THE STAGE

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 810, 14 September 1905, Page 18

THE STAGE

(By

“ Footlight.”)

OPERA HOUSE. FULLER’S ENTERTAINERS. That Fullers Entertainers are not losing their hold on the affections of the theatre-going folk in Auckland was shown on Saturday by the number of people who paid the Opera House a visit, for the house was a very large one indeed. After the opening chorus Miss Kitty Stanley led off with the ballad “ Sometimes.” She was lollowed by little Goldie Collins with a song and dance, “My Rainy Daisy.” Then Mr. Fred Stanbridge, who made a first appearance, scored a great success with a stirring i*endering of “ The Deathless Army.” Mr. George Pagden gave a comic song, “ Do, Ray, Me,” and Miss Elsie Brown, another first-nighter, pleased the audience with the coon ballad, “ Way Down in My Heart.” Mr. Charles Moody raised a laugh for “ They were all Doing the Same,” and then Mr. Sam Wilson, a great favourite with Opera House audiences, created a lot of fun with his budget of conundrums, gags, etc. The first portion of the programme was concluded with the song and dance, “ Pretty Little Zulu Queen,” by the Sylvan Sisters. Mr. Frank King, who is always worth listening to, gained much kudos for a fine rendering of his own original song, “ The Burglar’s Sunshine,” in which he was assisted by little Jessie Dobbs. Miss Beatrice English, who possesses a fine soprano voice, was heard to great advantage in Tosti’s Good-bye” and Vainka’s song. Mr. Leonard Nelson has become an immense favourite, and he was recalled time after time until he must have been pretty well exhausted. Among other songs were ££ Story of a Tin Tack.” Miss Elsie Brown’s contributions, ££ Valley of Kentucky,” and “ Always in the Way,” were heartily applauded, the pictures accom-

panying the songs being excellent. Ted Trevor, Fred Alton, and Little Cora gave some clever acrobatic feats, but some of the audience considered that the one which appears to carry with it considerable risk to the little girl might perhaps be better omitted. The three are certainly skilful acrobats. A number of biograph pictures conclude a good enter tainment, which is well worth a visit. Next Saturday the new artists to pear are “ The Rollos” fCh ar les and Laura), who ar.e described as the greatest musical sketch team that -has ever visited Auckland, and the Valmore Sisters, serios and dancers.

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE.

WEST’S PICTURES AND THE BRESCIANS. An immense audience greeted the change of programme at His Majesty 3 on Monday, and there is no doubt that the entertainment is proving exceedingly popular. The new series of pictures are even finer than those shown during the first week. The Falls of Clyde are first shown, and then an exceedingly good view from the railway running past Conway Castle is thrown on the screen. Next came a series of pictures illustrating the life of a Newcastle pitman, while the views of one of the big English steeplechases is about the finest thing of the kind yet seen here. Most interesting and instructive also is the excellent series entitled, “ A Visit to the London Zoo.” This shows elephants, giraffes, hippopotami, rhinoceros, camels, lions, cheetahs, alligators, lizards, snakes, flamingos, toucans, eagles, vultures, bears, seals, deer, monkeys, and many other animals, birds, etc., and gives a fine idea as to why the Zoo is one of London’s most favourite pleasure spots. Every picture is shown with the utmost clearness, and must prove a capital lesson in natural history for the young folk. Quite

a number of comic studies are given, the best of these being perhaps “ An Interesting Story” and “ The Children and the Lions.” All are, however, so fine that it is hardly fair to pick out any for special mention, for the list is stuffed full of good things. The Brescians commenced their part of the programme with selections from “ The Bohemian Girl.” Then came the part-song, “ Good-night, Beloved,” whicn was exceedingly well rendered. Miss Domenica Martinengo earned a well-de-served recall foi - “ On the Banks of Allan Water,” giving as an encore “ At Home in Dear Old Scotland.” Miss Antonina Martinengo sang “ Yes, If You Like,” and then united with her sister in a charming rendering of “The Keel Row.” Miss Sara Hendy, who accompanied herself, was heartily applauded for her dainty rendering of £ “ A Country Wedding Song,” and “ If No One Ever Marries Me.” Miss Adelina Martinengo. who has become a great favourite, created the utmost enthusiasm with a fine rendering of selections from “La Traviata.’ Another highly popular performer is Mr. Fred Mills, whose comedy items created roars of laughter. His songs were “ A Kind-of-a-sort-of-a-feel-ing,” “ The Old Bassoon,” and “Am I on the Way,” and the audience was very loth to let him go. Mr. Ruddall Hayward was hardly heard to advantage in “ Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep,” and perhaps the audience would have preferred something in lighter vein. A plantation melody, exceedingly well done, concluded the musical portion of the progjamme. There can be no doubt that the entertainment at His Majesty’s is one which is well worth a visit, foi' amusement and instruction are so well blended that it must appeal to old and young alike. As instancing the popularity of the entertainment it is stated that no less than 11,000 people visited the theatre last week, and on Saturday alone, when a matinee was given, the visitors numbered 3700—a record for the theatre.

