Music and Drama.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 6, 7 February 1912, Page 14

Music and Drama.

By

BAYREUTH.

BOOKINGS (Dates suhleet to alteration.) HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. February B—Mies Ethol Irving. April C to 20—“Everywoman” Company. June 21 to July 6—Pantomime. July 22 to August 3—“ The Blue Bird." feeptember 30 to October 12—Oscar AscheLily Brayton. WELLINGTON OPERA HOUSE. In Season— H B. Irving Co. February 17 to March 1 —Allen Moore Comedy Co. March 19 to March 20 Allan Hamilton Dramatic Co. March 2 to March B—Mr Joseph .Biascheck, Society' Entertainer. April 27 to May 18—Marlow Dramatic Co. May 25 to 28—“Everywom'an” Co. July 17 to 30—J. C. Williamson, Ltd., Pantomime Co. August 14 to 27- “The Blue Bird” Co. October 19 to November 2—Oscar AscheIJly Brayton Co. November s—“ Ben Hur" Co. Phenomenal Musical Memory. TT is so common nowadays for sol performers to play without a copy before them that the public has come to regard it as a matter of course, and to see nothing extraordinary "in the' feat. Yet feat it is. if considered from the standpoint of the ordinary amateur, or for the matter of that, the gteat. majority of professionals also. Many players by dint Of indefatigable practice manage to. memorise a few stock pieces with a great amount of difficulty,* but they are far from being able to.acejuire a real repertoire in this way. As a rule, the more difficult it is to play a piece from memory, the easier is it to forget it, and vice versa. The present writer recalls an instance of a London teacher, now dead, who after a lapse of twenty years could remember a piece that he Iliad heard once. This way, of course, an exceptional, though not unparalleled case, but there wanting instances Where performers need only play a piece ilhrough ctfee in order "to be able to ren’der.it without the music in front of them. It is.sqid that Rubinstein had a repertoire of a thousand pieces, and an (American pianist is declared to exceed even this number. It goes without say ing, that the best memoriser is one who possesses, in addition to technical mastery, an extremely keen ear- but it is evident that other factors than this must enter into the problem. In his valuable book on “Musical Memory and Its Cultivation,” Dr. F. G. Shinn pointed out that- t here are different. forms of memory, belonging respectively, to .the muscular sense, the eye, and the intellect. For the description of these, readers must consult the book itself; our present purpose is only to emphasise Ithe fact, which some people doubt, that it is possible to cultivate the faculty to no high a degree that hundreds of compositions may be memorised. At the end of his book. Dr. Shinn gave a numl>er of well-authenticated instances from the familiar account of how Mozart ■wrote down Allegri’s Miserere after a single hearing, a feat also accomplished #>y Mendelssohn, to some evidences of extraordinary retentiveness by Sir Frederick Gore CHiseley, who on one occasion played on the piano Beethoven’s Septet, . which he had heard only once -in his life 1 ten years before. The'same gifted man • oriee played to Dr. T. L. Southgate a • little piece .which he had heard thirty- r six years before in Spain, remarking. “If I thoroughly give my mind to receive a piece of music. T generaHy_succeed in • mastering it, and! never afterwards for- ' get it." . Such examples of musical; memory as this might almost be described, instead of being able ty- rememlier, ns being unable to forget. They-point to the possession of natural gifts of the highest possible character, Iml even those-leas richly endowed can develop* eui.li. abilities », tliey .have by . vidtivalion Uha <■■ actors are forced to Ho. la Certainly hot beyond th'- powers of • musicians. A Musical Beggar.

♦ hie of the salientfo.nurch of the recently published “My l^fy", is the persistent way in which Wagner did not •cruple to ask for motley, and the same trait is prominent in “Family Leiters of Richard Wagner,” translated by \V. A. tllis. Avenarius wns resident in Paris,

and in Letter 10 we find Wagner in jocular mood begging his future brother-in-law send him 10,000 francs per bearer, or at least twelve hours of his excellent coffee mill. Mr. Ellis conjectural!}' dates this letter at the end of 1839. The joke seems to have soon assumed some degree of actuality, for in the following January Wagner , owed 350 francs to Avenarius, whom he implored to round off the sum by lending another fifty francs. He has pawned everything possible in order to raise his rent, but is still short of the necessary sum by fifty francs. This shall be, he says, “for the last time.” Avenarius sends him the money, but tells him he cannot- go beyond this. However, in April Wagner begs Avenarius, by this time married to Cecilie Geyer, to arrange for him an advance of 200 franes. At some length he argues, notwithstanding the previous “last time," that his brother-in-law should himself lend the sum required, and assures him that he has taken steps which will obviate any further appeals, provided that this matter can be arranged. Again, in February of 1841. Wagner is begging another loan from his brother-in-law, and so on from time to

