Music and Drama.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 6, 11 August 1909, Page 15

Music and Drama.

By

BAYREUTH.

BOOKINGS. (Dates Subject to Alteration.) AUCKLAND—HIS MAJESTY'S. August 9—J. C. Williamson’s “Jack and Jill.” August 24 to September 7 —Hamilton Dramatic Company. THE OPERA HOUSE. In Season — Fuller’s Pictuies WELLINGTON OPERA HOUSE. In Season—Pollard’s Opera Company. August 16 to 28—Nellie Stewart. August 30 to 31 —• Miss Hardinge Maltby. September 2 to 16 — J. C. Williamson. Sep* 17 to Oct. 16 — Allan Hamilton. Oct. 25 to Nov. 13 — J. C. Williamson. Nov.- 15 to Dec. 9 — J. C. Williamson. December 10 to 18 — M. Branscombe. Dec. 26 (for six weeks) — J. C. Williamson. THEATRE ROYAL. In Season — Fuller’s Pictures. TOWN HALL. July 3 to 28 — West’s Pictures. PALMERSTON NORTH MUNICIPAL OPERA HOUSE. 1909. Aug. 11 — Tommy Burns. Aug. 12 and 13 — Nellie Stewart. Aug. 16 and 17 — Arnst. Ahtletic Co. Aug. 21 — Wellington Amateurs. Aug. 30 and 31 — Julius Knight. Sept. 1 — Hayward’s Pictures. Sept. 3 — Children’s Bail. Sept. 7 — Orchestral Concert, Sept. 8 — Hayward's Pictures. Sept. 13 — Taylor-Carrington Dramatic Co. Sept. 15 — Hayward’s Pictures. Sept. 21 — Boxiug Association. Sept. 22 — Hayward’s Pictures. Sept. 23 and 24 — Technical School. Sept. 28 — Hayward's Pictures. Sept. 29 and 30 — Jack and Jill Panto. Oct. 5 — Hayward's Pictures. Oct. 6 and 7 — J. C. Williamson. Oct. 13 to 27 — Hayward's; Pictures. Nov. 1 to 6 — Hugh Ward Musical Comedy. Nov. 29 to Dec. 1 — Pollard Opera Co. Dec. 9 — Local Conceit. Dec. 27 to 29 — Carter, the Magician. 1910. Jan. 20 to 24 — J. C. Williamson. Feb. 14 and — Scarlet Troubadours. March 28 to 31 — Allan Hamilton. April 21 and 22 — Geo. Marlow. May 19 and 2iJ — J. C. Williamson. June 4 to 6 — Meynell and Gunn. June 8 and 9 — J. C. Williamson. June 20 to 25 — Fred. Graham Musical Comedy. June 30 to July 2— Meynell and Gunn. Aug. 18 and 19 —J. C. Williamson. i Aug. 25 and 26 — J. C. Williamson. Sept. 30 to Oct. 1 — J. C. Williamson. Oct. 31 to Nov. 5 — Allan Hamilton. Nov. 10 and 11 — J. C. Williamson. Waite Up, Wellington. ¥HE capital city hag been very lethargic about music lately. Outside of Alfred Hill’s benefit, there seems to have been nothing doing. With a fine Town Hall and concert chamber at their disposal, it is a wonder that the municipal privileges have not been availed of by musical people. There is reason to believe that there are just as good voices in Wellington as there are in Auckland; that there is a fair amount of instrumental talent hidden away amongst its vales and gullies. But the light |s under the bushel. Wellington’s talent lies dormant beneath the weight of some inscrutable apathy. Whilst Auckland plunges into orchestral and choral concerts, the capital city, excepting for an occasional spasmodic effort, lies under a pall of artistic poverty. About the only thing worth recalling during the year is Mr. Maughan Barnett’s organ recitals. Occasionally Mr. Robert Parker treats sundry people to sundry works of a depressing type, for which the only expression of gratitude seems to lie in his gracious smile. Mr. E. J. Hill still endeavours to give lusty voice to “Waiata Poi,” attended by the faithful Kenny; and occasionally the Wellington Garrison Band, under the guidance of Lieut. Herd, struggles to educate the lethargic public with a choice of selection sadly its own. For the rest, Wellington’s reaching out for the illimitable seems to die away in one vast substantial yawn. The more’s the pity. The unfortunate illness of Mr. Alfred Hill swept away bright hopes of a revival which, under his enthusiastic leadership, might have raised the returning tide to the flood. The capital city badly wants a Marshall Hall, an