From Mr. G. Homan Barnes, business manager for Messrs. Meynell and Ginnis’ Strand Comedy Company, comes newspaper cuttings, playbills, photos, etc.,

concerning the new farcical comedy, “The J.P.” An interesting budget gives information about some of the leading members of the company, ncluded among whom is Miss Lloyd, whose portrait^appears in next issue.

The Westminster Choir Boys are due here on November 14.

Miss Nance O’Neil’s season at His Majesty’s will extend from October 28 to November 13, after which she will leave for the States.

The new farcical comedy, “ The J.P.,” will be seen here on December 11, the season lasting five nights.

The Christmas dates at His Majesty’s have been booked to the Brough-Flem-ing Company.

The Watkin Mills Company open in Auckland on October 2.

According to the “ Referee,’’ the Greenwood Family have lately completed an extended tour out West, playing Bourke, Wilcannia, and White Cliffs to crowded houses. They returned to Hifiston for the show, and are now in : the Parkes-Forbes district. The country papers speak in the warmest praise of the refinement and excellence of the productions, and consider “ the company is undoubtedly one of the most popular on tour.” • • • * A London correspondent writes to the “ Catholic Press” that Miss Amy Castles will probably sing at a number of the Boosey popular concerts in the early part of next winter. Mr. Boosey made overtures to her when she was on a visit to friends in London, and she has provisionally accepted an engagement to appear under his direction in November,

The Opera House in Vienna has engaged as baritone a sub-lieutenant of the 67th Infantry Regiment, of Roumanian origin, named Victor Madincea. He is said to have a wonderful voice.

My Christchurch correspondent writes : —The Thursday Pops appeal- to have popped. But the moving spirit in that enterprise, Mr. W. H. Corrigan, has now organised a new show—“ Corrigan’s Popular Entertainers,” who opened at the Theatre Royal last night to a very good house. The star turns are provided by the Melias, trick cyclists, who, by the way, gave an open-air performance on Thursday at Christchurch railway station, when they succeeded in steering their fiery, untamed bikes down a long flight of wooden steps leading from an overhead bridge on to the street. A big crowd witnessed this daring performance with much interest. Then there are the Mahers, Irish speciality performers; Dalso, the magician; Milford Haven, vocalist; Peterson, monologist; Post and Bloy, banjoists; Lionel Broad, “ lion comique,” and Misses McDonald, liliputian dancers. Popular prices of admission rule. Good,duck to you, Corrigan; may your shadow never diminish. Fuller’s show is going stronger than ever. Fred. Graham and Nellie Dent made a last appearance last night. They will be missed. To-night the Stewart Trio, “ Musical Marvels,” make their bow to an Opera House audience. The Fullers manage to keep the ball rolling all the time.

Miss Decima Moore, whose wedding with Major Guggisberg will shortly take place, is the youngest of a family of ten clever people, which includes Madame Bertha, Miss Jessie, and Miss Eva Moore. It was in “The Gondoliers,” at the Savoy, that she made her debut on the stage, having previously won the Victoria Scholarship for singing at the Blackheath Conservatoire of Music. Miss Moore played at the Savoy for a considerable time, and since then has been in numerous musical plays. The young lady visited Australia with the Gaiety Company, headed by Madame Monkhouse.

One of the chief charms of the entertainment of West’s Pictures and the Breseians is the general all -round excellence of the show, and not the least contribution is the beautiful accompaniment contributed by Mr. T. M. Lax, the solo pianist. This gentleman’s efforts are impromptu, and vary according to his mood and the subject on the screen, but the effect of the pictorial gems are immensely enhanced by the running obligato of interwoven melody given out by the clever fingers of this really brilliant artist.

The copyright of “The Ticket-of-Leave Man” has just run out, and the play, consequently, is on the free list. “ The Ticket-of-Leave Man,” which was adapted by Tom Taylor from the French “Leonard” of Edouard Brisbarre and Eugene Nus, was first produced at the london Olympic in May, 1863.

