Music and Drama.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue XXV, 20 December 1902, Page 1579

Music and Drama.

Selections from Haydn’s “Creation” are being rehearsed by St. Patrick’s Cathedral choir for Christmas night. Miss Lilian Tree has kindly consented to sing the soprano solos.

Miss Fitzmaurice Gill and her legitimate drama company open at the Auckland Opera House on January 24, instead of February 9, as originally arranged.

There are to be two Melba eoneer.s in Auckland, on March 2 and March 5. Both will pay very handsomely. Melba money boxes for saving for the aoncert axe already all the rage.

Dolores takes a feminine delight in comparing her exquisite talents and gifts with Melba’s. She h-s derided to visit New Zealand in the wake <>f the Victorian prima donna. Thi:’- she has consistently done elsewhere, and it has “come off” every time.

Both Mr Pete Hughes and Mr Geaeh are as busy as blow flies in bottles arranging for their respective seasons at His Majesty’s and the Opera House. The rivalry will he Sharp, but owing to the Chris*mas season both companies will do enormous business, and will not materially a fleet each other’s receipt s.

Eugene Sandow got the Mayoral reception coveted by his manager in Wellington. Bravo. Mr Marcus! It is always a capital advt., but most Mayors fight shy of giving it no- adnys. Gt tting so promiscuous, you know.

Melba will certainly sing in Wanganui. and probably in Tin-aru. £s'o guarantee is the fee agreed upon. Napier is said to be negotiating for an evening, and if time permits mayget it. There will, it is said he no difficulty about the guarantee in the capital of wealthy Hawke’s Bay.

Madame Jansen, the superb dramatie contralto, whose Carmen and Azueneena. (“Trpvatore”) inspired such enthusiasm when she was hero with the Musgrove Grand Opera Company, is to visit Melbourne and 6 fluey, and possibly New Zealand professionally. No singer who has visited us of late years would receive. a warmer welcome than will Madame Jansen, should she decide to visit the scenes of her New Zealand triumphs.

“Th* Guv’nor,” last produced by amateurs in Napier, several years ago. goes up at the Auckland Opera Mouse on Friday and Saturday this week, under the auspices of the Auckland Amateur Dramatic Society. The society has been in existence close on nine months, but owing to a concatenation of adverse circumstances were unable to seeure suitable dates for an earlier performance. “The Guv’nor” has Vsen diligently rehearsed, and is stated to be strongly cast. It. is being staged in aid of a most excellent object, and ought to draw capital houses. So mote it be. It’s very odd how audiences in different New Zealand cities disagreed over the relative merits of “A Chinese Honeymoon” and “The 'Hhirty Thieves." Knowing Christchurch as the chilliest and “most proper” of New Zealand audiences, v. the management put on “The Thjeves” first at the Cathedral City, the other farrago having had the preliminary canter in other towns. Christchurch snubbed “The Thieves,” and took its “Honeymoon” delightedly. Verily, the caprice of the thea-lae-gaer is a thing no critic or niauag*r ean understand. The Chriotchnrdh Reason was'cut short by one evening, owing go a cable from M.ma- ' ger Musgoova ordering Abe company te stand not on the o.rder of their departure, but to depart at onee. he staving decided to open the Sydney •easoa on December 20th. instead of Boxing night as arranged. This meant much bustle and coufaaion,

and not a little trouble, but the majority of the company were delighted at the idea of the more prompt return to Sydney.

A setting of Ben Jonson's “Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes” was I iiblishetl recently by a firm of publishers, and in a few weeks there •came a letter from a woman who had -been a singer in light opera, hut quitted the stage because she Cf uld make a better living popularising songs by singing thee.! iuto the phonograph. She wrote from a small town, addressing the. letter to Millen Jonson. It read: “Lear sir,— For one guinea I will irelude your song ‘Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes’ in my new catalogue of phonograph records, and will also send ( vou a record of the same.” Mr Beat. Jonson has not yet answered the letter.