time. It is little wonder that Avenarius sometimes thought he was being made use of. On page 35 we find the following passage: “This, dearest Avenarius, was all I meant, too, when I remarked to you the other day that ‘You were my nearest- resource.’ Your answer showed me that you somewhat misunderstood me, and I therefore repeat that I merelyviewed you as the ‘nearest’ for so long as you still should have donations to disburse for iny support.” This is a phrase which is certainly open to two interpretations, and one which we may remark is not taken from the much-at-tacked English translation of “Mein Leben.”

Manuel Garcia and the “ Coup de Glotte."

At an interesting lecture in London on the methods of Manuel Garcia, Mr. Hermann Klein prefaced his remarks by' saying he was not an advocate but a disciple of the Garcia method: as a pupil of the originator of the term “coup de gki'tte” he is in the best position to explain what his master taught on this important subject." He pointed put that the description given in Grove’s “Musical Dictionary” was not GjuMa’s “epup de glotte” at all. He illustrated the “proceeding employed for attacking sound" with his own voice, conclusively proving that the “shock of the glottis" rightly understood means muscular co-ordina-tion whereby there is no exaggeration of the physiological act. He wisely explained that the translation ‘*le coup de glotte” as “shock to the glottis" is answerable for much confusion that exists ns to the nature of the true “coup de glotte.” He clearly showed.that.Ga'ryip's object was to start a note cleanly without “slurring up” to it: 1 •

Bhawon “ the HnlU?’ ’ ' On being interviewed the other day in London. George Bernard Shaw spoke enthusiastically of the music halls. “No

sensible West End variety theatre,” said Mr Bhaw, “ever lets a performing dog come within a of its stage-door. It acts as a good watch-dog should do—keeps the public out. The real difficulty about variety theatres is that their standard of training, accomplishment, and professional skill is so high, and the standard of stage effect so swift, intense, and miraculous, that it is very much harder to come up to concert pitch there than in an ordinary theatre. Dancers, acrobats, jugglers, and strong men are terrible people to 'compete with. They' are trained to the last inch, skilled to the point of doing with ease and certainty' things that are impossible to their audiences, things that seem superhuman. All this gives these performers amazing distinction. It may not occur to you to call them distinguished; but if you are rash chough, immediately after one of their performances, to send an undistinguished actor or actress on the stage—somebody who would pass muster quite well in an ordinary theatre—the audience misses that distinction at once, and the actor looks hopelessly unskilled and unattractive. You will observe that, although my play: at the Palace is a trifle, -the artists who are working with me there — Miss Halstan, Mr. Harcourt Williams, and Mr. Dawson Milward —have always played parts in my longer and more serious pieces. I dare not venture at the Palace, even for half-an-hour, with anything less than the strongest talent I can get. Nothing less 'could hold its own on that stage. Why, then, should

I pretend—or you pretend for me—that I am condescending in any' way by going to a variety' theatre? On the contrary, 1 regard Mr. Alfred Butt’s invitation as a compliment, and I only hope it will be justified by results.” “ Off the Ice.”

The Cherniavskys—Gregor, Leo, Jan and Mischel —who are coming along New Zealandwards again by and by, had a very warm reception on a very' cool foundation at Johannesburg a few weeks back. They played in the •Niagara, one of those artificial (icerinks. At five o’clock people were skating at Niagara (remarks a Johannesburg paper). A little after seven the ice was covered by a wooden floor, on which there was seating accommodation for fifteen hundred people. This is something like an a'chievement. For two hours and a-half fifty Kaffirs, under whlite supervision, w'orked like Trojans, carrying and laying down Sections of flooring, each of which weighed four hundred pounds. Of course, this arduous work was carried on to a vocal accompaniment. The voices of •' the workers rose and fell in rhythmic cadences as, ih groups of sixteen, they' piloted each section across the glassy surface of the lice to that particular part destined to receive it. .Suddenly the monotonous melody would receive a disturbing check as sixteen pairs of legs, unused to ice peregrinations, would slip away, radiating in four directiions, leaving the bodies of their owners bidden beneath a four hundred pound square of woodwork. But in spite -of such laughable incidents, the work progressed with almost automatic speed, ami one hour before the advertised time for commencing the concert, everything was readv for the audience.

