Music and Drama.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 20, 15 May 1912, Page 14

Music and Drama.

By

BAYREUTH.

BOOKINGS. (Dates subfect to alterations HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. Blay 13 to May 23 V»n An Company. Blay 27. Wykeham Nd»‘.- (’•». June 1«» t<» June 22. I'ortu* and Talbot’s Mins’reis June 24 to July C. Pairomhne. July 22 to August 3 The Hue Bird •September 3(» to O» >b?c 12 Oscar Asclx?, Lily Braytou. WELLINGTON OPLRa HOUSE. April 27 to May IS Marlow Dramatic Co. May 21 --••Every woman” Company. July 17 to 3l» .1. C Williamson, Ltd . Tantom Ime Co. August 14 to 27 • Tli Blue Bi«’d” Co. tSeptemher 23 to O ••.über 2 Flint mer Denniston Company October 19 to November 2 Oscar AsclieLi’.y Brayton Co. November s—”B»a Hur” Co. The New Beethoven. CTT ’1 the Qu.-ii\ Hi', l.u-.im. lj,t J I month, Quv’H Alexandra ant the Lord Ma\ .- and Sheriffs of Lou d<»n paid tiibute t.» the memory of Beethoven by being pit sent at the lir-t performance » i the discovered * Jeua“ synqdiony. W hat the Itoyal amateur nr.isi/ian an I the tir.*t magistrate of London thought of the work irs l ot known. j.ays th • ‘ Daily New*” cr.t'e, (but doubtle-' they were a> much bored a? the rest of t ie audience. F>r let it be iwud at on -e that the * Jena” symphony is poor inu-ic of a *:;.!<• not to be distinguished from the music of every com poser at the end of the eighteenth century. If it is by Beethoven, it tells lift nothing we did not ahead} know from the fir-1 symphony . But i> it by Beethoven? The doeumen’ tary and circum-t ant ial evidence seems tome very slight. The band parts were if Olin d by Herr Fritz Stein at Jena. iu the library of the Academy < uneerUi there. On one of the -ecunl violin parts is the inscription: "Bar l ouis van B»*e thoven,” and on another; “Symphony von Beethoven.” The inscriptions are Bot in the compose;’.- han 1 writing, but I imagine they may Ih* contemporary with j im. from the fa.! of the difference in the spelling, and l»eu.ui<e the slip of Jx»ui- for Lu.lwig could not have been made after the w.i* famous. It is stated that Beethoven .lid send some music from Bunn to deni. 1 d > not know w\hat i* the evidence of this, and it would have to be very clear indeed. For in al! Beethoven’s letter* there is no mention *•f this symphony, nor i- a sketch of it in exi-ten e. although the sketches for if fir.-t symplioiQ date hack to 1795. We can approxinuceix fix the date of this Jena symphonx if it was by the r-umpo’-er from Bonn Beethoven left dkiHn for good in 1792; therefore the symphony, if it l»e hi*, must have been written at the latest when he was twenty-two. The work seem* to me mu?h too mature for that. Moreover, how is it that the band part* remained at Jena, and the full score itself is not there, nor was among Beethoven’* papers’ Internal evidence i> the l»est evidence of all in these matter*. but in the present case it does not help us. The symphony is quite pleasant nuh> in the eighteenth century >tyle. k might have )»een written by any composer who knew the compositions of Haydn. There is n.» genuine Beethoven touch to prove l»e--yond question that it was co by iiim, but then Beethoven’s individuality ■was slow in development. He was still taking lessons in composition considerably after the date of this supposititious symphony, and yet that work has every sign of mature musicianship. I do not -declare absolutely that the .T v na symphony is not Beet Hoven’s work, but in view of the weak circumstantial evidence and of the smooth mn*ici «nsbip, I do not Itelieve it ran have lieen written by Beethoven before he left Ro: n for Vienna. and it certainly was nut comp afterwards. —E. A. B * The Mind-the-Pwint-Girl.” The story of ”T!ie Mind-the-Pamt-Girl** —Arthur I’hiero’s recently produced minedv-drama that Inis «»> mu -h stirred lx»nd<«n—is. briefly,.the sf<»- of the love of Viaeount Earnromlie for Lity Parradell, etar at the Pandora Theatre. Farnconibe is a real »rt of gentle rnyn nere—and his love for Lily Parradell is at intense as it it a al the

