Music and Drama.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue XX, 14 November 1903, Page 24

Music and Drama.

Maud Beatty, it is said, will return to New Zealand in consequence of illlienll ii. The New Plymouth Amateur Operatic Soviet v have decided that "La Mascot re”" is the next opera to be staged. The receipts at the Wellington Musical Festival amounted to £ 1000, of which sum £BOO went in expenses. Miss Lilian Bigges has left for England to the great regret of all her confreres. with whom she was a great favourite. ■ Topsy Turvy” has made such a “hit” in the South that Messrs. Willoughby and Gc'.uTt have decided to make it their trump card for the North Island tour. Dan Leno has been ordered a long sea vovage. He may come to Australia. If be does and should he have recovered Isis sanity on arrival, he may give a few performances under Mr Rickards’ management. On Derby night in Melbourne a very modern melodrama, entitled "The Great .Millionaire” was presented for the first t ime in Australia by Bland Holt. A motor car pursuit and a great catastrophe were the most thrilling features of "The Millionaire,” which bears the trade mark of Raleigh and Collins, play founders. Mr AV. F. Hawtrey’s Comedy Company passed through Auckland last week en route for the country districts. They have been doing well in the Soutlj. where their new play, ‘The Two MeWetherbys,” built on lines like “The Tyranny of Tears,” has been very successful. They return to Auckland in January. "The Bush King,” with which Mr Alfred Dampier ami his dramatic company opened their Auckland season last Saturday, caught the popular taste at once, and has since been drawing crowded houses. Mr Dampier and Miss Lily Dampier, in the two principal roles, were excellent, and the rest of the company gave them very good support. M bile in Auckland the company will produce a series of stirring dramas of the kind which is always popular in Auckland. "It's Never Too Late to Mend” will follow’ “The Bush King.”

“Twelfth Night,” as staged by the Alusgrove Shakespearian Company, is perhaps the most completely satisfying Shakespearian production ever put on a colonial stage, and in everything except scenic display completely distances and outclasses the “Midsummer Night’s Dream.” In that truly sumptuous and splendid production, some of what one may term the Shakespearian effect, was to a considerable extent sacrificed to the splendours of the scenery and the magnificence of the mounting, and the effect was almost purely spectacular, and somewhat more reminiscent of pantomime than of comedy by the Bard of Avon. In “'Twelfth Night” eveny advantage is taken for scenic effect, and some exceedingly fine stage pictures are produceil, but there is not the same opportunity for extravagance and opulence in this direction, and in consequence the playing and the comedy have a chance of showing on their merits. And it would be hard to rate those merits too highly. The staging and mounting are perfect, but even more excellent is the acting, tne singing and the music. The company play together with a finish and attention to detail, and a love of their work, which was not to be found in the “Dream,” and it would be difficult indeed to imagine a much finer presentment of a most charming comedy. The majority of the cast are quite exceptionally fine in their respective parts, and the weaknesses are surprisingly few. ±n the famous kitchen scene the highwater mark of excellence is reached, and this particular scene could not be played more completely or more satisfactorily in any London theatre. Air. A. Ford, as Sir Toby. Mr. Croker-King as Aguecheek, Miss Milton as Maria were truly superb, as was also Air. Kenningham as ths Clown. It was a memorable and delightful bit of art, and was warmly and deservedly applauded. Afiss Rignold as Viola, and the Olivia of Miss Kerin were also worthy of special mention in a production which will not be easily forgotten by those who have witnessed it.

Aliss Beryl Faber, a talented young actress, who was a member of the Brough and Boucicault Company seme years ago. scored a transient success recently at the Garrick Theatre, where she filled the part of Aliss A'iolet Aranbrugh in the play, “The Bishop’s Move,” towards the end of the season.

Afanager Hamilton’s reflections on the apathy of the Christchurch public towards theatricals were apparently abundantly justified by the laek of support accorded to Air. Alusgrove’s Company during its recent season. “The Fortune Teller” had a fair run, but upon its withdrawal receipts deereaseu considerably, and on several nights when I dropped in there was a very disappointing attendance, says the writer of the dramatic notes in “Canterbury Times.”

M. Maurice Maeterlinck, the Belgian Shakespeare, has dropped from problem into comedy. A new play of his has been produced at Geneva, entitled “Le Aliraele de Saint Antoine.” This title at least does not suggest anything in the way of roaring farce, but one must be prepared to expect anything from this erratic genius.

