Music and Drama.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXII, Issue XXIV, 11 June 1904, Page 45

Music and Drama.

Despite outragevus climatic conditions, the Royal Comic Opera Company continue to do record business in Auckland, where neither bowling gales, hitter eold, or raging thunder storms have been able to prevent crowded audiences from packing His Majesty’s Theatre from floor to eeiling nightly. ‘"The Country Girl,” which eould have run easily for another week, was withdrawn on Friday, and on Saturday “My Lady Molly” was presented to an enormous and enthusiastic audience. As some rich vintage of Burgundy is to a light and sweet champagne, so is “Lady Molly” to the “Country Girl." The last-named with its show, its sparkle, its bubbling fun and evanescent jollity will more greatly please the thoughtless. But to such as love something with more body, something of which the stimulant remains longer and with a richer, rarer fiaxour, "My Lady Molly” will most certainly appeal. Not since “Dorothy,” which it resembles in many ways, have we had a better comie opera of the “old time” class. The music is far above the average, and there is a plot both interesting and coherent. Moreover, the part of “Lady Molly” might have been written for Miss Florence Young. She simply revels in the acting, and her singing is superb. The staying is again very beautiful, ami one must once more and very emphatically compliment Mr Henry Bracy on the consummate stage management of the opera, more especially the wedding ballet in the second act. Nothing more complete or better put on could Ire seen in a London theatre so far as this opera is concerned.

This (Wednesday) evening and tomorrow the management will produce eagerly availed of. “Ma Mie Rosette” This work is already known to Auckland audiences, and the ehance of seeing the company in a work which nearly approaches grand opera will no doubt be eagerly availed of. “Mr Mie Rosette ’ was the last opera produced in Melbourne by the company previous to their sailing for New Zealand, and it filled the enormous His Majesty’s Theatre then for eight nights to the utmost capacity. The performance is a most equal one, and highly spoken of by the Melbourne Press. Miss Florence Young plays the title role. The King is in the hands of Mr Haigli Jackson, whose grand opera experience stands him in good stead, and his fine voice suits the piece admirably. Mr Reginald Roberts, who plays such a subsidiary part in “A Country Girl,” gets his chance in “Ma Mie Rosette,” and in both singing and acting his impersonation of the part of Vincent is a treat in store. Mr Lauri will be seen once more in his original part of Borrillon, whilst Mr Scott will play’ up to him as the amorous Maitha. The part of the Lady Corisandre will be played by Miss Ghiloni, and the usual accessories will be carried out in the perfect manner expected of siu-h an enterprising manager as Mr J. C. Williamson.

Friday and Saturday will be devoted to the “Mikado,” in which the main interest attaches to the appearance of Miss Ghiloni as Katisha. The undoubted histrionic capabilities of this fine singer should find full scope in so notable a part, and there will, too. bo considerable curiosity to see how Mr Lauri succeeds as Ko-Ko.

Tire first production of “Tapu” on Monday evening is an event of real importance, and is being recognised as such. Rehearsals are now drawing to a point which assures success, and there can be little doubt that Mr Hill’s opera will receive treatment which will send it over to Australia and London as one of the pieces of the year. The staging is to be very elaborate, and there are some lovely dances. Mr J. C. H illiamson arrives in Auckland this week to be present at the first performance.

Speaking of “Tapu” when produced by the Pollards, a very competent critic wrote: “There can be little doubt that the chief merit of the work lies in the musical score by Mr Alfred Hill. Mr Hill has given us a perfect masterpiece

of comie opera. Nothing more clever has been done nißee Arthur Sullivan's palmiest days of 'The Mikado" and 'The Gondoliers.’ Not only is there a wealth of lovely melody of all kinds to be heard right through the opera, but such melody i“ attended by the most masterly work in the way of harmony ami counterpoint. Mr Hill's orchestration is. most quaint and entrancing, so that the combined effect i® nothing short of perfect. A most pleasing feature of the score is the abundance of concerted music, and in this respect also Mr Hill shows not. only a perfect knowledge of harmony and counterpoint, but also a thorough knowledge of the human voice.”