start-off lie tells her, “If you don’t marry me. I’m done for.” “Oh. love is all on my side at present naturally," he goes on. “but as God hears me, it will be nd fault of mine if you don't grow to love me in time.” Farneoihbe is just at the age when nothing matters. He is in love, that's all. And so Lily Parradell, whose real name is Lily Upjohn, who has a stage mother without an It in her entire composition—this perfectly drawn musical-come ly star, with the face of an angel, only as much education as she had prekeil up. but with the heart of a noblewoman, forces I.ord l arncombe to listen to one or two things that do matter. She tells him her origin. " What was my start in the world. Kether kept a smalt shop in Kennington —Gladwin-street, near the Oval. We sold groceries, and butter, and eggs, and cheese, and pickled pork, and paraffin. 1 was horn there —on the second floor; and in Gladwin-street I lived till I was fourteen. Then father smashed, tdirough the stores Cutting into o ir little ■trade. Well, hardly siuasbed; that's to >' : mpbs;ng. The

business just faded, and oi:e morning we didn't bother to take the shutters down. Then, after a while, father got a starvation berth —eighteen shillings a week! — at a wholesale bacon warehouse—Price and Moseley's—still over the water; and I earned an extra five at a place in the Westminster Bridge-road, for pasting the gilt edges on to passe partouts from nine a.m. till six in the evening. Xot a syllable against the passe-partouts! They were the making of me. Did It for Nix.' ‘Ti- was the passe-partouts that lirought me and Tedu /• together—Tedder. In the house where 1 worked, a man of the name of Tedder—Ambrose Tedder —taught dancing—stage dancing —‘Tedder's Academy of Saltatory Art’—■ and every time 1 jmssed Tedder's door and heard his violin or piano, and the sound of the pupils' feet. I ! Oh. lor. if once I—l— Well, ultimately Tedder took me and trained me—did it for nix—for what he hoped to get out of me in the future. Ah. and he hasn't lost over me—poor old Ambrose! He collared a third of my salary for ever so long, and now that the old chap's rheumaticky. and worn out. I—oh. it's not worth mentioning. My stars, be could teach, could Tedder! I began by going to him for the last twenty minutes of my dinner-hour. He wanted to stop that, lieeause it was bad for me. he said, to practice on a full—a full—! Ha, ha. ha! Gn a full — t Ho, ho bo! As if I ever had—in those days—! I was a pupil of Tedder’s for twelve month-, and then he got me on the Canterbury: and from the Canterbury I went to Gatti's, snd from Gatti's to the Lane, for a few lines in the pantomime and an understudy—my first appearance in the West Knd—and from there I went to the old Strand, and there Moirie tooling spotted me. and that led to my l>eing engaged Pamloia. where 1 ale my heart out. doing next to nothing, for two years. Then came the production of 'lite Duchess of Brixton,’ ami it was