Joseph BlaaC'beok. , An entertainer of the Mel B. Spurr type who is coming along with strong recommendations is Mr. Joseph Ulus check, aided and abetted by Miss Mil-

dred Wrighton at the piano. His strong point is his versatility. A man who has seen J.B. says: “VYe were then treated to a fine character study of one of those lying old humbugs, Birch as W. W. Jacobs has made us familiar with in his inimitable stories. Biascheek didn’t paint his face or change his evening dress for a greasy jersey' and a sou’-wester, but all the same, we saw and heard that rustyvoiced old beer-soaker pitch his untruthful, but excruciatingly' funny, yarn as distinctly a-nd as effectively as if that individual himself had juststepped ashore from his dirty old coal barge. I commenced to realise that t was listening to no ordinary entertainer or -humorist, but to a man capable of putting the spark of life into the dry bones of words which an author has to use. to faintly convey the creations of his mind. By this time we (the audience) were thoroughly ’interested, and then, like a flash, the performer completely changed his identity, and we found ourselves following the fortunes of a love-sivk yokel who sent us into fits of laughter by an account of his sweetheart’s annoying (behaviour —certainly, as an example of remarkable versatility, it was startling.” Booming a Song.

I had a letter recently from Mr. W. H. Penn, the composer of that once famous ear torturer, “The Honeysuckle and the Bee," remarks “Jimmy” Glover in a London journal. Penn is en the warpath again, and promises another i“buzzer” —I use his own description. To persuade American managers and impresarios to hear the "Bee,’’ he resorted to a device which was clever, although 1 hope it will not be adopted here. One morning 50 of the leading lights, music publishing and artistic, arrived at their offices to find that a piano bad been installed in each of their premises. • At a given hour they were all invaded by "pianists who started immediately to perform the horrible number, with the result that the melody was all over the New York artistic world in 24 hours. What the death-rate may have been in the ’ pianist department history saith not. ■ . . . • Too Often Fooled. In,the ancient fable it was a male who cried “Wolf! Wolf!” when there was-aio wolf, and who, having so deceived liis neighbours, was left I>y them to lie devoured when the wolf came indeed. Now', however, it was a woman shrieking as in agony. Her neighbours ran' in. But she was not in distress—only rehearsing her part in the opera. More than once it came out thus. Then a burglar entered the woman’s house and threatened her life. “Help! Murder!” she. screamed. “It is some new thing by Straus... or Debussy!’’ observed the neighbours, and never lifted a hand. Not All Gammon. You will probably' remember Barclay Gammon, the entertainer of talent and avoirdupois, who was through New Zealand a few' seasons ago. He is now at the Palace, London, on the same programme as the sketch of Shaw’s “How He Lied to Her Husband,” and a London “Opinion” writer sums Barclay up rather neatly. Of the Shaw item the writer observes: — ‘’Half-an-hour is as much as I could stand of ‘How He Lied to Her Husband,’ and yet as every shot went home one felt an immense satisfaction that at last this clever play wright was in his true environment. The play is so slight, so thin, and so pointed—just the thing for an item of a variety programme; grotesquely out of place as the staple fare at a’ theatre, where a three hours’ attack of sfiletto pricks is apt to become tiresome. Then Barclay Gammon broke into his lyric of

’No more stopping out late, young fellow, my lad.’ and one felt how niucti greater he was than Shaw. Ido not approve in principle of- ‘The Man at a Piano’ turn; essentially it is a base truckling to the upper middle-classes;'it is intended to give to the democratic music-hall the meaner atmosphere of rn at-home. And Barclay Gammon truckles horriby—even in his broad burlesque of truckling. He is perpetually putting himself on the mat to be trodden on. hiw moek ■ protests arc only >ut ineil’’ nient to more trending. He will not I‘t us forget he is fat and our hireling and that we arc snobs. And yet, my fartU. how I laughed at hirnl”

