MUSIC AND DRAMA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 14, 7 April 1906, Page 22

MUSIC AND DRAMA.

In their usual strenuous way Mr Geo. Lauri and his associates of the Royal Comic- Opera Company, are now working up the open air carnival in aid of the Sydney Distressed Actor’s Fund. Misses Madoleine Webbe and Gertrude Spooner, of the Webbe School of Music, Auckland, have acceded to the request of a number of Wellington musicians to give a pianoforte recital, which is to take place in the Wellington Town Hall on the 10th- of April. The recital will have the patronage of the Right Hon. the Premier, ami his Worship the Mayor of Wellington. Mr Charles Frohman has another novelty in store for London playgoers, in the production during the current season of an American play, in whieh English actors will appear in the first act, the scene of which is laid in England, while American actors will be engaged for the other acts, which will have American scenes, representing life among the cowboys and Indians. The play, which is entitled "The SquawMan,”, has been given nearly 150 times at one theatre in New York, ami is still running. The anniversary of the birth of the late Sir Henry Irving was reverently marked recently, when a number of wreaths were placed over his grave in Westminster Abbey. One of . them bore a eord on which was written, “In affectionate and ever-loving remembrance of his birthday, from his old and sorrowing friend, J. L. Toole.” Another wreath was sent by "Six Old Lyceum Pittites,” and a third of laurel leaves bore the inscription: I shall remember while the light lives, And in the darkness I shall not forget. Mr .1. 1,. Toole, by the way, has been presented, at his house at Brighton, with the watch-chain, seal, and combined sovereign purse and match-box which the late Sir Henry Irving was wearing when he died. The sovereign purse and matchbox were given by Mr Toole to his old friend as a birthday present on February 0, 1894, and the contents remain as they were on the night Sir Henry passed away. The presentation was made by Mi- Laurence Irving on behalf of himself and his brother, Mr IL B. Irving.

The first general meeting for this year of the Auckland Society of Musicians took place at the Society of Arts rooms on Monday night, when there was an exceedingly large attendance of members and 'their friends. The president (Mr. W. H. Webbe) occupied the chair. In his opening address he stated that the society never was in a better condition numerically and financially Ilian at. the present time. He strongly urged members to use their utmost endeavours to also make it an artistic success, and trusted that the Council Would -be able to devote more time to the society’s work than had been the ease hitherto. He explained the objects of the society, one of which was the admission of duly qualified professional musicians, who were thus enabled to meet together and discuss matters of common interest, and, of course, do all they could to promote musical culture. He earnestly advised the musicians generally to become better aaquainted with the works of modern composers, such as. the music of E. MaeDowell Foote, Mrs Beach and other of the leading American composers, Graham P. Moore and other representative English composers, as well as of the leading modern composers of other countries. Mr. Webbe drew attention to the great tendency of the performing of the same- works over and, over again. The Associated Board and other examining bodies would also derive considerable a Wantage from musicians taking up with more modern composers instead of adhering so much to the well-worn paths. The following short but interesting programme was evidently much enejoyed: Duo, two pianos, "Vaises Carnavalesque? (Chaminade), Misses M. Webbe and G. Spocner; song, "Trumpeter,” Mr. R. Farrar; piano solo, "Nocturne in F Sharp,” and "Ballade in A Flat” (Chopin), Miss G. Spooner; song, "Good-bye’’ (Tosti), Mrs. Sutherland: violin solos "Romance” (H. E. Light) Mr. de Williinoff; piano solo, "In Changing Moods” (E. MacDowell) and

"South Sea Rharsody” (Graham P. Moore), Miss M. Webbe. At the conclusion of this programme Mr. R. Leslie Hunt (vice-president) took the opportunity to make reference to the approaching departure from Auckland of two young members of the society, Misses Modoleine Webbe and Gertrude Spooner (pupils of Miss M. Spooner), who are to give a pianoforte recital at the Wellington Town Hall next week. Mr. Hunt felt sure the members would join heartily with him in wishing these young ladies a most successful recital. For his part he had no doubt whatever that they would do the society great credit. After a few more remarks from the president refreshments were served, and closed one of the most successful meetings the society has had.

Jl J* There is always a remarkable unanimity of opinion observable in aetors who, having once visited Australia return again to these shores; or, indeed, one might go further and say that every actor who has played here is anxious to play here again. Mr Andrew Mack, for instance, gave a Kansas City paper a most glowingaccount of his season here, and declared his unalterable intention to come here.again; while Mr Thomas Kingston, who arrived here at. the end of last week gave vent to the. usual expressions of sincere gratification at finding himself again among his many friends of five years ago. He has come back with a much enlarged experience, whieh has, however, he says, taught him that few places arc better supplied with theatrical attractions than Australia, while as far as the production of the pieces go, Mr J. C. Williamson in particular, can give points to most if not to all the managers on the

Other side of the world. Mr Kingston, after" his sea voyage from South Africa, is anxious to begin work with Miss Tittell Brune, and as soon as he arrived in Melbourne began his rehearsals with Mr Williamson’s dramatic Company. After the Adelaide season the -members of the then disbanded Knight-Jef-fries Company will apparently scatter to all points of the eompass. At any ra_te the two stars- who have so long led the combination to success after success are booked for destinations half a world apart. Her Tennessee home has been calling Miss Maud Jeffries for some time past, and she goes there with her husband (Mr J. B. N. Osborne) on a prolonged visit, leaving Sydney for San Francisco on May 20. She herself has declared her fixed determination of retiring from the stage and settling down after her trip, on Mr Osborne's New South Wales station, but it remains to be se»n whether so popular a stage favourite will be allowed to .withdraw herself so completely from the public eye. England and a long holiday are the objectives of Mr Julius Knight, and there can be no question that he has thorougliy earned the latter.