Arundel Orchard, or a Wielaert to awaken the slumbering talent of the people. Wellington can give instructive examples in not a few things to Auckland —the control and running of electric cars, for instance—hut in musical and artistic matters it is hopelessly in rear. Wake up, Wellington! The Inevitable. Spohr’s “Last Judgment” was given by the Auckland Choral Society at their fourth concert on Tuesday, just as the paper went to press. A notice will be given next week. It is astonishing how this antediluvian classic survives. Ever since music was in Maoriland, it has undergone innumerable tussles with amateur societies, and it still survives. Not long ago the vocal energies of musical folk on the North Shore assisted at one of its periodic resuscitations. Now Auckland Choral Society have had their turn. Let us hope—but, no; on second thoughts I will not anticipate anything. There are times when one must bow to the inevitable. Two Great Artists. London concert halls one week recently had concerts from two remarkable artists —-Busoni (pianist) and Zimbalist (violin). Such a pair in one week could not but d'raw concert-goers and induce some comment from writers. A German critic, fresh from Berlin, was able to give some interesting views of the two performances. He writes thus of the great pianist, to hear whom is one of the episodes of a lifetime; to realise in the brief two hours of a single recital that an inarticulate and overwhelming sense of beauty has dawned on earth. “Ferruccio Busoni has given three recitals at Bechstein Hall with enormous success. His masterly, authoritative playing has made a profound impression. As the critic of the ‘ Morning Post ’ wrote after his third concert, even the most conservative listeners ‘ were breathless with wonder.’ Busoni’s Liszt playing always is a thing apart, yet I do not remember ever to have heard him when he was in such complete and perfect sympathy with the master as on Thursday afternoon. The B minor sonata, a much maligned and much misinterpreted work, was a revelation as read by him. It seemed as if the spirit of the composer was hovering around the performer, and that he drew his inspiration direct from the fountain source. The sonata was the close of the programme, yet the great pianist was in exceptionally good form the whole afternoon. His other selections were Liszt’s ‘Weinen, Klagen,’ three choral preludes by Bach-Busoni, namely, ‘Awake,’ ‘ln Thee is Joy,’ and ‘Rejoice’; the PaganiniBrahms variations; the barcarolle and six etudes by Chopin, and Mendelssohn’s ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ There is a tremendous intellectuality, an enormous mental grasp in Busoni’s conceptions. He is fully as great as a musician as he is as a virtuoso, and that is saying volumes in brief; for, as is well known, Busoni in the latter capacity represents the topmost peak of splendour. His technical command of the piano is phenomenal, and his is not good old fashioned mechanical technic; it is a highly individual, modern, vitalised technique. The mere manual part of Busoni's playing is so full of esprit, so wonderful in its absolute purity and perfection that it is a joy merely to listen to his virtuosity. What a difference there is in technique anyhow! And Busoni’s command of the tonal resonance of the instrument is no less marvellous. From the thunderous tones produced by 'his majestic ff chords, to the elf-like ripple of his pp runs, he compasses the entire gamut of dynamic display with absolute mastery. He is always a subjective performer, too, eschewing the beaten academic paths of interpretation. His conceptions are ever full of colour and his delivery is always replete with vitality, as indeed his whole personality is magnetic and inspiring. A great instrumentalist, a great musician, a great pianist is Busoni!”

