Music and Drama.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 25, 22 June 1910, Page 12

Music and Drama.

By

BAYREUTH.

BOOKINGS. (Dates Subject to Alteration.) AUCKLAND—HIS MAJESTY'S. June 20 to July 6 — Grand Opera Co. July 7 to 16—Clarke and Meynell. July IS to 31—Hugh J. Ward. August 1 to 13 —J. C. Williamson. September I to 3 — Auckland Boxing Association. September 5 to 24—J. C. Williamson. (September 26 to October 19—Allan Hamilton. October 20 to November 4—Fred Graham. THE OPERA HOUSE. In Season—Fuller’s Pictures. WELLINGTON.—OPERA HOUSE. July 4 to July 23.—Clnrke and Meynell. August 1 to August 13.—Hugh Ward, bept. 1 to Sept. 14.—J. C. Williamson. Oct. 7to Oct. 26.—J. C. Williamson. Oct. 27 to November 5.— Allan Hamilton. Nov. 12 to November 24.—Fred H. Graham. iDecember 24, six weeks' season.—J. C. Williamson. THEATRE ROYAL (Vaudeville (permanent). “ The Hypocrites A Great Play THERE is nothing which reveals the capacity and limitations of a company so readily as an attempt to stage a modern realistie drama. ‘"The Hypocrites,” produced in (Auckland for the first time in New Zealand by Messrs. Clarke and Meynell, answers the description admirably. The lull plot has already been given in these pages. In penning a notice of ‘‘The Hypocrites” I want to indulge in a few speculations that are somewhat outside the usual bounds. They are induced by ■the fact that such a fine play has been brought to the Dominion for the first time. It is -a vivid slice of humanity. The reality is as clear cut as it is pitiless. It grips. Mr. Henry Arthur Jones, like his great contemporary Sir A. W. (Pinero, has analysed and sifted to its dregs the hypocrisy and elaborate shams practised in the name of good-breeding by a certain section of English middleclass society. Their vogue is by no means confined to the Homeland. The dramatist no doubt would be flattered to learn that he had been billed in company with so eminent and sentimental a writer as Mr. Hall Caine. One might soon expect with such a combination to see Mrs. Henry Wood and Mr. (Bernard Shaw fraternising on the billboards. The difference between a play like “The Hypocrites” and a medley like “Pete” makes one dizzy to think of it. The one is an aggregation of more or less familiar stage props exuding sentimentality and platitudes. The other is a masterly piece of realism with characters and incidents sketched to the life. Mr. Hall Caine handles the question of immorality in an immoral way. He justifies the maxim of the late George Meredith that “Sentimental people fiddle harmonics on strings of sensualism.” Mr. Henry Arthur Jones, on the other hand, presents the subject dispassionately and blamelessly. He . divorces his emotions from his reason and with all his dramatic intensity and vividness of realisation (holds the mirror up to humanity. He as one of the growing circle of modern dramatists who recognise in the stage functions other than those of amusement and recreation.

What Is the Stage For ? The stage of the modern drama is the pulpit of the modern people. However much conservative thought may be opposed to sermons from behind the footlights, the tide is all against it. There was no greater protagonist in the cause of shaping this wider aspect of the drama than Ibsen, regarded by many as the greatest dramatist of the last century. It' was said of him “To act as the physician of the age, to point out the festering sores in the social and political organism, and to sear them with irons heated to whiteness in the furnace of the poet’s indignation—this was his mission, and for its sake he scorned delights and lived laborious days.” Many have followed the great Scandinavian, both iu Englund ami on the Continent.

T'6-day almost every play of the modern British school of writers is “a play with a purpose." Thus are dramas like Henry Arthur Jones’ “The llypo-

crites,” Pinero’s “His House in Order,” Galsworthy’s “Justice,” Granville Barker’s “Waste,” Bernard Shaw’s “Major Barbara,” Charles Rann Kennedy’s “The Servant in the House,” Arnold Bennett’s “What the Public Want's,” Israel Zangwill’s “The Melting Pot.” The list' might be extended to many American productions like “The Fourth Estate,” by Joseph Paterson and Harriet Ford, or Charles Klein’s “The Third Degree,” which Mr. Williamson is to stage in New Zealand. Taste In New Zealand. In this country, however, public taste has not yet advanced to the appreciation and the realisation of the importance of the modern drama in shaping national thought. I was talking to a man of world-wide experience of the stage re-

cently who visited New Zealand about fifteen years ago, and asked him if he thought the taste of the public had improved. His answer was brief, but incisive, “Yes —in picture shows and melodramas.” The indictment would be very hard to deny. The blame does not rest wholly with the people. The theatrical managements of Australasia must take their share of it. From a purely business point of view, they rightly, in their own interests, will not “educate the public” at the risk of financial loss. So long ns melodramas, farces, musical comedies, and light opera like “The Merry Widow” pay to good dividends so long will the public get them, and the appreciation of the modern drama suffer. Giggling at Tragedy.