in ‘The Duchess’— thanks to, Vincent Bland—that 1 sang the ‘Mind-ilie-PainV song. He believed in me, did Vincent; he saw I was fit for something more than just prancing aliout and airing my ankles, in a gay frock. By Jupiter, how he fought for me; how he fought for me, up to the final rehearsal! And to this day. whenever I indulge in a prayer, you bet Vincent Bland has a paragraph all to himself in it! Oh, but —I needn'tinfliet quite so much of my biography on you. need I? Sorry. 1 merely wanted to tell you enough to show you —to show you —Ha, lia! Oh. I'm not chucking mud at myself, really. Why should I? Many a woman ’ud feel as vain as a peacock in my shoes. Fancy! From the shop in Gladwin-street to —to this! And from Tedder’s stuffy room in the Westminster Bridge-road to the stage of the Pandora, as principal girl! But. recollect, however shrewd and apt 1 may be. and however straight I've managed to keep myself, still —Pin only a Pandora girl, and should always be remembered as one by your chums and belongings. Only a Pandora girl. Nothing can alter that, boy: and you mustn't —you mustn't handicap yourself by hanging me round your neck.” Musicians' Industrial Union. Auckland musicians, following the example of their Wellington brethren, are

forming an industrial union of workers, and have filed a copy of their claims with the Clerk of Awards The demands are based practically on the lines of the Sydney award. Some of the main claims have already been published, but there are some additional features of interest. For concerts and oratorios, for instance, two guineas are asked for each performance with two night rehearsals, and for a performance and rehearsal on the same day the sum of one and a-half guineas is wanted. In regard to amateur dramatic productions, 12/6 is requested for each performance and each rehearsal, not exceeding in either case three hours. In the “other engagements”—those that do not come in the category of general theatrical engagements—the following demands are found:—For picnics, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with one hour for lunch, fifteen shillings; for an after-

noon performance, from 2 p.iu. io 6 p nM ten shillings; race days, twenty shillings per day, the hours specified being 11 a.m. to 6 p.iu; garden parties, 2-30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., ten shillings; bandmaster, five shillings extra; harbour excursions, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. fifteen shillings, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. ten shillings, 7 p.m. to 10.30 p.iu. ten shillings; dances, classes from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ten shillings, bandmaster five shillings extra; singlelianded engagements, fifteen shillings; 8 p.m. to 12 p.m.. fifteen shillings, with three shillings an hour, or part thereof, for all time beyond. The clause dealing with mechanical devices is interesting. It reads: "That when a pianola, or any musical instrument. displaces a piano, the operator of same shall receive the same wages as a pianist” ( £3 10/ per week). As regards all performances and rehearsals for which a time limit is fixed

by the award, overtime is asked at the. rate of 5/ per hour. Under the heading of “Sweating*’ is the following provision: "No person shall, in the course of any performance in which he . (or she) is engaged as a professional musician, play upon more than, one instrument, provided that this clause shall not apply to (a) doublehanded band, or (b) playing upon percussion instruments only.” An additional 20/ per week is demanded for musicians when on tour. The Musicians’ Standpoint. The case for the musicians was explained to a -Soar” reporter by Herr Blitz, the president of the Auckland Musicians’ Industrial Union now being formed. Mr. Blitz emphatically objected to the contention that the wages applied for would mean ruination to the amateur •societies. “As a matter of fact,” sail Mr. Blitz, “the Amateur Operatie Society already pays £3 a week. We do not expect to get more than £3 a week an t we only want an extra 10/ for matinees. As regards the statement by the representative of a moving picture show who said that they would not be able to pay the money asked for, I would like to point out that a musician working from 6.30 p.m. tn 11 pan. is surely entitled *.<> £3 a week, because he is actually doing two shows. There are only two picture shows where eight or nine are engaged in the orchestra; the others only have three or four. It might be possible to tut down the former, but if an attempt is made to reduce the latter they might as Well be done away with altogether and let the proprietors see how they get on without any music! The object of the union is to get the very best men in the best positions, and the second-rate men will be stimulated to increase their efficiency- in order to get positions. Thus the whole standard of music will bo raised. In Sydney and other places where musician-,’ unions are in existence, pay is at the rate of £3 10/ and £4 per week for picture shows, without any rehearsal. As regards the Orchestral Society, I would like to mention that the society gives some very difficult performances such as “Golden Legends,” and it only appears to be fair that, if they have to call on the professionals to help them, they should pay for their services. We only want to get a professional rate, and there is no danger of the amateur societies falling through. Surely £3 at week is not an exorbitant wage for a professional man who has had to undergo years of training and study and has to keep up appearances. Further, 1 would point- out that there are instances in which men are being paid 35/ a week, and are keeping competent men who want a living wage out of an engagement.”