In Comparison to Miseha Elman. Mi sell a Elman, who is regarded as being next only to Ysaye and Fritz Kreisler as the master of violin players,

does not apparently share the favour of the Berlin critic that Zimbalist, the Russion violinist, does. Both artists are young men, intensely brilliant, and in the front rank of good players. “When Efrem Zimbalist stepped on the stage of Queen’s Hall on Wednesday evening,” writes the eritie, “the hearty reception accorded him by a large audience left no room for doubt as to tho affection that the British metropolis now feels for him. Zimbalist is a violinist of remarkable lyric powers, and he is wholly unspoiled by success (unlike Elman, for instance), and is continually growing, he promises to attain great heights. He already is a great performer, although only 18 years old. Having heard Ysaye in Paris last Saturday evening, and Kleisler here on Tuesday, I naturally made some mental comparisons. The young Russian, with his youth, has not, of course, the authority and the knowledge of effects acquired by long experience on the concert platform, that characterise the playing of his two great colleagues; but the boy is a genius, and his playing is replete with powerful qualities. Zimbalist is the antipode of Elman. He has not so much fire and temperament, but he has a more beautiful cantilena, and he is of finer artistic fibre. He is, moreover, wholly free from the mannerisms that latterly so mar Elman's playing. Zimbalist has a style as chaste and pure as Joachim’s. No more genuine artistic nature, no truer musicion exists. In cantabile playing he at times inclines to drag the tempi a bit, but this desire springs from his artistic nature; he treats the violin as an instrument of song, and at every opportunity to ‘sing’ he makes the most of. Yet he must beware of the tendency, and not allow it to become habitual. He gave a noble performance of Bruch’s ‘Scottish’ fantasia and of the Bach chaconne. The latter was marred by the piano accompaniment of Schumann, which was played on the organ. The chaconne, with all due reverence to Schumann’s genius, can well stand alone. I do not care for the Glazounow concerto. There are beautiful parts, but as a whole it is dull, and the finale is even trivial. Zimbalist made the most of it. Tschaikowsky’s meditation and scherzo, orchestrated by Glazounoff, an effective piece, was played with great perfection. Zimbalist was enthusiastically acclaimed.” “ The Mikado ” in Napier. The Napier Operatic Society, whose performance of “ The Mikado ” was hailed as a brilliant success by the local papers, has not done as well as it deserves. At the annual meeting last week, the accounts in connection with the late performance showed the total receipts from the two performances were £39 11/, and the expenditure £36 3/. The credit balance, £3 7/4, was handed over to the Fresh Air Fund, for the benefit of which the performance was given. Mr. J. Vigor Brown, M.P., was unanimously elected as the first patron of the society. Other officers elected were as follows:—President, Mr. W. Siram; vice-presidents, Messrs. T- Tanner, C. D. Kennedy, C. H. Cranby, ,W- P. Finch, F. Moeller, W. Dinwiddie, J. C. McVay, G. Morley, E. BasilJones, T. P. Halpin, and K. Beecham; musical director, Mr. M. Brunette ; stage manager, Mr. J. R. Rosewarne; secretary, Mr. C. H. Kirke; treasurer, Mr. S. Williams; honorary solicitor, Mr. H. B. Lusk; honorary auditor, Mr. F. W. Slater; committee, Messrs. T. W. Bear (chairman), Renouf, Crowley, Lyttelton, and Natusch. Hearty votes of thanks were passed to those who had worked so hard in the interests of the society in the past. Stray Notes. Melbourne is reported to be rioting in Mr. J. C. Williamson’s latest musical comedy, “ Havanna.” Says an exuberant Press notice: “The many delightful features which are included in ‘ Havanna ’ are proving most acceptable to Melbourne audiences, and the sprightly musical comedy is. rattling along, and evoking roars of laughter and rounds of applause from thoroughly appreciative playgoers. There are many attractive melodies from the pen of Leslie Stuart, but perhaps the most popular of these are the numbers which fall to the share of the “ Flappers,” including, ‘‘Hello, Girls,” “Cupid’s Telephone,” and “ Would you like to Motor with Mater?”* In Sounds Tremcndonsly Inspiring. In the latest London theatrical news mention is made of two new operas which are likely to take their stand with the successes of the lyric stage.

