Music, Drama.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 206, 5 July 1894, Page 2

Music, Drama.

By

THE PROMPTER.

Miss Bessie Doyle has arranged to tour America. _______ Kennedy and Deering are, still performing at Dunedin City Hall to popular prices. Professor Beaumont and family, who play cards and eat and drink under water, are booked for a New Zealand visit. Southern exchanges bring news that the St. John Burlesque and Panto. Company came to an untimely end in Dunedin. 1 . Walter Bentley is organising another descent on New Zealand. He opens in Christchurch in September next. - According to “ Pasquin ” of the Otago Witness the Hellers have cleared over £2OOO during the last two months. The Bonanza Coterie must be a paying concern. 1 According to the dramatic editor of the N. Z. Mail “Charley’s Aunt,” which came from the Australian side with such a big reputation, shows no justification for “ the fuss ” made concerning it in London or Australia. “Lorgnette” considers “There is very little that is original about the plot, and the fun is spun out too long. There is enough motif for a capital one act farce, but to spread the fun over three acts, of which the first drags lamentably until the old lady from Brazil is introduced, is giving the public too much of a good thing.”

Thk best\ musician amongst the crowned heads of Europe is said to be King Oscar of Sweden and Norway. His Majesty recently composed an ode in memory of M. Gounod.

Down to the end of last year the publisher of Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana had handed .£lB,OOO to the composer as his share of the profits. During their American season with Mdmes Calv 6, Melba, and Nordica, Messrs Abbey and Grau booked about £200,000 in less than five months. Owing to the opera season at Mr Abbott’s Opera House, Mr A. H. Gee, who has taken over sole control oE thp Popular Concerts, did hot hold his usual weekly last night. ■ • At a recent sale of music copyrights some remarkable prices were obtained. The late Michael Watson’s' song “ Anchored ” fetched £1,212. Mattei’s “ First Waltz ” £386, and Pinsuti’s “The Bugler” £lB9. According to “Rapier” of the Sporting and Dramatic News more utter rubbish than. Gentleman Jack has never been seen on the London stage. Stj.ll the appearance of boxer Corbett draws the crowd; and the opinion appears to be general that the Yankee is a wonderfully clever and fast hitter. • . Mb W. 8. Gilbert has denied the rumour that his difference with Sir Arthur Sullivan was caused by a quarrel as to how the Mikado should be cast. Gilbert writes to the Press :—“ It is referable entirely to the fact that Sir A. Sullivan insists, as a condition of, his composing music to a hew libretto, that I shall hand over to; Mr D’Oyly’s Carte’s unrestricted control, all the Londoir rights of . the fourteen pieces which Sir A. Sullivan and I have written in collaboration, and thia on terms which appear to me to be inadequate and unreasonable. The audience that assembled at the Opera House on Monday evening to welcome back the Montague—Turner Opera Company-could not have been improved upon in point of numbers in the downstairs portion of the house, and although the dress circle was not too well attended the house taken as a whole was a very fair one. On Monday’s interpretation of Maritana it is almost unfair to criticize the company, for its leading members were all more or' less suffering from cold, and Mr Charles Turner, who on the opening night appeared to be very unfavourably affected by the change of was' so indisposed on Tuesday night that, the part of Don Csesar had to be sustained by Mr William Walshe, who made a most satisfactory substitute. Mr Walshe’s singing is beyond unfavourable comment, and increasing stage experience has wonderfully improved his acting. As for Miss Annis Montague’s rendering of the title r6le, it can be honestly commanded. In singing sand acting she is a past master (or rather past mistress'), and her opening romanza It was a Knight, showed that her voice is as sweet as was the case when she first visited New Zealand. In all. her solos and concerted music her voice was all that could be desired, and in Oh Fairy Wand she particularly pleased her auditors. Despite his cold Mr Turner sang his music splendidly, and in the famous cavatina Yes, let Me Like a Soldier Fall, he gained hearty applause for his spirited and vigorous vocaliation. A splendid singer and a gifted actor, he proved a fine Don Caesar, and shared the honours of the evening with Miss Montague. As a former resident of Auckland Miss Cicely Staunton was accorded a warm welcome, and she well deserved the praise accorded her. Her contralto voice has both power and sweetness, and her stage presence is, to say the least of it, decidedly charming. She quickly in- ' stalled herself as favourite, and in all her/numbers showed by her artistic sing ing that she has strong claims to the ' position of favourite in which she was so quickly installed. Messrs Farley and England as Don Jdse and the King of Spain were both thoroughly successful in their singing, although in the matter of acting their efforts were susceptible of ■ improvement. The minor charactors were most creditably sustained, and in , the, matter . of chorus the members, ■although numerically weak, were, surprisingly strong * in singing. The orchestra lent admirable support, and undar Mr Harcourt Lee interpreted the th. mort eff.otm.ly. An alteration

in the arrangements of the management resulted in Girofle Girofla being staged last night in place of Lucrezia Borgia, which will be given later in the season. To-morrow evening Balfe’s Bohemian Girl will be produced.