The Other Side of the Argument. Some of the remarks made by Air. Louis Blitz ipresident of the Auckland Musicians’ liMnstrial Union), in discussing the position of the Auckland professional musicians, are taken exception to by Mr. Scott Colville, secretary to the Auckland Choral and the Auckland Competitions Societies. “I should like to point out,” said Mr. Colville last week, in reference to the statement that the musicians did not expect more than £3 a week, “that the Auckland Choral Society is paying over £4O for the orchestra alone in connection with its forthcoming performance of ‘ The Golden Legend,’ and that is for one night only. And yet Mr. Blitz points to the Amateur Opera Society as paying £3 a week. I have no objection to paying a man £3 a week, “So far as our society is concerned, if a rate is to apply that will have a serious effect on our orchestra, then the question of making other provision will have to be considered at once. Wa are so situated that for the works we produce we have to engage soloists at big fees. As a matter of fact, the total expenses of the forthcoming production will amount to something like £2OO. So that if the professional musicians make heavier demands on us, it will simply mean that we shall cither have to reduce ■Our orchestra, or cut it out altogether, and rely on the organ. Of course, we have always had a small amateur orchestra,” he added, “but this is very quickly being turned into a professional orchestra. “Again,” said Mr. Colville, “I quite agree with Mr. Blitz's statement that some men are accepting 35/ a week, and thereby keeping competent men out. But Mr. Blitz, must not lose sight of the fad that there are also professional musicians who are demanding the full late of salary for their evening work, while in the day time they are following

other trades or professions at the special rates applying also to those occupations.” The Gentlemanly Othello. “Othella interests me more than any part I have played,” said Sir Herbert Tree recently when referring to a forthcoming production in London. “He is so subtle, so complex, a man of so many moods. It has often been said that Othello is the straightforward and lago the subtle part. 1 hold that the text shows quite th© contrary. His moods are constantly’ changing. Outwardly composed, under all but the most, dreadful of trials, there are tremendous depths. of turbulence in hrs nature. We find this in men of great calm, who are mu.fi the more terrible when they do break forth. Othello was an Oriental, and was anything but tempestuous, ami anything but a butcher. .Many of the characters describe his great reserve. He was, as well, the finest gentleman that .Shakespeare ever drew—the text shows that, and his pride in bis nobility of birth. Therefore it is not until very late in the play that his jealousy moves him to outward vio-

lence. He has the simplicity of a child, and she belief in humanity’ of a noble soul.” In answer io a question as to the age of Othello, Sir Herbert said: “About fifty—which look like forty today hi a northerner. Be says, ‘I am declined into the vale of years.’ It accounts for s»j much —that lie is no longer young. His jealousy of C'assi-o is eubconseiously the jealousy of the middle-aged of the younger man—of the yoti’h calling to the youth of his wife.” Mascagni's New Opera. Mr. Hammerstein announces that negotiations for the production of Mascagni's new opera, “Isabeau” during the coming season at the London Opera House are nearly complete. A new opera, '.‘Dispetti Amoroati” (“The Lovers’ Quarrel”), by Pirelli has also been secured. The Wagner Worship Season. A writer in the “London Daily Telegraph” gives some interesting particulars of the great yearly Wagnerian pilgrimages, when worshippers from every quarter of the globe assemble in thousands at the two centres of the cult— Bayreuth and Munich. Through long afternoons and evenings' the two temples —tie l Festival Theatre-at Bayreuth ami the Prince Regent Theatre in Munich—are day after day filled with silent multitudes for whom each bar of the Wagnerian niusie-drainAs is precious and revered like the pronouncements of prophets and evangelists.