Mr Andrew Carnegie, the American millionaire, has publicly stated thxt he does not intend to endow a theatre, that he does not believe an endowed theatre eould ever be a success in America. "To endow a theatre," says Mr Carnegie, “is a sign of weakness. It proves that the play is a sensitive plant, that it needs help; and when anything needs help it is weak.” To be logical. Mr Carnegie should cease to endow libraries, for “if a love of literature needs fostering it must be weak.”

Some of Madame Patti’s experiences in America were exciting. At a place called Hot Springs, while she was singing “Home. Sweet Home.” an engine at the railway “depot” close by was sounding its whistle loudly. "t\e were not in the same key,” said Madame Patti, “and it was a trial to drown that locomotive. For all that the audience was pleased. They shot a negro in the leg. Poor fellow! How they do dislike negroes down there. This negro had climbed a tree to look in at a window while I was singing.”

Light opera librettists are sometimes prophetic. In Amiran’s “Olivette*’ there is a song called “The Torpedo and the Whale,” with the following verse:

“.Inst you make tracks!*’ said the whale, Then he lashed out will: his tail. The fish was indeed-o A Woolwich torpedo, And 0. and O. The big fish did not know.

A recent telegram from Vladivosto.k says: “A violent explosion recently occurred at sea in Possiet Bay. the cause of which could not be ascertained. Two days later the body of an enormous whale was wasiied into the bay by the tide, the creature having evidently collided with a mine, causing it to explode.”

Madame Sarah Bernhardt, in the first instalment of her memoirs in the “Strand Magazine” for April, says in her dedicatory letter, “The English, first among all foreign nation', welcomed me with such great kindness that they made me believe in myself.” Madame Bernhardt tells how, when an infant, she fell into the fire, and, having been rescued by some neighbours, "was thrown, all smoking, into a large pail of fresh milk.” and how. thanks to careful treatment, she entirely recovered; of two years passed by’ her at Madame Fressard’s boardingschool at Auteui!; and of her life at the “Grand Champ” Convent at Versailles.

Mrs Craigie, in a letter to the “Fortnightly Review" on the “British Drama,” says: “A National School of Psychology should be founded before we subscribe too heavily to any National Theatre. The immorality of some recent ‘happy endings,* ” Mrs Craigie thinks, “is quite revolting; but it is of so feeble a kind that one is not sufficiently stimulated to protest agaiust such viciousness. On the other hand, some ‘unhappy endings’ are equally immoral and infinitely unlikely.*’

Tn a valedictory announcement on the programme of “.Mama’s New Husband,” the management in Sydney stated that Mr Edward Laurf, acting on behalf of Mr George Stephenson, had entered into contracts to supply light theatrical entertainment for Australia that “extended far into 1908.” The first of these enter-

prises, as we have already mentioned, is the new musical company that is now on its way from London, and will open in Sydney towards the end of May. The Australian rights of four new pieces have been obtained. The Melbourne season begin* on Saturday. July 18, at the Princess Theatre.

May Moore Duprez. the newly-arrived comedienne now showing at SydneyTivoli. is a good draw, says the "Critic.” She is a toothsome, if somewhat toothy lady, a showy dresser, and so lithe and Timbre as to suggest a faculty for the temporary dislocation of all her joints. She sings just as most comediennes do, patters extremely well, if somewhat broadly, and dances wonderfully in all fashions—with sabots, light shoes, and in eoon style. She is. perhaps, the best eccentric lady dancer ever seen at the Tivoli. The Tiv. is doing great biz.: it has done much worse with better programmes.