Th. * Altogether ” Style. ‘Where is the clotheless sort of dancing Introduced ‘by Maud Allen and her imitators, going to end? The gyrations of Naplerkovska on a respectable London stage moved a not too squeamish critie to enter a protest, which - must soon become general, or we won’t be able to point the finger of superiority at the naughty Parisians. At first the lady polisned a plate and hugged a flower-pot, while her legs and feet darted and curled with serpent quickness; there was an alert vigour and a spikey lightness in tlie movements, but no rhythm find no fire, he remarked. But then, before a semi-artistic background of trees, rocks, red sunset, and red water, flung out of a crowd of howling dervishes, she danced slowly, swaying on languid hips. The feet dragged heavily, the arms were still, but the body heaved and swayed. It was the dance of entieement —the stomach dance-—that cost once on a time a return ticket to Paris, and now can be seen for a shilling. And yet I would hhve said nothing, for Napierkovska danced with more art, more restraint, and more allure than the Paris dancers show. But suddenly a frenzy seized her—a bee was the pretext, a bee that buzzed round her—was lost in her drapery; her searching arms moved in a wild whirl till, maddened with fear, she tore her garments from her, and all but naked, moved her body too and fro with an ugliness I shall not here describe, but with a meaning quite patent, 1 should have thought, to all beholders. This did not entice me. Yet when the lights went up the bestdressed audience in London was clapping tumultuously. The Daughter of Her Father. In noting the departure of Miss Madge well-known in New Zealand, on a tour to America, a writer in a Home paper says: "Since joining her distinguished father’s profession a few years ago she has made extraordinary headway in the art of the stage. In her commencement days, Madge Titheradge had no critic more exacting than her father, but she won his warm approval at last, and when, after a year’s absence in America, he saw his daughter in some piece or other at the Waldorf, he came to me, his face glowing with parental pride, ’and said: “Upon my word it’s wonderful. I never imagined she could do it. Now I believe she’ll get there.” And most certainly she will. A Royal Privilege. Actors would demand extra pay when they had to plgy with Macready—he would sometimes hurl them to the ground or half-way across the stage in li is histrionic fervor. But once his arrogance was effectively’ baulked. It was during his tour through the States. He had engaged several American actors, and to one of them was allotted the part oi the King in Hamlet. On one occasion the King dropped, dying, on the very spot which Macready had marked for his own death scene. Hamlet strode up to him, and in a fierce whisper said: "Die further up the stage, sir.” The expiring King made no response 'but gave his last gasp in silence. “D-— you, do you hear me, sir! die further up the stage!” Uhereupon the Royal corpse lifted its head and replied: “I guess I’m King here, and I’M die where I dam well please.” And not a step further up the ■dage would the dead monarch budge. The Gramaphone as a Vocal Instructor. \V e knew that it was bound to come. he apotheosis of the grama-phone has been accomplished. A prima donna’s performance as reproduced upon the gramophone has long since been considered, by some, as more vocal than the 'nice itself, as it were. Now we have a London teacher. Mr. Hermann Klein, tell>"g us boldly that he proposes to teach 'oice-production by met'hanical means.

Harbinger. of Sweet Music. Hie services to music of Mr. Alfred Littleton ami his partners in the famous firm Novello were honoured the other day by a publie banquet. The idea still obtains in some quarters that the No'•'llo house had a foreign foundation. Kot so. True, Vineent Novello had an talian father, 'but he was born of an r-nglish mother in London in 1781, and 1 "as for all purposes an Englishman. Of •ourse, he maintained during his long me a connection with his paternal coun- "’/• \ invent Novello was a personage remarkable industry, of varied intel* bs'tiial tastes—ljamb. Shelley, Keats, Hunt, and Hazlitt wert* among his intimate friends, and, what is so rara

