Music and Drama.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue II, 12 July 1902, Page 107

Music and Drama.

Jennie Opie, of the fine voice and sumptuous figure, is doing good business with Rickards in Melbourne. The Auckland Amateur Dramatic Club put up “The Guv'nor” as their initial attempt. Rehearsals commence at once. Pollard’s Opera Company reopen in Dunedin on Wednesday, July 9; for five nights. Oamaru follows on July 15; Timarn, 16th, 17th and 18th; Christchurch, 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th; and Wellington on July 26.

In Adelaide the Janet Waldorf Company have made their best hit with “A Royal Divorce.” At the Tivoli Theatre, in that city, “The Wrong Mr Wright” (Willoughby-Geach Company) is still running.

The World’s Entertainers close their Auckland season this (Wednesday) evening. They have done simply enormous business, and the musical burglar is pronounced the funniest man of his kind ever seen south of the line. This scribe thinks so too.

Wirth's Circus continues to attract a fair share of public patronage in Auckland. “Dick Turpin’s Ride to York” is the chief novelty this week. Meanwhile Mons. Ragoul is exceedingly busy in his new training operations, which, as before stated, include the lioness and the camel.

The Hokitika Operatic Society scored a very high degree of success with the second representation of “Des Cloches de Corneville,” the piece going splendidly. The opinions expressed as to the great success of. the first performance were fully confirmed, and some visitors fr"~m the North expressed the hope that the opera would be produced at Greymouth at an early datg.

The Wellington Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society has just concluded an excellent season with the “Yeomen of the Guard,” which has resulted in takings averaging £9O nightly for eight performances. At the conclusion of the farewell night a very enjoyable supper was given by the Company, and during the proceedings Miss Amy Murphy, who took the part of Elsie Maynard, was presented by the ladies of the chorus with a dainty little gold charm, in the form of a tambourine. Miss Murphy has been engaged to sing at various concerts in Wellington before returning to her home in Dunedin.

Mr Ernest Vere, who played juvenile in the Brough Company when in New Zealand, and who has received many encouraging notices from Dondon critics, goes to America after present company disbands. Previously he refused one temporary offer from that country in order to have a look in at Australia. Mr Vere is a keen sportsman, good shot, and ardent follower of hounds. He was seen in rather unsatisfactory parts in New Zealand, and was rather hardly handled by one or two critics.

So far as this colony is concerned, the dramatic columns of our newspapers and magazines might as well close down for a month or so. There

was no news last week, and there is less this, if one may be permitted an Irishism. The majority of the theatres are closed, and likely to remain so for a considerable time to come. Saturday night sees the Auckland Opera House closed till September 22. And after Saturday evening next the Princess’, Dunedin, has no dates booked till October 25. The Royal, Christchurch, is to have visits from the Anderson Dramatic Company, and the Pollards in August, and Wellington is also to have the Pollards, but in both these places these are the only engagements till November and October respectively. In Wanganui the Anderson Dramatic Company play for a week from next Saturday, and then that house closes from July 19th till December 26th. It will be seen, therefore, that this is very much the winter of our discontent.

At the recent concert given by Mr Webbe, of Auckland, one of the pleasing features of the evening was the distribution of a large number of certificates (28) gained by pupils at last year’s examinations of the Associated Board R.A.M. and R.C.M. and Trinity College, Dondon. Included were one certificate pianist, T.C.L., four local centre Ass.Bd. R.A.M. and R.C.M., and eight school, in all 13 for pianoforte playing; while in the theoretical divisions 15 certificates were presented in connection with the colleges named. When presenting the certificates in a few apropos remarks Mr Webbe mentioned that there were only two failures at last year’s examinations, and that none of the pupils had previously entered for any of the examinations for which they held certificates. This certainly speaks very highly for the sound musical instruction given by that gentleman and his assistant teacher, Miss M. Spooner.