Mr. George Alexander has told the latest Irving story, in which so far as the “ Graphic” is concerned he himself plays a somewhat sordid, not to say shabby, part. “ Sir Henry wrote suggesting that I should make another season’s engagement with him at the Lyceum.” said Mr. Alexander. At that time I was receiving a salary of £4O a week, and the Scotch instinct being strong in me. I asked my wife if she thought it. was possible to squeeze out a little more. After a sleepless night 1 went to the theatre, with my mind made up to ask for 40 guineas. Irving looked at me, and said, ‘My boy, what have you done that you should get this enormous salary? Are you aware that I was leading man in this theatre for £l5 a weeek? Are you aware that I played Hamlet for £2O a week? And yet you have the audacity to ask for a rise in your salary. You are not content with your present salary, but you come here as if you were a doctor or a lawyer and suggest guineas. lam determined to. have my own way in this matter, and I engage you for next season at £45 a week.’ ”

A prominent figure in the English dramatic world disappeared in January when Mr Benjamin Charles Stephenson died at Ute age of 67. The late Mr Stephenson was, a most prolific and versatile writer, and numbered among his works some of the greatest successes that Australia, as well as England. has known. “Charity Begins at Home” —the little four-character musical sketch that has brightened so many charity matinees—was written by him, ami another aud greater achievement, also with the late Alfred Cellier as composer, was the opera “Dorothy.” In strenuous drama, Mr Stephenson was equally facile. It is his version of Sardou’s “Diplomacy,” which is wellknown in every English-speaking community. and the powerfid play known as “Peril” (known here as “Friends”) was translated by him from the same author's “Nos Intimes.” Among the multitude of' excellent plays Mr Stephetisbn "wrote are “Impulse,” a great favourite in Melbourne some years ago, and the elever adaptation of “Mv Official Wife,” called “The Passport,” which the Brough-Flemming Company revived in Sydney within the last few weeks. J* J* What promises to be a very lug success is the new' living picture exhibition. “Living London." which opens at the Opera House on Friday next. These wonderful pictures are , pronounced by the Southern press to be the very best ever seen. Every quarter of London is traversed. The business in the Squib lias been of the boom order, and no doubt Auckland will duly follow ,the lead... The following is from the "Wellington Post" on the Sifliject : - The managerial antieip.it ion Ili;it “Living London” would thrill Wellington was amply verified at the T<Mvn Hall hist .-.everting. The huge building was depseTv thronged, and the great gath'eri.ngj (> qf spectators kept its eyes glued'on tlie fascinating screen.

The New Zealand public, when it can reasonably hope to see good moving pictures, will always muster in force, and last night proved that Wellington folk were conforming to the general gale. -The principal “business” of the evening was preceded by sets of pictures which flitted pleasantly from subjects grave to gay. The' programme opened with glimpses of the treusot steelworks, in full operation, and the people bad indeed glowing pictures of the processes of smelting, rolling, and forging masses of red-hot metal. This course of realistic instruction gave way to a pourtrayal of the sad experiences of a hen-pecked husband, the pursuit of ‘"two little vagabonds” who had robbed a hen-roost ami a rabbit-hutch, the interiors of bedrooms of French Hats as seen by an old concierge, a

very curious doorkeeper, and the trying time of a lover who had concealed himself in a travelling-trunk to escape detection in a flirtation. The famous fountains at \ ersailles were also presented and played prettily in plain and coloured light, and keen excitement was provided by a French National Steeplechase. After these very agreeable curtain-raisers came "Living London.” The hub of the Empire was shown awake and asleep, especially awake. The busy streets, with all their wealth of life and motion, were faithfully flashed from the machine. hi one minute the Thames, with bustling tugs, trains of barges, or a conglomeration of pleasure-boats at a lock, appeared on the sheet, with Westminster, the A'ietoria Embankment, and Cleopatra’s Needle following. Then the eye would be carried past the monuments of Wellington ami Nelson, through the .Marble Arch into the Park. The Tower of London and St. Paul’s would loom up. and in turn would arrive the places and scenes which are as dear to colonials as to Londoners. The costers, the children of the Ghetto, the flower-girls in Pieetidilly. the guttermerchants, the traffickers in Covent Garden and in the meat ami fish markets. were all clearly outlined by the magic, tape. The pictures were so comprehensive that the watchers saw more of London than many a “person who has made a trip'to the Metropolis, and certainly had a less fatiguing task in “doing the city.". It was, in fact, the cost of globe-trotting reduced to the tabloid form of a shilling or two. The kineimatograph behaved splendidly throughout, and must have thoroughly satisfied the most exacting critics.