It is a singular throng, he says, this audience of two thousand at the Prince Regent Theatre, assembled from New York and Valparaiso, Moscow, ami Madrid. Truly impressive is the phenomenon that the appeal of this music alone can command the sacrifice, year after year, of these interminable summer journeys, not to speak of expenditure over costly entrance tickets. A few hours’ travel away are alluring lakes and forests and the white summits of mountains. But the Wagner pilgrims are satisfied with the mountainous and sylvan harmonies of “The Ring.” Each performance demand' of the listener the sacrifice of nearly a whole day. Arrive a moment late and the doors are inexorably closed on you. But you do not arrive late. You are probably threequarters of an hour early and fanfares of horns and trumpets thrice warn you to take your place in the theatre. At the beginning of • Tristan” it is the heroic theme which later is to usher Tristan into Isolde's presence, on the lover's fateful voyage to “Cornwall's verdant strand.” Before the second act we

hear the fanfare of the horns of King Mark’s hunting party. The merry air of Tristan's shepherd summons us to the last act. The summons to “Tho Rhine gold” is Donner's call to the thundercloud; to “The Valkyrie'’, the theme of Siegmund's sword; to "Siegfried” the “wood boys’’’ horn challenge; to “The Twilight of the Gods,” the beautiful, stirring, Siegfried melody; and to the last act the majestic motive of the doomed Valhalla. The two thousand pilgrims take their seats; there is a quick diminuendo; utter silence; then out of the hidden orchestra surges the magical flood of the incomparable Wagnerian harmonies. Musical Preference in the East. Those who are able to draw inferences from musical preferences will be interested in Madame Valve's comparison's between musical China and musical Japan. Speaking of the Chinese, she says: “They prefer the dramatic music. They are lond of Wagnerian songs ami Italian opera. Any music with the—how do you call it?—the dramatic emphasis appeals to them. But the Japanese are lyrical ami lighter in their taste. They love the trills, the flourishes, tho little songs. They were kind to me all over the world and seemed to like my singing everywhere I went, but the songs that appealed the most in Yokohama were the little' lyrics, while in Shanghai and Hongkong there was a real musical appreciation.” That is precisely what we should suppose.

Elgar's "Crown of India" Masque. According to Mr. Douglas Donaldson, the long-awaited “descent” of England’s most serious composer into the Hades of “variety” has come —without any remarkable accessory phenomena. It is beyond doubt, he says in a letter to the “Musical Standard,” that even the most thorough-going Imperialists, have had their fill of the Durbar; and it is more than unfortunate that Sir Edward Elgar should make his first big bid for popularity with such a cold-muttony subject. The “Masque”—a dangerously atavistic form in this age of commonsense — is mainly concerned with tho question of India's rightful capital: tho cities Delhi and Calcutta are boldly personified, and their respective claims stated ill rich detail. A settlement is found to be impossible without the intervention of the King-Emperor, who obligingly decides the matter. The Monarch bears no resemblance to our present gracious Sovereign; but, whether this arises from the author’s respect for the censor, or from his desire to speak in general terms, is- uncertain. Tho music, though characteristic of the composer in several moods, reveals nothing novel. Perhaps, it is too good for tho purpose, but it certainly does not seem comfortably housed in a t'oli-cum show. There is gorgcousness of the -earlet-eum-magenta and gold braid type; but. on tho whole, the impression is one of lavishness without distinction. Little more than an elaborate “pie.-o d’oe-casion.’ tl'.a “■Crown of India” will not add to its composer's reputation, either as a serious musician or as a popular tunemonger. American Opera. Mr. Horatio Parker's new opera, “Mona.” with which he won the prize of £2OOO offered by the Metropolitan Opera Company’ for the Lest American opera submitted to it, was received in New York by the audience invited to attend the production in a manner amply justifying tho predictions of its success. The influence of Wagner is strongly marked, and the composer makes free use of the Leit-motif. All the resources