Among the artistes at present disengaged in London are Miss Rose Deering, Miss Kate Bishop, Miss Sophie Harriss, Miss Alice de Winton, Miss Beatrice Selwyn, Miss Henrietta Watson, Miss Pollie Emery, Mr. Austin Melford, Mr. T. Wigney Percival, and Mr. J. L. Shine.

Madame Sarah Berhardt had a tussle with a tiger during her recent visit to Liverpool. She made an excursion to Mr. Cross’ celebrated menagerie, and was about to caress a fine tiger which is undergoing training when the animal suddenly thrust out its paw and tore a magnificent feather stole from the actress’ neck. Madame Bernhardt at once made a grab for the costly article of attire, and, after much pulling and tugging, succeeded in wresting it almost entire from the tiger’s grasp. The incident proved very amusing to Madame Bernhardt, who later bought three chamelons and a fine tiger cat.

Mr. West is at present at Rotorua, where he hopes to obtain views of Maori life, geysers in action, etc., with a view of adding them to his biograph pictures. * * * *

Two companies — Stephenson’s and Sheridan’s—commence a New Zealand tour at Dunedin on December 26 (points out “ Pasquin.”) As both are playing musical comedy, and certain to clash with their productions, one or other should endeavour to alter dates.

The Devonport Amateur Operatic Company have now given their comedy and operatic performance three times, and the receipts have amounted to £23, £l9, and £26, on the last occasion (Tuesday) the Foresters’ Hall being packed to the doors. The one-act comedy, “My Lady Help,” was rather well done by Miss Ivy Wynyard and Messrs. S. Walker and E. Glenister, and they were warmly applauded. “ Tell Me, Pretty Maiden,” by twelve ladies and gentlemen was so cleverly executed that it compared very favourably with the original chorus when “ Florodora” was first produced. Much amusement was caused by Miss Wynyard and Mr. E. Glenister in their duet, “ Reuben and Cynthia,” Miss Freda Hunter contributed a most effective rendering of “Soldiers in the Park,” while Miss E. Alexander gave a pretty exhibition of skirt dancing. The Misses I. Wynyard, Bartley, and Fogerty pleased the audience with "the quaint trio from “ The Mikado,” “ Three Little Maids from School.” Mr. H. T. King was vociferously encored for the comic song. “ That Would’nt Do For Me,” and a really capital evening’s entertainment was brought to a conclusion with the policeman’s chorus, “ When the Foemen Bares His Steel.” The whole production reflected very great credit on those responsible, and is, I understand, to be repeated in some of the other suburbs.

Professor Andrews and his “ Magic Kettle” are appearing at the Theatre Royal at Napier.

The Taylor-Carrington Company appear at Whangarei on Friday in “ Arrah-na-Pogue.” “ Erin-go-Bragh” and “ Barnes, of New York” are to follow.

Hugo Heernian, the violinist, will Be heard this evening at St. Andrew’s Hall, the only one available. The programme will include Mendelssohn’s concerto for the violin.

The Auckland Dramatic Society intend giving three performances of “ The Schoolmistress” at His Majesty’s on October 23 and following evenings.

Mr. Claude Waite, advance manager for the Brough-Fleming Company, courteously forwards me playbills, newspaper cuttings, etc., re the pr*iiuctioii of “ The Walls of Jericho” and “ Quality Street” in Sydney. The dramatic critics unite in a chorus of approval of both pieces, and it is very evident Aucklanders are in for a treat when this clever dramatic organisation reaches this city. A portrait of Miss Winifred Fraser, who is with the company, appears in this issue.

Miss Jessie Maclachlan, the Scottish singer, will be heard at Her Majesty’s Theatre on October 9. Of her season in Sydney the “ Sunday Times” says that she is the “Scottish Queen of Song.” Miss Jessie Maclachlan charmed large audiences at the Town Hall at each of the series of three concerts with her rendition of favourite songs of her native country, while the few English and Irish ballads which included in the lady’s repertoire proved no less gratifying to those unfamiliar with the sentiments underlying several of the Scottish items. As a singer of national songs, and particularly those of Scotland, local concertgoers have certainly not had the pleasure of hearing Miss Maclachlan’s equal. The gifted songstress, who, by the way, is a thorough mistress of platform “ business,” and possesses a congenial vivacity, which has been equalled by Madame Albani alone, and it is for this reason, as much as for her well cultivated voice and perfect enunciation, that she is enabled to strike a chord in the breasts of her listeners with such remarkable effect. Last night the great hall could not ac commodate all the intending patrons, and numbers had to be turned away. At the conclusion of the concert there was a scene of enthusiasm such as has seldom been witnessed. Evidently Aucklanders are in for a treat.