Arrangements are now completed for the Australasian tour of I. J. Paderewski. the world - famous pianist, whose visit will be the event of the year to Australian music-lovers. Paderewski leaves Naples by the Ortonn on May 29, and his first recital in Australia will be given at Melbourne on July 7. It is probable that during the season, which will be a brief one, the great pianist will be assisted by a grand orchestra, when he will play his celebrated A minor concerto and his famous Polish fantasia. At the end of his Melbourne season Herr Paderewski will visit Sydney, Brisbane and New Zealand. His visit will mark an epoch in the musical history of Australia. Mr J. Lemmone. the well-known flautist, is managing the tour.

A Parisian actress, Mdlle. Sylviae, in using the telephone, told the lady superintendent over the wire that her girls were in the habit of using the language of cowherds. Mdlle. Sylviae soon received a letter from the director of the electric works on behalf of the Undersecretary of State for Posts and Telegraphs, to the effect that, “owing to her insulting words addressed to the personnel of the telephones, her communication with the Paris system was suspended, in pursuance of Article 52 of the Ministerial decree of May, 1891, without prejudice to possible proceedings to which she had thereby rendered herself liable, according to Article 224 of the Penal Code.” Aidlie. Sylviac’s friends—■ and she has many—are retaliating by constantly “ringing up” her number both by day and night.

Sir Henry Irving will commence his tour through England and Ireland in the middle of this month with “Becket.” “My. great desire." he says, “is to visit Australia. Possibly' I may go there Rext year, but I am coming back to America, where I find there has been much artistic development.” The “New York Tribune” says: Irving, in his several tours in America, exercised a deep ami far-reaching influence. It is an old thought that the friendship of nations is cemented, not only by considerations of mutual interest, but by kindred aspirations ami ideals and kindred devotion to the arts. The stage has borne no slight part in this kind of incentive to international amity, and as between England and America Henry Irving has been a power, continually working for beneficient results.

The popularity of the despised E:>; lish operas. “The Bohemian Girl” an “ Maritana,” has been curiously pro ed by Mr Charles Manners, nmiiag of the best and most enterprising opei company in England. He was censu ed by the critics for including tho works in his Covent Garden season, :u

replied that, while thoroughly weary of them himself he find- that me public still demand the old favourites. "The Bohemian Girl,” he states, “is the most paying opera on my list. It has often happened that on a Saturday morning in some provincial town I have heen some £3O in debt as the result of a week's performances. “ The Bohemian Girl” is put on as a matinee, and I am able to wipe off that debt, and end the week with a surplus of. perhaps. £OO. So. you see, we must play Balfe’s old-fashioned work.”

It is stated that Jf. Jean de Rvske has conimenced an action again-t bis throat doctor. Tsie ease promises to be a knotty one for the law to decide. Owing to trouble in the throat over a year ago. the tenor eottwiHrd the specialist. The latter’s treatment wa- of no avail, and tin- ai list’s vone has practically disappeared. He charges the doctor with having bungled an operation, and with having destroyed one of the voeal chord®. The agonised singer, consequently. claimed heavy compensation for being in<-..p:w-it:-ted from practising a profession in which he was highly paid. Ihe doctor does not attempt to deny that the tenor has completely lost his voice, tint strongly disclaims any responsibility in the matter. lie says that the teller’s case was one in which medical science was of no avail, and that his vocal powers have been deist roved, not by want of proper eare, but by the progress of iln ineradicable disease.

The Bic.photophone, which, briefly described. is the scientific alliance between the Cinematograph ami the gramophone, is due to the inventiveness of Herr Oscar Messier. of Berlin, and M. Gaumont, of Paris. There are immense possibilities in the new idea, and some of them wore shown for the first time in England at a private demonstration on the stage of the Grand Theatre. Fulham, on Thursday afternoon. One incident represented drill by German soldiers, the officer’s voice echoing clearly through the theatre, while the action of the men followed in the most natural way. Another item was a scene from “Lohengrin.” in

which every tone of the actress playing the part of Fisa synchronised so completely with her corresponding movement that it became exceedingly difficult for the spectators to keep the unreality of the performer in mind.