of modern uivheat ration are employed with akill and effect. The libretto, which is based on an old British legend, provides a picturesque and dramatic setting. but fa 1U short ui the music. Von Ari, the Man Who Mystifies. On Saturday next. May 18, at His Majesty’* Theatre, Auckland, local theatregoer* will l»e afforded the opportunity oi witnessing Von Arx. the magician extant, and his specially selected company of \merican star artists. ’1 he romp *ll5 have just arrived from America, where they have completed a highly successful tour, and have done record seasons in all the principal cities of the I tiited Mate*. Von Arx. who is a brother of the famous Nivula who recently visited us, is no less a clever exponent of the mysterious and bewildering magic art of which be is an adept, and is aptly termed “the man who mystifies.” He tarries with him several tons of entirely pew paraphernalia specially constructed for him, with which he is said to produce some of the most astounding and mazing ill>"ions ever conceived by the mind of the magician. His unique stage Bettings are said to Ik' gorgeously picturesque. Von Arx is supported by an urray of artists, every one of whom is entirely new to New Zealand. I’rincipal among these is George Murphy, a comedy juggler of exceptional excellence. The box plan will open at Wildman. and A rev's, to div. Day sales are at Alartellis. ‘ The Golden Legend. An unusual event of much interest in musical e’.rules i< the Auckland Choral ■ ■ »n of Sul Ivan’s “Golden Legend” which takes place on Tuesday next nt the Town Hall. The “Golden 1 agend” possesses so many difficulties that it is rarely selected by musical societies for presen tat on. but the Choral Society's action in engaging firstelass artists as soloists and securing the senices of ths very best insirumeirtalists for the orchestra should result in a musical production of exceptional merit. There is probably no finer soprano in Australasia today than Miss Bosnia Bir.kmanp, who has been engaged for the part of Elsie, and those who remember this talented young artist’s performance as Suzuki in ‘‘Madame Butterfly” will surely be keen to hear her in oratorio. Seldom indeed does a vocalist with an English reputation and who is just in her prime, settle amongst us. but a ease in point is Aladame Dora Hunt, the contralto soloist in the Legend. Tha lady has appc.irel w:;h -nspicuous success at the Queen's Hall and Royal Albert Halt, I .-andon, and was a great* favourite in Birmingham when she appeared at the concert civen under the direction of the Schoo >1 M T a tenor. Mr. Pi.ibip Newbury, is so well and favourably known in this city that- the muche allotted to this artist will be d.’ne every justice to. The baritone * du t. Mr. Charles Lar-.cn. is being ere he is an iirjnense f;r. >:ir;;e an.l is styled Iney ■> finest vocalist. For months paet a choir.- 2- vo e- ’xk been in active rehearse . and a tine orchestra of GO ineirumental will demonstrate the beaut ie* oi van*.-- mu-ical setting to Longiel’ *wgre.v j. •em. I am indebted ty Air. S >tt Colville, the secretary of : • for a < >py of a very bandScme souvenir programme and book of words of the •’Golden Legend,” and the society is to be congratulated for its efforts to place before the public of Auckland a mitsical production on such 6 lavit-h - a’.e. Stray Notes. Mr. P.;» !*<>weo. tae Dame In this year’s pantomime the Sydney -Sun’S, re g*. i> pantum me as a hazardous occupation. Before rehear-.ds are over each 5 ear - i< a of hru -a*. Bebcara--n - >jnl»a l the Sailor” in Melbourne, he 1 '** kn » king about, falling off Sunk.', .m l bumping through being rinsed ;p aa a a property elephant and a '»!•• ih-mn l in <|| -ort* of sportive - • . V.3S ah-o W th physical periL. Again, in a dark change, he savs, one ha- to lie careful. The neenery is twisted and you never know when a p••e,f it going to fall an your head. 7 on t'lpie are tacks on the stage, which y »•• general’v find if you fall or -it down s 1 ienly. F<»othall or boxing are quite par* »ur gamm compared to the rough* •nd turnbh' of playing Dame in a pintoDiouf- j 5 »rmaji. e. Of <ll pantomime*, Mr. Powell state*, there U only one nice.