After the New Zealand tour of Mr. Watkin Mills and his concert company, Mr. Mills, accompanied by Miss Gertrude Lonsdale and Mr. Edouard Parlovitz, will sail for America. Miss Edith Kirkwood and Mr. Harold Wilde will return to Sydney to catch a mail steamer for London.

Miss Bertha Faning and Miss Annie Perry both returned to Sydney from London on the 31st' ult. The contralto came out by the German liner Seydlitz, and Miss Perry by the P. and O. Himalaya.

When Miss Nance O’Neil was in Sydney before we regarded Magda as her master impersonation (says the Sydney “ Mail.”) Its revival on Saturday confirmed this impression. In Sudermann’s pitilessly, and almost painfully, powerful drama, the American actress can be pronounced “ great” in the full significance of the term. From her first entrance she holds her audience. There is some attempt this time to relieve the gloom of the inevitable tragedy by accentuating the low comedy of the card players. But it remains tragedy and gloom, and over it all Magda as Miss O’Neil presents her rides as the very spirit of the storm. All her regal dignity, her emotional sentiment, are concentrated on her Magda. It is a thing to be seen certainly, as a triumph of hisiflionic art and personality. Whether it will be enjoyed is another matter. For in this battle of conditions and types there is conveyed a terrible lesson. Sudermann gives us the narrow, yet sincere, Christian in the old Colonel Schwartze, whom Mr. McKee Rankin impersonates with a realism that is harrowing. In the Counsellor we have the clever hypocrite and sycophant ready to adopt Christianity as a convenient garment. In Magda there is revolted woman, passed through the fire and torture of life’s hardest phases to all the eminence the world can give her, and defiantly glorying in the path that she has trodden. And in the Pastor there is, or rather there is intended to be, a type of manly Christian, uniting humanity in all abounding charity. Unfortunately, tihs part of the pastor appears t-j fie a specially difficult one to play, and we have not yet seen it played ideally. Mr. Glendinning plays conscientiously, but he does not suggest the influence the Pastor is suposed to wield. Mr. Robson, on the other hand, ideally portrays the self sufficient counsellor, Von Keller. These four are the people who count, Miss Marbury has “ moments” as Magda’s sister. Miss Allen as the mischiefmaking spinster Franziska sufficiently meets the conditions. Miss Bloodgood like Miss Marbury, is handicapped, to Australian audiences, by ultra-American suggestion in a German part. Mr. Mervale makes nothing of Lt. • Max, Mrs. Bracy is acceptable as Frau Schwartz. Mr. Friend and Mr. Geo. Majeroni have the small parts of the General and the Professor. Saturday’s audience was deeply moved by the production.

Miss Florence Lloyd, who has come out to play lead in “ The J.P.,” which farcical comedy will be seen in Auckland, gave a Melbourne “ Herald” interviewer the following points on her stage career: —“ A manager said to my father, who was on the stage before me, ■ We want a child at once,’ and my father said, ‘ Weil, you had better have Florrie,’ so I went and gooed at the footlights. Then, after that, I was in Gilbert and Sullivan s Children’s Company. I was Isabel in ‘ The Pirates of Penzance.’ They we ‘e awfully good to us. Then I remember I was Tiny Tim in ‘ A Christmas Carol.' One has to have a license now to play under the age of fourteen, but I had no license. From the age of eleven up till 22 or so, I was never without an engagement. That must be a record, I think. If Fred Leslie had lived I should have had all the principal boys’ parts at th 4 Gaiety. I was going to play Don Juai when he died. It was to be a splendid production. Then under the new management, all the parts were given to little girls. There was no scope for tall girls like me. I was very tall, even then, though I was quite a kiddie, you know. Miss Lloyd belongs to a very well-known theatrical family. In fact, by her marriage with Captain A. H. Walker-Leign who, it may be remembered, distinguished himself in the South African war, two very notable stage genealogies are united. As she herself puts it, “ 1 was evidently destined for the profession. My father and mother were both professionals. My sister, Violet, is at the Gaiety, and my brother at the Vaudeville now. Una and t>ecima Moore are closely related to my husband.” “ 1 your home is in London?” “ Oh, yes. The long runs are in London, and one naturally settles there. Then they are improving London so much. Thev have made a beautiful large new crescent from the old Gaiety Theatre almost to the Law Courts. I am very fond of London. Speaking of long runs, I sup-

pose you know what a tremendous success ‘ The Earl and The Girl’ was. You have had that in Australia, haven’t you? Before that I was in ‘ The Catch of the Season,’ and ‘ Blue Bell in Fairy Land,’ and heaps of other things that Hicks and Frohman put on at the Vaudeville. ‘ The J.P.’ was at the Strand Theatre.” “You have been a long while on the stage; are you not getting tired of it?” “ Tired, not at all. I just love the work I think if you are born with the proper sort of susceptibility or nervousness, rr whatever it is, and with the proper sort of feeling for the life, and get good parts, you can’t help getting fond of it.”