The effect of a long course of “popular productions” on the minds of the younger generation (to whom the name of “The Broughs” conveys nothing), was only too much in evidence at the first production of “The Hypocrites” in Auckland last week. The greater part of the public, prepared jio doubt by the melodramatic devices of “Pete,” evidently expected to see a melodrama. They seemed to have no conception of any other class of production but that intended to excite the crudest emotions. At the most tragic moments of “The Hypocrites”' there was laughter and giggling. Even when young T.ennard confesses in an agony of contrition to Curate Linnell that he is the father of Rachel Neve’s unborn child, an extraordinary burst of laughter went up from all parts of the house. They evidently mistook him for “The Funny Man.” In the third act, when the unhappy youth, driven to denial by the pressure of his parents in order to save the family name from social disgrace, denies the paternity, a woman leant forward from the front row of the circle and hissed “Liar!” Was there ever such a telling exhibition of crude taste To some extent the illusion of the audience, who treated a fine drama to such banality, was fostered by the melodramatic outbursts of Mr. Harry Roberts. Such exhibitions were quite unsuited to both the character and the play, and could but make any discriminating memlter of the audience squirm iu his seat.

Modern Drama and the Actor. Every patron of serious drama will delight in seeing an influential firm like ifessrs. Clarke and Meynell setting their ambition to such realistic works as “The Hypocrite®.” The cardinal difficulty of the producers who are willing to give the successes of England and America in plays of this das® is to get competent handling and production. So long as the staging of a strong modern drama is left to a combination where the majority are better suited to pieces like “Pete” or “The Christian,” its success is jeopardised, and public opinion influenced accordingly. The reading of “The Hypocrites” was not at all w'hat a number of people would like to have seen, but despite its defects, despite the execrable setting of the first act and the melodramatic flourishes, it remains a powerful thrilling play. There was a considerable section of the Auckland audiences who saw and felt it as such. The extraordinary human interest sustained almost from the rise of the curtain, and cul-

minating in the famous third act, whieh, when produced in each centre, set all London and New York agog, took a big hold on the more sober and introspective section of the audience. The Finest Interpretations.

The finest interpretations were those of Mr. Conway Wingfield as Mr. Viveash and Miss Ethel Bashford as Rachel Neave. For a young actress the latter combined a considerable amount of promise with temperament. Given the opportunity, she should be heard of in the future. Mr. Wingfield was always convincing, and showed how much talent, submerged in such an unreal character as The Deemster, rises to the surface in the keen, cynical lawyer who Mr. Jones has so brilliantly sketched. Miss Beatrice Day was disappointing as Mrs. Wilmore, whilst Mr. Roberts gave an altogether different impersonation to the curate to that intended by the dramatist. Linnell is essentially a strong virile man —a revolutionary against organised hypocrisy. Mr. Roberts made him emotional and theatrical—a sort of self-righteous “John Storm.” He, moreover, sacrificed his opportunities when he descended to melodrama to develop the psychological moments of the drama. As the Lord of the Manor, Mr. H. E. Greenaway maintained a good impersonation for the first two acts, but fell away subsequently. Mr. F. John Forde, as the Rev. Daubeny, got dangerously neai' to caricature at times, whilst Miss Elwyn Harvey made a pretty Helen Plugenet. Mr. Harry

Sweeney, as Leonard Wilmore, had • very responsible part to fill in that of a weak, impulsive, young man, spoilt by an ambitious mother in childhood. If he was not altogether satisfying and somewhat inelastic, the impersonation showed real insight and talent. “ Kaiser Symphonic Poem. ’ The portrayal in musical strains of some great personality is a congenial task to many composers; two examples that at once come to mind are Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony, founded on his notion of the character of Napoleon Buonaparte, and Stranes’ “Don Quixote.” Whether he was inspired or not by two such eminent examples cannot be said, but the fact remains that a certain German composer of the name of Scheidemann has produced a piece entitled “The Desires and Will of Kaiser Wilhelm II.,” the avowed object of which is to give musical expression to the Emperor’s share in the making of German history. The work opens with the German Na-

tional Anthem, which is intended to bring before the hearer an idea of his Imperial Majesty’, though it is not quite clear why it should not equally suggest Frederick the Great, or Wilhelm 1., or even Bismarck, Schumann’s Erst Novelette is then ingeniously utilised to define the Kaiser as the “Ruler of a Military Nation,” but this would seem rather an arbitrary application of the material. However, although the ruler of a military nation, his Majesty is also a consistent guardian of peace, and so, with infinite resource, Herr Scheidemann seeks to convey this aspect of his illustrious subject—that in, if a monarch can properly be styled a subject—by means of two sonatas of Beethoven, Op. 53 and Op. 81. It is a truism that really great music always reveals new features to the earnest student. Herr Scheidemann has also discovered in these two sonatas material which appropriately alludes to the celebrated visit of the Kaiser to Palestine, as well as his constant care for the welfare of his people. The composer has not forgotten that the German nation is not one big happy family; it numbers very many Social Democrats and other discontented people; so with marvellous sublety he suggests this fact by paesages of discord. It modern music is, as Is sometimes claimed, a reflex of the conditions of modern life, there must surely be a parlous amount of Socialism about, if the theory of discord be sound! However, that by