Residents in Wai worth-road, London, witnessed a lively scene on Sunday morning caused by the antics of a troupe of performing elephants. The animals were being taken, from lloxton to stables near the South London, where they arc apSouth London. One of them, named Tiny, had been celebrating her birthday that morning, and had been favoured,

a* was customary, with the contents of a bottle of whisky. This apparently had the effect of making her unusually frisky, and it needed only the some of a passing train acroec Walsworth-road to set Tiny up on her hind legs. To the astonishment of gaping crowds she started off up the road at full speed, heralding her approach by a series of shrill trumpeting*. Finding a horse and lorry in her way she promptly charged them, and succeeded in clearing them to some extent out of her triumphant way. But the •hock proved too much, even for Tiny’s hard head, and she gently submitted to Is* led away in a proper penitential spirit.

Mr George Edwardes' London Gaiety Company was greeted by a huge and enthusiastic audience at the Princess' .Theatre. Melbourne. There was some anticipation of brilliant burlesque, gorgeous gowns, magnificent dancing, as in the Gaiety Companies of yore, but it is not on these lines that the "Three Little Maids,” written and composed by Paul Reubens, is strong. It is rather its daintiness that constitutes its chief charm, and the excellence of its interpretation. “Three Little Maids” is really an attractive little comedy, with a musical setting, and a dialogue bristling with good things from start to finish. The music is pretty and refined, like the whole conception, while the acting is characterised by that quietness and restraint which mark the best English and American interpretations of to-day. Three persons stand out preeminently in the cast, says the "Critic.” Mis* Madge Crichton, as Ada Branscoinbe. one of the little maids; Air G. P. Huntley, as Lord Cheyne, nick-named Daisy; and Mr Maurice Farkoa. as Al. De l.ormc, of the French Embassy.

An amusing occurrence is reported from Penza. a province of Russia, where a wrestling match on the stage between CrigoriotT. "the Russian Hercules," and a supposed Japanese, named Suina Sari, has nightly attracted large crowds. In ■these contests, needless to say. "the Russian Hercules’’ always won. though only after a tremendous struggle. On the day of the last performance the •‘Japanese” demanded a rise in his salary, but as this was not granted he went away declaring that the refusal would cost the management dear. That evening a large audience which had assembled to witness another Russian triumph were much astonished. The moment the "Russian Hercules” came to grips he was seized by the "Japanese,” who, raising him on high, cast him bodily into the auditorium. The audience protested angrily that there was no Japanese living who could by fair means throw a Russian. Thereupon Sunia Sari came forward shouting that he was a better Russian than his opponent, and. to prove his words, tore off hi* wig and exposed the fraud.

Afr. Paul Potter, in a magazine article, comes to the rescue of the "book plays.” He say* that the art of dramatising novels ha* l«een practised almost from the time of the ancients, and be cites some of Shakespeare's plays, many other wellknown dramas, like "The Lady of Lyons.” "Rip Van Winkle." "The Colleen Bawn.” "The Ironmaster" and three of his own plays in support of his theory’ that the source of the plot is of no serious consequence, so there lie a plot. ''All plays, whether dramatised from novels or not.” says Mr. Potter, "make their appeal wholly on the amount of heart interest they contain.” The dialogue, the scenery, the players are all of minor importance —the dialogue especially—and Mr. Potter goes so far as to say that "so inconsequential do many playwrights consider the dialogue that they frequently do not bother to write it at all, but turn the task over to someone who makes a profession of such work.’ 1 Another writer takes the opposite view, contending that the best play* now running have the literary quality in any reasonable sense of the term, if you deduct from Mr. Zangwill's "Merely Mary Ann” the qualities that make his l>ooks attractive you will have as cheap a little melodrama as you ever saw. But there was something in the words that reproduced in you the feeling of the author, something that Mi.-s Robson could take hold of and lie carried further than she bad ever gone before.”