The 102nd open evening for visitors in connection with Mr W. H. Webbe’s School of Music, Auckland, eventuated on Thursday last. The programme was of a high order of merit. The ensemble playing was thoroughly artistic, both technique and expression receiving due attention. The magnificent and difficult overture to Wagner’s “Tannhauser,” arranged as a piano quartet, was exceedingly well played by Misses E. and G. Spooner, M. Anderson and M. Webbe, pupils of Miss Spooner. A first-rate rendering of one of Beethoven's Symphonies was given by Misses M. Spooner, M. Mitchell, W. Dambourne, and Mr Webbe. The final quartet, “The Revel of the Witches”. (Holst) was well played by Misses Aiderton, Eoubister, Fuller, and Mr Morton, as was also the arrangement of Schubert’s “Erl King,” on organ and piano, by Misses Stone and Hughes. The pianoforte solos deserve special mention. Miss Mitchell’s rendering of one of Beethoven’s Sonatas was very fine, particularly in the final movement (Rondo). Miss Anderson’s rendering of Chopin’s “Polonaise in C sharp minor” was most artistic, and well deserved the round of applause given at its conclusion. One of the younger pupils, Miss G. Spooner, played from memory Chopin’s “Nocturne in F minor,” and Mendelssohn’s “Spinning Song”; in the latter she was particularly successful. Herr Kreutzer played for the first time a delightful “Romanze,” by Svendsen. Mr Hamilton Hodges delighted the audience with his three vocal numbers—“ Evening Star” from the opera "Tanuhauser,” and two charming little morceaux of Mendelssohn's. The accompaniments throughout were artistically played by Mr Webbe

BERNHARD WALTHER’S CONCERT. Announcement is made on this page of a grand and novel concert to be given in the Opera House on Thursday evening, 17th July, by Bernhard Walther, the famous Belgian

violin virtuoso. This will be the first appearance of this young artist in Auckland, and, being assisted bv a strong vocal and instrumental programme. a musical treat is anticipated. The comments of the Wellington press and other Southern papers soeak of Bernhard Walther as one of the greatest violinists who has ever visited these colonies, while his American and European reputation seems to be one of considerable standing. The box plan opens at Wildman, Dyell and Arey’s on Friday next. 11th July.

SOME WEDDINGTON MUSICIANS. Mr Maughan Barnett and Herr Max Hoppe have just concluded in Wellington their fourth series of concerts, the chief aim of which has been the performance of concerted instrumental music. The programmes of their last three concerts included remarkably fine trios for piano,- violin and ’cello by Max Bruch, Hans Huber, and Rheinberger, which were played for the first time in Wellington. In addition to these works Beethoven’s F major Sonata for piano and violin, Huber’s Sonata in B flat for the same instruments, and Gade’s Novelletten for piano, violin, and ’cello, were given, and the concert-givers’ solos were taken from the works of Diszt, Rubinstein, Rachmaninoff, Max Bruch, Hoffmann, and others. The performers during the series included Mr Maughan Barnett (piano), Herr Max Hoppe {violin), Mr Arthur Hamerton (’cello), and Mr Cyril Towsey, who took the piano part in the Beethoven Sonata and most of the accompaniments, the remainder being played by Miss Florence Prouse. The business arrangements were undertaken by a committee of influential ladies and gentlemen, with Mr A. G. Kemp as secretary. Mr Maughan Barnett used at these concerts a very fine Hopkinson Grand piano, specially sent to him by the manufacturers for use during a recital tour which he is now arranging. On another page of this issue we give portraits of the gentlemen mentioned above. The pictures arc from photos by Messrs. J. H. Brown. Wiekens, Berry and Co., and Kinsey and Co.

Who hasn't bean attacked by Grtppa. And languished in its hold; How many give this life the slip. Neglecting cough or cold. Gaunt men with cough and hollow cheek. Whose death seems almost sura. Can pick up health if they but seek For WOODS’ GREAT PEPPERMINI CURB.