the way. It is satisfactory to know that the Kaiser achieves « final.victory over all his foes in a few triumphant passages, while the finale illustrates Bismarck’s boast that Germans fear God and nothing else—not even ridicule. Crystal Palace on the Scrap Heap. The failure of the Crystal Palace Company was considered the other day at a meeting of creditors held in London. The chairman mentioned that since its incorporation, in January, 1859, by royal charter, thirteen Acts of Parliament were obtained by the company for various purposes. He added that unless some scheme were put forward which could offer the first debenture holders some reasonable prospect of security for the future, there would Be no course left open but to dispose of the property at break-up prices, in which event it wan hardly likely that the claims of even the first debenture holders would be met. The failure of the company was attributed, among other causes, to its outlay having been nearly ten times greater

than was anticipated, to the fire of 1866, which destroyed the north end of the ■building and its contents, to a great storm and three landslips, to litigation with one of the refreshment contractors and difficulties with the railway companies; also to the competition in later years of more accessible and attractive places of amusement. It was stated that a proposal for reconstruction had been prepared, whieh could not be discussed now, and one hundred and fifty thousand pounds would have to be found. It was resolved to leave the liquidation in the hands of the official receiver. Stray Notes. Here's a pretty business at Bangor! The cathedral organ has come into competition with washing day. Recently the Corporation diverted the supply of water whieh works the engine of the blowing apparatus at the cathedral, and now the pressure is so light that, particularly on Mondays, when the washerwomen are busy, the engine declines to work, and consequently the organ cannot be played. The cathedral authorities have complained to the Corporation. It is difficult to know which to sympathise with. A few years ago it was quite the exception for English-speaking audiences to witness musical comedies except from the pen of English writers. Nowadays there are all “that stupendous Continental suo

cess.” All really big boom breakers like “The Merry Widow,” “A Waltz Dream,” “The Dollar Princess,” are all termed “Viennese.” It has such a distinguished flavour. It is up to someone to produce a real hot, smoking melodrama with all the seven deadly virtues naked and unashamed in a Continental halo. Latest news from London tells that Dr. Hans Richter, the famous conductor, has been ordered by the doctors to take a complete rest. “Imaginary Interviews with Great Composers,” by Gerald Cumberland, London, William Reeves, 6/-. This is an exceptionally well-reviewed book, published recently. The extraordinary compositions of a thirteen-year-old boy, Erich Korngold, son of a Viennese musical critic, have called forth remarkable tribute from Dr. Richard Strauss. The boy’s works include a sonata for piano, music for a pantomime and a set of six “character studies,” entitled “Don Quixote.” Dr. Strauss writes: “I have received the oompositions and read them through with the greatest astonishment. The first feeling I had was one of awe and apprehension, succeeded by a fervent wish that so precocious a manifestation of genius may have an opportunity for normal development. What assurance of style, mastery of form, individuality of expression and harmonisation in the sonata! It is all genuinely astounding!” Professor Herman Kretschmar, Director of the Royal High School of Music at Berlin, says: “I know of no analogous case but that of the young Handel.” Is Korngold going to be the great composer of the future?” Mr. Oscar Hammerstein has been wiped off the American operatic map. He has received a cheque for two million dollars, and retains the Manhattan Opera House. In return he has given Mr. Stotesbury, the Philadelphia millionaire and member of the banking firm of Drexel and Morgan, his Philadelphia Opera House, and his contracts and operatie rights. It will be interesting to see what happens to Mr. Hammerstein. He may try and out-rival the millionaires’ theatre in the production of high-class drama, or he may convert his own opera house into a sort of London Empire; but “The Morning Leader” thinks that before many months are over the Metropolitan Company will be asking him to take charge of the huge trust whose sphere of operations will one day stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific slope. The death is announced of Julius Bluthner, the founder of the well-jmown piano-manufacturing business. An interesting rumour is going the rounds in London musical circles. It is to the effect that Mr. Thomas Beecham, whose forthcoming season of light opera at His Majesty’s Theatre is arousing great expectations, is now forming an

opera club. The central idea of scheme is that the society shall form a backbone of support for opera in the kingdom. Mr. Beecham has already secured the names of alwut a hundred influential people who are favourably impressed with the idea, and there is, therefore, good prospect of the schema maturing.