One i» “ The Count of Luxembourg," composed by Franz Lehar, the quality of whose music has l>cen tested in “The Merry Widow,” and a book by Dr. Widner, to whom “ The Dollar Princess ” owes its libretto. The second opera is “Snowdrops,” also by Dr. Willner, with music composed by Gustav Kerker, to whose notoriety belongs the music of “ The Belle of New York.” So as “ The Merry Widow ” and “ The Belle of New York” may be numbered amongst the most flagrant commercial successes which have ever been done in Australasia, it may be assumed that the two new p eers will be about their level. “The Count of Luxembourg’’ was to have succeeded “The Merry Widow” at Daly’s Theatre, but its production has now been postponed for a little while in favour of ‘The Dollar Princess.” “ Snowdrops ’’ will be done in London in December. “ An Englishman's Home.’’ By special arrangement with Mr. J. C. Williamson, Mr. Edwin Geach’s company, numbering over twenty artists, will shortly visit New Zealand with “An Englishman’s Home,” which caused all the seats at. Wyndham’s Theatre, London, to be booked months in advance. When produced in Sydney, at the Theatre Hoy al, and subsequently at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, a repetition of the London rush was witnessed. The London “Daily Mail” terms “An Englishman’s Home” a real, rousing, sensational play, which, viewed either as a .satire or patriotic lesson, stirred the house to genuine fighting enthusiasm. Amateur Dramatic Entertainment. Monday evening saw St. Andrew’s Hall crowded to the doors with Auckland's elite, when the pupils of Mr. and Mrs, Kaber-Harrison gave the little play, “A Woman's Affairs,” in aid of the establishment of a free kindergarten in Auckland. Excellent results have attended ithe kindergarten system in other centres, and the Council have every reason to congratulate themselves on the. enthusiasm displayed over their efforts. The piece presented was a political one, its strong English character being but thinly veiled by local adaptations. Mr. and Mrs. Kaber-Harrison’s histrionic powers were well sustained, and Miss Heywood as “Mrs. Harcourt,” and Mr. A, M. Ferguson as “John Pratt” are worthy of special mention. All the students are characterised by ease and naturalness, which is their instructors’ special attribute. On the fall of tihe curtain they were recalled by the audience, and presented with floral tributes. “ Jack and Jill.” To say that “Jack and Jill” gives the public what they want is only part of the truth. The public get more than they could expect. It is the best pantomime that lias visited these shores. His Majesty’s, Auckland, was overflowing with humanity and laughter on Monday nigfit, when the piece made its first appearance in the north. The management were guilty of something like a feat in transporting the large company, Scenery, and properties from Dunedin on Friday and resuming business at Auckland on the Monday. The pantomime is an orgy of colour end brilliance. It runs on from 7.45 to well after the eleventh hour. Danee follows on dance. The wardrobe of the company pours out splendour unceasingly. Turn upon turn falls upon the dizzy audience, and sends laughter bulging boisterously into the roof. It is a succession of shrieks with scarcely an interval for breath. Amid the host of its interludes there are several episodes which stand out with marked excellence —the surf bathers, the dance of the Teddy bears, the giant family, and the giant rooster. Both acts end up with splendid effects, the first a pretty transformation scene representing the change of seasons, and the final orgy of splendour and brilliance—the Palace of the Precious Kt ones. Beyond all its attractions, a feature of the pantomime is that the personnel of the company is nearly all girls. One cannot get away past them, from charming Miss Betty Ohls down to the tiny tots whose services are requisitioned for the public ■pleasure. Hlie audience is overpowered in a revel of skirts and laces of laughing eyes and swaying forms. They thrust themselves upon one with l>ewildering insistence until the bathos of Mr. J. M. Campbell and Mr. Fred Tjeslie brings welcome relief. TJke all good pantomimes, it is the last word in caricatures. Hardly a vestige of the old nursery