among men of the artistic type, he was also a far-seeing man of business. The story of the beginning and progress of the house' that Novello modestly established just one hundred years ago is of great interest; it tells of the low condition'of music, in England when Novello, then organist at the Portuguese Chapel and pianist’ to the Italian Opera Company at the Pantheon, began his great work of popularising music by cheapening its production. No doubt its acceptance by lovers of the art was considerably aided on account of his judicious editing of works only herebefore reproduced by manuscript copies, or in expensive folio form, quite out of price for the million. His first work was "A Collection of Sacred Music,” many pieces of which were by himself; this was published in 1811. The famous “Fitzwilliam Music,” “Purcell’s Sacred Music” (live volumns), Masses by the great masters, anthems by our great school of Cathedral composers, “The Congregational and Choristers’ Psalm and Hymnbook,” madrigals, Voluntaries, and so forth followed.. His life was one ceaseless activity, of constant progress towards the end he had set before him. In 1846 Alfred, the eldest son, began the issue of music in octavo form—that being an entire novelty—printed from type. Improvements and improvements followed one another in succession, and the year 1857 saw the "Messiah” issued at 1/4. Already in 1849 a reduction of some 50 per’ cent, had been made on the previous cheap prices of popular music, and later came a still further lowering. Thus was presented to a large section of the public, by whom it had before been unattainable, quite a mass of varied vocal concerted music. Alfred was actively engaged in the long-continued agitation for the repeal of what were termed "The Taxes on Knowledge,” i.e., the duty on paper, stamp on newspapers, and advertisement duty. His petition to Parliament was a masterly statement ,of the general grievance. Owing mainly to his perseverance, the obnoxious taxes were repealed, and to-day we are enjoying the benefit of his exertions. Mr. Henry Littleton’s connection with the business commenced in 1841. Practically he was trained by and worked with Alfred Novello until his retirement in 1856. Perhaps the most daring speculation Mr. Littleton ever made was to pay Gounod the unprecedented sum of £400(? for the copyright of his “Redemption. But when w’e learn that the festival at Birmingham, where it was produced, presented receipts of £15,011, and .-similar results came from the performances at Hereford, Westminster Abbey (1883), and the Royal Albert Hall, leaving on one side the numerous smaller provincial renderings, one can safely say results justified the bold venture. " Alias Jimmy Valentine.”

The play with which the Williamson Company said farewell to Auckland after the somewhat weak Sherlock Holfnes piece, “The Speckled Band,” was an American effort called "Alias Jimmy Valentine,”., thoroughly American, of the rather "mushy” order, but sufficiently near melodrama at times to please quite large audiences. There is the expert cracksman brought to repentance by the beautiful but virtuous lady, with a sprinkling of other people more or less amusing, and of course a couple of youngsters. The sentiment is obvious, and the bad man raises the usual applause by saying "damn” several times. Virtue triumphant, and the other sort of thing vanquished is the thread-bare theme of.“ Alias Jimmy Etc,” and of its kind it is quite up to the standard. The company put it on well, notably good being William Desmond, J. B. Atholwood, and Gaston Mervale. “ Lady Frederick.”

The piece chosen for Miss. Ethel Irving’s first production to-morrow night in Auckland.is a very successful work by W. Somerset Maughan, "Lady Frederick.” In Melbourne and Sydney the impression caused by the wonderful acting of Miss Irving and the fascination of the play were indicated by the packed houses ‘ throughout the run of seven weeks in each city. The great actress, who is said to have a most striking personality in addition to her wonderful art, will be supported by the full strength of her company, and every detail to the productions will be given as at St. James’ Theatre, lamdon. The second • piece to be presented on Tuesday next will he “The Witness for the Defence,” in which Miss Irving will appear as Stella BaHantyne. The box plans for the season are now on vrtw at'Wildman and AreyV. "

A Wellington Singer. Cabled adviee has been received from Italy that Miss A. Van Staveren, daughter of the Rev. H. Van Staveren, of Wellington, made her debut as prima donna in grand opera at Soccano and that the result was a triumphant success. Miss Van Staveren received her first lessons from Sister Mary Agnes, of St. Mary’s Convent, Wellington, and she was also under Mr. Alfred Hill for two years before going Home. In London she studied under Dr. Arkell, who paid her the unique, and, it is said, unprecedented compliment of being present at her first appearance in grand opera. Her voice is a contralto, and Signor Recordi, the famous conductor at Milan, speaks of it in terms of the highest praise.

Madame Kirkby Lunn. There are few who have attained such eminence in Wagnerian opera as Madame Kirkby Lunn, the English contralto, whose torn- of Australia will be one of the events of 1912. The artist has always had a taste for Wagnerian roles, and one of the first successes she achieved in 1902 was an Ortrud in the popular "Lohengrin.” Subsequently she sang in “Tristan and Isolde,” well sustaining the part Of Brangane, and, when touring in Europe, she appeared in several complete cycles of the “Nibelungen Ring,” her Fricka in "Das Rheingold” and “Die Walkure” being almost as notable as her rendering of the Woltrante music in “Gotterdammerung,” Her most brilliant Wagnerian role, however, is that of Kundry in "Parsifal,” which she was the first to sing in English, and in which she was first introduced to America at the Metropolitan Operz House, New York. r ; Miss Ethel Irving.