During Melba's visit to the Queen Victoria Ho=<pital Meibom ne, a few days ago, a Lttje girl baby was born, and the suggestion went round to name the infant Melba. Not only has the little one inherited (he songstress’ name, but has given evidence of her extraordinary vote' powers, in such a marked degree that the nurses regret having been so rash, as those vocal powers have not acquired the nice discrimination and training whieh belong to our “queen o f song." Every now and then an imaginative paragraphist states that old friend Louis Lohr has wearied of his breezy rur?.'ism dov>n at Aod.-r»o<i’» Inlet (Vic.), and meditates a return to theatrical life. Bu'. as m -tter of fact (quoth the “Bulletin”), the genial L.J.L. has gone "tup" on hi, Gippsland hotel, whieh is n w- a quire imposing structure with all the c >mforts of civilisation laid on. Lohr s new bar - room, detached from the main building, is the biggest thing of its kind in that quarter of Victoria, and his mobs of Sunday customers from the coal-mining townships and thereabouts are bona-fide travellers who can drink without the option of a fine. And the fishing in the ln:et! The fish are so numerous and various that they tear one another off the hook. Lohr never knows what be Las actually caught until it is landed in the yacht. If a perch takes the bait in the first instance, it is mere th n likely to be supplanted by a r ek-ced, or a vast flathead, before the line is hauled up. The Inlet was always a great place for fish stories, and Lohr is going to publish some of the best in advt. book form, lie writes in a tone of settled contentment. The climate is good, business is better, and quietude best of all. MH J. F. BENNETT'S SCHOOL OF MUSIC. A VERY SUCCESSFUL YEAR. Again this year Mr J. F. Bennett's pupils have succeed'd splendidly in the musical examinations of the Associated Board of the Royal Academy and the Royal College of Musie, London. All passed the rudiments of music examination held here last June, eleven entered for the local centre, and twelve for the school, making in all twenty-three passes. In the school rudiments exam, three pupil-' reached the highest possible marks, while most of the other pupils gained 90 per cent, and over in both divisions. For pianoforte playing, conducted by Mr T. B. Knott,, from the Royal Academy, London, thirty-three certificates were won, all pausing except two. In the junior local centre (4th grade) four were successful, One pupil receiving the honours certificate, the only candidate securing thia distinc4ion in Auckland for piano playing this year. Eight entered and parked the higher school (3rd grade), one gaining the distinction certifbiate. Thirteen entered and passed the lower school (2nd grade), two winning distinction

certificates. Eight entered and passed the elementary daviwon 41st grade), making in all *•* UIleaXes secured by Mr Bennett's pupils from the Associated B arg of the It.A.M. and Loudon, Ahis year. No less than 13S of the Ass *- ciated Board's eertifieati s h w b* n secured by Mr J. F. Brune*t » jHtpilt since the year IS9H. while two yea's ago one pupil won the gold medal presented by the Board to th * etndidate securing the highest marks in New Zealand in the local eeatr* junior grade for pmwforie pinyin*', while early this year a pupil receive I the gratifying news from ih* resi-

dent clerk of the A.-.>veiute:l loarl that s! r \r >-' entitled to the -.pc -iai certificate „>»ard»! by the As-o-ia-ted Boan* of the K.A.M.. and K.C.M., London, certi -ing t’a* -he ha b en successful in the entire of the Associated Board's school and Joenl centre examinations, in piano'orte playing. This is the first eertjfi a e of its kind won by an U'-Mun-I student. From January tat next er Mr Bennett a ill eondut his piano and theory .lasses in hi- n w s’udio in His Majesty's Ar>ade. Q ie- n-st. MISS ROXY BARTON. A CHARMING YOUNG AUSTRALIAN AC i HESS. A native of Sydney is Mss Roxy Hr . ton, who has been for the oust year leading lady to Messrs. Willoughby and Gea« h’s tl.e.tr al enterprises, and is at present associated with the brillia ol.v sue ■■••ssful -Wrong Mr Wright" Company, which for many months has been carrying every thing ne'oie it, not only in the South, '' it ;>ls.» in the Common’.veal th. Mi-s Barton, thanks to a personal charm, grace <>: manner, and undoo-red Uistri >n>e talents. ha- the ••.rt spuee o’ f nr years risen from the lo.v.st rung in the proverbial ladder, and t -day stands by far the finest and most promising actress Australia has produced since the glorious days of Essie Jet’yns, who was wont to charm all with her artistic charm and teint er, n.n nt. Originally a pupil of veteran George liignold. Mbs Barton ha- also b- en associated with the majority <*f principal managements. im-liiilit.g the Nance O’Neil, with whom she played seconds with considerable success. As b f re seated, a native of Sydney, and one of whom the City of Beautiful Harbour may well feel pro <l, her par in “The Wrong Mr Wright” is one of the heaviest yet entrusted to female ins personation in modern farce, so her success is all the more creditable. That Messrs. Willoughby and Geach will achieve success during their forthcoming season at the Opera House with the funniest farce of latter days. “The Wrong Mr Wright,” is a foregone conclusion.

Everywhere it haa proved a great artlalic mid aaeiol .ucths; indeed, in the latter respect it is on record that nu leas a social liyu as His Excclleßey the Earl of Hopetoun patronised the performs a<*e bo less than three tlnies, so pleased WO. he with “Mr Wrigiet” as a geaaine screnmer. '