comfortuWe production. Thio is “Cinderella.” which he always likes being engaged for. “There are no interiors,” he says, “in ‘Sinbad the Sailor,’ and I do like a nice, homely interior, wherein to indulge in quiet humour, pathos, or levity, just as the mood takes one. In such acenes one does not require to be strenuous, and this Is really quite restful after a pantomime cruise on the rolling deep, seeing that this generally involves a comic shipwreck.” Miss Pauline Chase played the title role in “Peter Pan” for the thousandth time in Great Britain last month, this record being attained at a matinee performance at the King’s Theatre, in Glasgow. homebody sent her, as a memento of the occasion, a silver cup, over a foot high, of a design inspired by a masterpiece of Benvenuto Cellini. It was in the Christmas of 1906 that Miss Chase began playing Pete.r Pan.

What is described as “the world’s greatest and most artistic living picture and statuary act” is now being presented st the Tivoli Theatre, Sydney. Madame Henriette de Serris, from the Palaeo, Alhambra, Coliseum, and Oxford Theatres, London, is reproducing famous works of art, including celebrated paintings, etchings, statuary groups, delft paintings, and bas reliefs. The company, which fe made up of 16 Parisian models remarkable for their grace and beauty, were the hit- of the last Christmas pantomime, “Hop o’ My Thumb,” at Drury lone. The Ixmdon “Daily Telegraph" said of the act:—“So we passs to the Magic Garden. This is not'merely a scene of the gigantic elaboration which only Drurv Lane can command, but also of a rare grace and beauty. First you see group upon group of. marble men and women, posed in the stately manner and dress of the eighteenth century. Then behind rise statues in the classic manner, fine forma, finely grouped. In among the motionless shapes Hilario moves, seeking at first the fountain, then scattering from a leafy bower the enchanted water. Slowly the marble wakes to life; slowly in gestures of stately mannered grace, and then more swiftly. Then the- light grows, and they pass and repass, and there is a glow of wreathed roses, and the whole garden quivering with delicate colour. A fine, piece of the art of the stage, this, finer than anything memory recalls in all the. glories of Drury Lane.” The tableaux vivanta are. developed to a fine art, not only in point of pleasing illusion, but in choice of subjects, in artistic treatment of the nude, and in a freedom from all coarseness. It has been claimed that some of the plantation songs of the negroes in the Southern States of North 'America represent folk-songs brought by the first slaves from Africa; but the more generally accepted view is that they were picked up from the revivalist preachers or from the Europeans around them, and adapted to their own strongly-marked rhythm-, which are certainly of African origin. The earliest sang which became familiar to those outside the Southern States was “Jim Crow,” sung by Dan Rice, an! introduced to England about 1536. The “Jubilee Singers,” a troupe from Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee, toured the United States and Europe in 1871; but the great popularity of the negro songs and dances and the traditional instruments, the bones and tambourine (the banjo was not originally used by the genuine negro), was due to negro minstrel troupes, whose performances were of a high order. New Zealand has not been visited by such a band of singers for very many years, so that the coming of the great minstrel party engaged by Messrs. Portus and Talbot, Limited, will be something quite new. The visitors commence an extensive tour of the Dominion next month, the Auckland season opening on June 10th, and closing on June 22nd. Mme. de Cisneros, who is booked for an Australasian concert tour, will leave Kan Franciseo by the Manama on May 9th, and will open her season in Sydney on June 22nd, and after a brief season in the Australian capital she will tour New Zealand, appearing in all the principal centres.