The Sydney "Morning- Herald” recently published a leading article, in which some eulogistic things were said about Miss Ethel Irving and her company, who make their first appearance in Auckland at His Majesty’s Theatre next Thursday in "Lady" Frederick.” For modern plays and for modern acting,” said the writer, "we have to thank Miss Ethel Irving and the company of artists who support her, "There is a well-known description by an American connoisseur of Corregio’s famous’ picture of “Rachel and, Jacob at the Well” in the Dresden Galleries: ‘I like that picture,’ he said; ; ‘those two people look as if they Were courting be-cause!.-they like it, and- not merely that the Scriptures may 'be fulfilled? It has been, a rare pleasure to see men and women moving about on the stage as if they were in a familiar world, and not merely as if they were repeating certain conventional tricks known to be well adapted for the amusement of the audience.” “ Passers-By.”

In the production of Haddon Chambers’s comedy ‘‘Passers-by,” at Melbourne Theatre Royal, Mr. Harcourt Beatty will appeal- as Peter Wayerton—a role for which he is particularly qualified. Waverton is an interesting character. He is a rich young clubman living in bachelor chambers. One night, in a blase moment, he gets his man servant to call in a miscellaneous assortment of passersby, including a tramp, a cabman, and others, deriving his’ enjoyment and amusement from the study and contemplation of these people. There is a striking denuement, which changes the whole course of his life. The plot altogether is a novel one, and holds the interest of the audience tense.

Thread-bare Laugh-raiser. The following notice is posted at the new Middlesex Theatre, London:—“The management regret the necessity of having to point out that ’damn’ and other imprecations and profane language are prohibited. As the expression of this language requires no particular talent,

4nd its elimination is, therefore, no restraint upon the display of artistic inerit, whilst many of the public strongly object to it, artists will no doubt assist the management in stamping out a growing abuse.” Stray Notes. The death is announced from T-omlort of Miss Florence St. John, the wellknown actress. Carreno has.been appearing at Home in the' provinces with the famous violinist MiAcha Elman in chamber music. The efforts to secure Mascagni as one of the-‘•Conductor-Stars” for a West-end variety theatre in London have been abortive for the moment, but later on be may see the inventor of the new Italian s.chool hi such a capacity, remarks a well informed writer. The New Zealand tour, which has been arranged for Allan Hamilton’s Repertoire company, opens at Auckland on February 26. - Miss'EUaline Terrise had a quaint experience when in South Africa lately. She was singing -Rings on her fingers',” and the stage was high and narrow. In dancing back she stepped on to the head of a Kaffir stage hand, who was behind the scdnes. Fortunately neither was hurt.

’ As St present constituted (says the “Referee) the Hamilton, Plimmer. and Denniston Company will stand comparison with the best companies which have been seen in Australia. A combination that includes Mrs. Brough, Beatrice Dav, Lizotte Parkes, Valentine Sidney, Harry Plimmer, Reynolds Denniston, A. E. Greenaway, Harry Sweeney, and George S. Titheradge is a hard one to beat.

Miss Rene Queree, the brilliant Wellington pianist, who is proceeding to Europe to undertake a course of finishing litetru'ct ion under Madame Carreno, will leave for London by the Rotorua on March 7.

“So you think the author of this play will live. do yon?” remarked the tourist. “Yea,” replied the manager of the Frozen Dbg Opera House. “He’s got a five-mile start and I don’t think the boys kin ketch Jiim.”

“The .Chocolate Soldier” has finished its rufi at the Lyric Theatre in London, and after that comfortable little house has been redecorated the new piece for popular favour will be “The Night Birds,” with Charles Workman, Maurice Karkoa, Claude Fleming. Alec Thomson, Muriel George, and Constance Drever in the cast.

. The new theatre to be built in Man-, ners-street, Wellington, is expected to cost about £25,000, and the whole ven; ture will involve an expenditure of something like £50,000.

Miss Edith Crane died suddenly in the United States a few weeks since. She W?ll be remembered as having played Trilby here in August, 1890, to Mr. Reuben Fax’s Svengali. She again visited the Dominion at the end of 1900 with her -husband, Mr Tyrone. Power.