gas. The Brunsden Concert Company gave a performance in the Auckland Federal Halt on Saturday last which attracted a fair audience. The chief singers were Misses Ethel Moulton and Mary i.aing, Mr W. Brunsden and Mr ,1. Jud or. The Sisters Luigard, who were very popular when in Auckland last year, form one of the attractions this week at Dix’s house. Madame Celina Bobc, the xylophone player, Miss Amy Lewis, Mr f has. Failing, and the De Wynne Bros, arc on the programme. Miss Amy Castles promises to make as great a. name for herself as her ‘Australian country-woman, Madame Melba. A telegram from London last week announcing Miss Castles' successful debut quotes the “Times’ ” comments on her singing, which are peculiarly laudatory. That paper says she has been admirably taught, and if she perseveres will reach a very high place. Her voice is of lieautiful quality, resembling Madame Melba’s. Actors in the Crane-Power Company (says Melbourne “Arena”) praise the unselfishness of the actormanager, who they say is not always pining for the limelight and the fat parts himself, and who, whenever there is an enthusiastic call, instead of taking it all for himself generally contrives Io bring forward some junior member to share in the sweets of applause.

Mddle. Antonio Dolores (Trebelli) will begin her New Zealand season in Wellington early in February next. It was her intention to open last October, but her successful season in Australia necessitated an alteration in her arrangements. She is accompanied by Mr Clarence Newall, a very brilliant pianist.

Colonel Henry Mapleson, the well known impresario, who died the other day, was at one time a colonel in the British Army Reserve. Like his father before him he adopted the profession of operatic director, in which he was v -.ry successful both in London and New York.

In his memoirs the late Colonel Mapleson tells the following -story of Sir Michael Costa, the great conductor:— “Costa would have been horrified at the way in which operatic enterprises are now too frequently conducted, especially, I mean, in a musical point of view; works hurriedly produced, and in some cases without a single complete rehearsal. Often, no doubt, the prinia donna (if sufficiently distinguished to be allowed to give herself airs) is in fault for the insufficient rehearsals, or for rehearsals being altogether dispensed with. When such singers as Milme. Patti and Mdme. Nilsson stipulate that “the utility of rehearsing” shall be left to their judgment—which means that they shall never be called to any sort of rehearsal —all idea of a perfect ensemble must in their case be abandoned. Sir Michael would, I am sure, have protested against the acceptance of such conditions. Nothing would satisfyhimbuttogoon rehearsing a work until everything, and especially until the ensemble pieces, were perfect. Then he would have one final rehearsal in order to assure himself that this perfection was maintained; and the opera could be played the night afterwards. Costa was born with the spirit of discipline strong within him. As a singer he would never have made his mark. In his original occupation, that of second tenor, his remarkable qualities were lost. As a conductor, on the other hand, his love of order, punctuality, regularity in everything, stood him in excellent part.”

Miss Lulu Evans, leading lady soubrette, and her brother, the comedian, are the two latest additions to Mr Pollard’s tifheful throng. They were engaged for Mr Pollard by Mr Williamson when the latter was last in London, and are due in Sydney about the week after next. The probability is that they will be in this colony in time to open with the Company in Wellington on Boxing night.

Miss Ada Rehan, the American actress, is coming to Australia next year under engagement to Mr J. C. Williamson.

Mr Harry Plimmer and his wife have signed engagements with a wellestablished stock company in San Francisco.

Miss Florence Young, who with Mr Claude Bantock is coming to Australia to play in “San Toy,” arrives in Melbourne next week.

Mr George Musgrove, with Miss Nellie Stewart, are due in Melbourne early next month. The Melbourne season will see the production of “The Fortune Teller” or “The Singing Girl,” in addition to the pantomime “Little Red Riding Hood.”

Mr Arthur C. Pell, the musical conductor of the Josephine Stanton Opera Company, may be remembered in musical circles here as the brilliant child-pianist who toured Australia during 1878-1880. That adventure possessed an element of romance. Little Pell’s parents were well-to-do, and although the youngster bad shown precocious talent as a pianist in New York concert rooms, they

deemed it wiser to keep him at school. Little nine-year-old Pell had ideas of his own, however. He secretly contracted with an entrepreneur for a visit to Australia, took train to San Francisco without his parents’ knowledge, and thence embarked for Sydney. He stayed in Australia nearly three years, and was then sent for by his father, and returned to New York. His only recollection of Sydney is of “a park with an iron fence round it,” his childish memories having been dimmed by a long iliness, the result of a fever, which nearly ended his life. Mr Pell’s mother was considered in her day the best amateur pianist in Brooklyn, and it was in her care that, after a period of schooling, he entered the Leipsic Conseuivatorium. He stayed there not quite the fixed term of three years, and before leaving Germany heard the first performance of “Parsifal” at Bayreuth und r the great composer's personal direction.

Mr Wilson Barrett concludes bis Sydney season on December 21st. ami opens in Dunedin on December 28th. The New Zealand visit will be brief. The company has been playing “The Sign of the Cross.” “The Manxman,” “The Silver King,” “Virginias," “Hamlet,” and “Othello."

Mr Williamson has purchased the Australian rights of “The Toreador,” one of the most successful pieces yet produced at the Gaiety, London.

The dramatic company organised for Australia by Mr George Musgrove will arrive in Sydney about March next.

Mr Walter Bentley made bis re-ap-pearance in Glasgow, after an absence of ten years, on September 16, with a revival of “Rob Roy.” Mr Bentley, of course, appeared as the chieftain, and Madame Amy Sherwin was Diana Y r ernon, and “the Tasmanian nightingale” introduced several new songs.

Mr Gillette, author of “The Secret. Service” and “Sherlock Holmes.” who is to come to Australia next year, has extended his London season until the middle of January. He will then return to the States, and continue the run of “Sherlock Holmes.” which is to be followed by a revival of “Hamlet.” Mr Gillette will prepare liis own version from the quarto edition, and make a. great feature of the. lighting of the production.

“San Toy" will be Mr Williamson’s Christmas attraction in Melbourne, and “Alice in Wonderland” his Sydney production for the same season.

Says a San Francisco critic of Miss Hilda Spong, who is I he rage there at present: “Tall, elegant. exquisitely attractive, in her smiling ease, equipped to the finger tips with the allurin”- graces of the queen of society, full of a fascinating suggestion of unsounded depths, with a play of feature and a trained grace of pose and gesture that holds the eye enchained, with a charm of voice and variety and expressiveness of lone that, make the ear hunger for more, she richly fulfils the dramatist’s idea of the woman who. in a half-hour’s chat, charms the heart out of the hitherto contained breast of the middle-aged bachelor." Sir Henry Irving's American tour was to have commenced at New York on the 21st of last month. Miss Amy Sherwin will sing the prima donna parts in “Rob Hoy" for thirteen weeks in Scotland. Fitzgerald’s circus has no less than six advance agents in the colony preparing the way for the big show. Tapley, the singer, has. it is said, been offered good engagements on the dramatic stage. It appears he lias histrionic as well as vocal talent. The Wanganui Amateur Operatic Society’s performance of “Hip Van Winkle” was so good that the organisation propose giving a second season shortly. Among those who chiefly distinguished themselves in Planquette’s melodious production were Mr W. Pawson (Rip). Mr George Swan (Nick Vcdder), Miss Luxford (Gretchen), and Miss Pawson (Katrina).