Music, Drama.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 207, 12 July 1894, Page 8

Music, Drama.

By The Prompter. The statement that Mr and Mrs Bancroft intend touring Australia and New Zealand next year is contradicted in London.

The Australian manager, Alf. Dampier, who after long and plucky struggling against an unkind fate in Melbourne Alexandra, hafe. decided to go home, was given a benefit recently at Sydney Royal' which panned out to the tune of £250. According to the Bulletin Miss Annis Montague will open a school of music and singing in Melbourne when she returns to Victoria from New Miss Montague taught Frances Savelie, Cecily Staunton, who is appearing with her at the Opera House, and many other good artists. “ Although she did not bring Melba right out,” writes the Bulletin, “ for Cecchi was the diva’s tutor proper, she taught her, several useful wrinkles which Melba has not forgotten to acknowledge.” Musical and dramatic people throughout New Zealand and all over Australia will hear with regret of the death of the well-known operatic singer, Mr Charles Turner, who succumbed to congestion of the Itmgs, consequent on pneumonia, eayly yesterday morning. Mr Turner caught a severe cold on the passage across from Sydney, and although very much indisposed on the opening night of the the season, he stuck to his work, and appeared as Don Caesar in Maritana. Next day he was unable to leave his bed, and in spite of the best medical skill and the devoted attention of his wife, he never recovered, and died at half-past one o’clock yesterday morning. Mrs Turner will have the earnest sympathy > of everyone in her sad bereavement. The deceased gentleman was with his brother in the famons Carl Rosa Opera Company when that combination was at its best. It was in 1880 that he married Miss Annis Montague, and since then Australasia has enjoyed the • result of that artistic union. Mr Turner, who was 50 years of age, has toured New Zealand three times, and* when he arrived from the other side last week there was little indication that he would never again tread the board**

Mrs Annle Besant is on her way to Australia.

Owing to the death of Mr Chas. Turner, Abbott’s Opera House has been closed until further notice.

Mr Arthur Garner, the well-known theatrical manager, has filled his which, summarised, stands as follow : » Debts due upon mortgage, x 43 7 s 8d ; debts due to unsecured creditors, £18,826 4s 6d ; total debts, £s 2 >97° 2S 2d; assets, £'54,687 ios, estimated surplus, 1,606 7s iod. The causes of the insolvency are the usual ones, viz., pressure, of creditors, and depreciation in the’ value of property. There was a motion, heard in the Victorian Insolvency Court! to commit Mr Garner for contempt, because he did not file his schedule in the seven days specified by the Act, zbut the motion was frustrated through the insolvent filing his schedule. ?

The second performance of Lecocq’s opera bouffe, Girofle Girofla. was given by the' Montague Turner Opera Company at. the Opera House on Thursday evening last, and a large audience attended and fully appreciated the fine interpretation given of the work. Light opera suited the, chorus to a nicety, and their work can be highly commended. The title role was played by Miss Ada Colley, and in acting and singing she has fully sustained the reputation which preceded her. Her wine song, See How it Sparkles, was given with admirable effect, and Miss Colley fairly brought down the house with it. Miss Cicely Staunton shared the honours with Miss Colley, and as Pedro sang beautifully and looked charming Mr Walshe, who pleased everyone when he took Mr Turner’s part of Don Caesar in Maritana, made a capital Marasquin, and Mr Ed. Farley was a very capable Mourzouk. The humour of Mr Frank Sceats as Bolero, was very welcome, and Miss Ada Moxon played ,up to him very consistently. On Friday evening the always popular Bohemian Girl was produced, and the interpretation given to the work wasfirst-cla,ss. Miss Annis Montague was, of course, Arline, and her acting and singing was in every way worthy of her high reputation. 'ln addition to the solos which fell to her lot, Miss Montague gave an exquisite rendering of Packer’s. Listening, and she had to respond to the plaudits of her auditors with Home, Sweet Home. Miss Staunton was a very effective Gipsy Queen, and the other characters were very worthily sustained. Faust was for Monday, but owing to Mr Turner’s illness, which was to have such a sad termination, Girofle Girofla was repeated.

OUR MELBOURNE LETTER.

(from our correspondent.) June 26. Ma Mie Rosette, the new comic opera, has been staged at the Princess Theatre with success. In view of the empty state of the pockets pf the people here I don’t know that even success counts for much nowadays. Miss Nellie Stewart is in the bill, and this is a good thing. Mr Wallace Brownlow, a new English baritone, a fine vocalist and a capital actor is also in the cast. Mr Brownlow is a welcome addition to the Australian stage — but there, you’ll see him for yourselves ere long. The Holloway Company at the Royal have been playing to somewhat hollow business. The good old times have now vanished like the beautiful vision of the proverb, and two weeks for any piece, no matter how good, is, I am afraid, just a week too long. Holloway’s company is a good all round one, the pieces are all well staged, but, bless you, the scarcity' of sugar in the city is the real opposition an opposition, you’ll admit, of the most formidable character. Fitzgerald’s Circus have suddenly come out and put-up tfie shutters of the Alexandra Theatre, which is now closed, but Dan Barry is to take the running agaih in a day or two. Miss Marion Willis has just returned from a New Zealand trip. Her tour, as you know, has not been of the brightest. She is I am told to go into the Victorian provinces, but what with the -bad times and “ badder ” weather, she’s very illadvised, and if . she’s the sensible little lady I take her to be, she’ll not even dream of it. Alfred Dampier looked me up a few days ago to bid me adieu ere leaving for “ Merrie England.” Dampier goes to the Adelphia Theatre, London, to pro-

duce the Australian drama, ‘‘Robbery Under Arms” and the like. I hope he’ll do well. He deserves it more than others I could name. Mr and Mrs Alfred Rolfe (Miss Lily Dampier) remain in Australia. At the end of twelve months Dampier will return to the Antipodes with English novelties. Their vice versa idea is hot bad, is it ? James F. Cathcart, the veteran, has also been visiting me. He is delighted with his recent trip to your part of the world. He desires to be remembered to all and sundry, and hopes to again renew your acquaintance. He speaks feelingly of the kindly manner in which the New Zealand press have spoken of his performances. / Clark’s Company are at the Melbourne Opera House; Cogill’s at the Gaiety Music Hall; the latter wants the Bijou Theatre. Talking of the Bijou reminds me that the Garner season was not fraught with much grandeur, the furniture man having been suing in court to recover his money. Madame Belle Cole’s Company gave their last performance in the Town Hall, Melbourne, last night. Diana Bloustein, the ambitious young Jewess who went to New Zealand, with Marian Willis, has not set the place on fire since her return. Indeed, with the exception of a mild benefit at the Alhambra she has done nothing. At the benefit in question she essayed Pauline in the Lady of Lyons, but the performance and attendance were equally bad. She has gone back gracefully to that retirement whence she so suddenly emerged. The Flat.