story is left amid tbe rush of interludes which crowd every moment of its life. But it endangers the safety of the public garments; it transforms sober-minded and respectable citizens into shrieking jays, and when all is said and done, it is a limp and surfeited public that tumbles into the waiting cars, dimly apprehensive that life is still uncompromisingly stern amid the seven deadly sins as enumerated by Shaw—namely, food, clothing, firing, rent, taxes, respectability, and children. Stray Notes. Miss Maud Allan has been engaged for a series of performances in America at a fee of £25,000. Signor Fregoli, the famous quickchange artist, has had an audience of the Pope. His Holiness good-humouredly remarked that Fregoli had so bewitched the inmates of the Vatican and the Cardinals themselves by his astounding performance that for the last two days they seemed incapable of talking about anything else. “I should have been very glad to have seen your Holiness among the audience,” Fregoli replied. “And,” his Holiness rejoined, “I believe I should not be displeased to come, but . . .” and the Pope made an eloquent gesture, meaning that, unfortunately, it was impossible for him to leave the VaticanAn opera company composed of children is appearing in London. The company is composed of children specially selected from amongst the most musical and intelligent in the south of Italy. On the first night of the season “Lucia di Lammermoor” was given, in which a fourteen-year-old tenor, Vittorio Gamba, made his debut. He is the son of a peasant, and used to sing at fairs in the neighbourhood of Rome. The prima donna is Signorina Dora Theor, the sixteen-year-old daughter of a well-to-do Roman citizen. Theatrical manager Anderson secured while in London the refusal of several sensational plays. He has bought the rights of a new drama, “The Prince and Beggar Maid,” which sounds as if it will be too esoteric for Billiam’s adherents; and has been trying to arrange for another tour through the Com-

monwealth and Maoriland of Miss Ada Reeve. Twenty-eight performances by the Imperial Russian ballet at the Chatelet Theatre, Paris, brought in the enormous sum of £20,700, or an average of more than £ 1000 a performance. Nothing more exquisite, more absolutely refined and artistic, though curiously un-Russian, has been seen than the dancing of the corps de ballet. It is the very perfection of graceful movement. Miss Betty Ohls, already a favourite in Auckland, made a considerable success as “The Merry Widow,” in which character she succeeded Miss Carrie Moore in Sydney; and as Jill in the popular pantomime her performances I\ve evoked enthusiastic praise. Mr. Harry Rickards has booked the great Houdini at, it is said, one of the largest salaries ever paid an artist in Australia. Houdini, it is believed, will receive £ 200 per week from “ the moment ho puts foot on board the ship at Marseiles until he returns from Australia.” “I predict he will be the biggest sensational hit that ever put foot in Autsralia. The letter adds. Mr. Sidney Bracy, son of Mr. Henry Bracy, has been doing well in England and America. He appeared with success judging by the criticism, ia a small part in “The Persian Princess ” in London, a production in which Miss Carrie Moore, an Australian, was the life and sbul. In America Mr. Brady has just concluded a big season, playing lead to Miss Viola Allen in Shakespeare and other productions. He was formerly, connected with the Wililamson Royal Comic Opera Company in Australia. It is probable that Mr. G. P. Huntley, the well-known comedian, and Mr. Maurice Farkoa, the handsome French light comedian, will tour Australia and New Zealand next year under the aegis of Mr. J. C. Williamson. Mr. Allan Hamilton has secured from Mr. W. W. Jacobs the Australian rights of “Beauty and the Barge,” an 1 is now negotiating with an English actor to visit Australia and play Captain Barley, a character in which the late Mr. Robert Brough scored a conspicuous success.