Air. Claude H. Whaite, who arrived in Australia by the Oceana, as touring representative of the English society entertainer, Air. Alel. B. Spurr, who comes to New Zealand shortly, made himself exceedingly popular with all and sundry or. board the P. and O. liner, the result being that he was made the recipient of a very handsome present, consisting of a gold and silver cigarette case, also a matchbox and cigarette holder and ease. The presentation was made by the passengers, as a token of their appreciation of Mr. Whaite’s efforts in arranging sports and amusements during the trip. Amongst those who subscribed to the presentation was the captain of the boat, who presented it, and in doing so remarked, “I only wish I could always have a passenger like Air. Whaite on board, as it not only makes the voyage pass pleasantly, but it also makes the boat popular.”

Immediately after the performance of “Sweet Nell of Old Drury” on Derby Day in Alelbourne, Aliss Nellie Stewart presented a gold-mounted riding-whip to young Richardson, the jockey, who rode Sweet Nell to victory in the Caulfield Cup. There are three Sweet Nells concerned in the foregoing paragraph, but in the estimation of all Australians the thoughtful donor of the handsome gift has certainly the best claim to the adjective. Over on the other side the big star after Ada Crossley continues to be the great bird trainer, Aladame Alarzella, who is filling the Tivoli night after night. Afadame Alarzella says that she trains by kindness her eagles, macaws, parrots, cockatoos, ravens and pigeons. Madame Alarzella, a German, has been training birds in conjunction with her husband for 19 years. Two of them are 26 years of age; other ages are 14, 12, and 7 years. Each of her birds is treated once a day to as much port wine as it will sip. On a sea journey she gives them champagne in medicinal doses. She has about a hundred trained birds, and she spends three hours in coaching them every morning. She values her birds and apparatus at £2OOO. Clarence Holt, whose death occurred recently, was, as most people knew, Bland Holt’s father, but some people mixed the two. Once Bland was introduced to an ancient man in Melbourne, who said, “Holt, Holt!” Dear me, you keep well. It must be nigh on thirty years since 1 saw vou in ‘The Mountebank.’ ” The following is of interest: —Doubtless what is called “the inevitable law of change” operates in theatrical as in all other human affairs (says the “Australasian”), but it operates with a strange capriciousness. A few months ago Alelbourne play-goers were, offered at the two leading theatres a choice of musical pieces; comic opera at the Princess’s Theatre opposed musical farce at Her Alajesty’s; and it looked for months as if the drama had become quite displaced in the repertory of the rival impresarios. Now for two or three months drama has vied with comedy, and the musical piece seems to have been banished from our stage. It is notorious that for some time the musical piece has failed in Alelbourne to fulfil the expectations of the managers; and there is an idea that the days of the “musical comedy” are numbered. By this it is not meant that we shall see no more of those delectable mixtures of melody and buffoonery; but the vogue of such pieces which justified rival managers in staging synchronously a somewhat similar genre of entertainment seems to be passing. Something of the same state of affairs has been remarked in London; and Mr George Edwardes, the manager chiefly responsible for the popularity of the “musical play.” has been interviewed on the subject. He discredits the idea that the vogue of the musical comedy is weakening. Seems to me that some of the com-

parisons drawn between Afelba and Ad* Crossley are absurdly unfair to the greater singer (says a writer in the “Bulletin”). It is remarked that whereas Melba showed very little emotion when being welcomed and gushed over on one Australian occasion and another, Ada Crossley is really “overcome.” Tears rolled down her cheeks, for instance when she found thousands of people (recipients of invitation tickets) waiting to glorify her at Melbourne railway station. But Alelba had been the heroine of excited demonstrations in many cities before she came to Australia. She was hardened to such flattering extravagances, and had long ago taken the measure of their worth. Nevertheless, Melba didn’t “lack feeling.” The ordeal of facing a Alelbourne audience for the first time after her return in the character of a great singer affected Alelba in one way and Crossley in a different way. The soprano sang divinely—the first notes of Melba’s first number (from “Lucia”) xvere marvellously beautiful. She was strung up to perfection pitch. The contralto, on the other hand, was too nervous to do herself justice. Her voice had no thrill in it, her singing was not particularly full it expression. She didn’t rise to the occasion as Afelba had risen, and that’s all about it. It is often remarked of Afelba, in indirect disparagement of her triumphs, that she possesses a great capacity for business —knows how to advertise herself and “work the press, and public.” What struck me about that strange-mannered woman was her inability to make herself half so pleasant as she doubtless would have liked to appear. So far from being a great tactician, she is a bad business-woman as regards the business of ingratiating herself with all sorts and conditions of people. I would say that Ada Crossley can give Alelba many points in that branch of industry—and more power to her if she can. She has the cooler head of the two artists, and by far the greater aptitude for winning the esteem of all who make her acquaintance. She wears the A'.O. decoration on her chest. She travels with an ex-Australian penwoman and persistent puff paragraphist as a sort of unofficial private secretary. An admirable artist, a shrewd, kindly Jody, and an unaffected self-advertiser.