Miss Maggie Stirling is travelling from London on the Aberdeen, and had 'a hearty send-off, says a Sydney paper. A farewell reception was given by her at the Savoy Hotel prior to their departure at which a large number of well-known Australians were present, including the Agents-General for Victoria and Western Australia, Mr. Percy Grainger, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Roberts, Miss Kate Rooney, Mr. J. Longstaff, and Miss Ethel Sinclair. The latter Victorian violinist will appear with Miss Stirling. She studied at the Royal College of Music, as Clarke Scholar, and is said to be a clever player. The tour, which is under the joint management of Messrs. Nevin and John Tait, will start at Melbourne on September 19.

The alterations at the Empire Theatre are being proceeded with rapidly, and the directors have no doubt of being able to reopen the theatre about October 2 (says a Home paper). Quite £40,000 is being spent on the improvements and decorations, and the directors state that the Empire will be not only the most luxuriously comfortable and beautiful theatre in London, but the first musichall in the world. It is intended . to make a great function of the opening ceremony, when, in addition to the new

ballet composed by Mr. Sydney Jones, a programme of quite a new character will be submitted. The ballet, the scene of which will be laid in France, will possess a military element, and during the entire run Mr. Sydney Jones will conduct. Mdlle. Genee will, of course, be the premiere danseuse, and Mr. Fred Farren will be responsible for the arrangement of the dances.

During the theatrical season of 19041905 His Majesty continued that patronage which *he has for years extended tothe theatres, exhibiting by his choice of plays the widest possible range of interest. Since the beginning of the season in September last the King, says the “ Mail,” has witnessed the performance of no fewer than seventeen piays in London. In addition to all these plays His Majesty “ commanded” “ A Man’s Shadow,” with Mr; Tree and his company, to Windsor on November 17, and two nights later Mr. Lewis Waller, with his company, appeared by Royal “ command” at the Castle in “ Monsieur Beaucaire.” In the autumn the King heard two operatic performances by the San Carlo Opera Company at Covent Garden, and for the grand, opera season just concluded he again took the Royal and 1 , omnibus boxes, in which he was frequently seen. The Alhambra, the. Hippodrome, the Palace, and the Coliseum have also been visited since November last, and when His Majesty was in Paris in May he witnessed performances of three plays. To have found time to extend this welcome patronage to the theatres speaks much for the King’s desire to encourage the drama, says the “ Mail’s” compiler, and the example may help to bring about that general prosperity desired by those interested in the welfare of our playhouses.

There can be little doubt that “ The Cingalee” will equal, if it does not excel, the records made by “ Florodora” (writes Mr. George Tallis), ££ The Country Giri, ’ “ The Orchid,” and others of Mr. J. C. 'Williamson’s latest successes in musical •comedies. It opened to an audience that crowded Her Majesty’s Theatre in every part on Saturday, August 26, and the returns of the first week’s business have only once been exceeded—when The Darling of the Gods” was staged by the Knight-Jeffries Company in Melbourne some time ago. The recent revival of the same piece in Adelaide and the West, and its prospective production in Melbourne, adds point to the comparison. Good as the first week’s returns were, however, there is every probability that they will be exceeded by those of the present week, for the Royal Agricultural Show has brought thousands of country visitors to Melbourne, and the natural inference is that they will spend their evenings in pleasureseeking.

The success which has attended the production of “ The Cingalee” wherever it has been staged, gives point to the contention made public some time ago by Mr. George Edwardes. That famous entrepeneur declared that musical comedy—or what passed for musical comedy —was doomed, and that in a very short while the public would be demanding something with a better plot and a better musical scheme—in other words, a return to the light opera of other days with modern improvements. “ The Cingalee” represents the compromise between the new and the old, partaking in its humour of the musical comedy and yet possessing a more distinct plot, and -a very much better class of music than has hitherto been the case. But the shining examples of the new order of things has been “ Veronique” and “ The Little Michus,” both of which have been quite the rage in London since their appearance there. Each of them will in turn be submitted to Australian playgoers, the first-named as soon as “ The Cingalee” has exhausted its popularity. Indeed, although that popularity is long yet from its zenith, rehearsals of “ Veronique” have already begun, and all those who have had the opportunity of hearing it, even in its present preparatory stage, are loud in their praise of its refinement and its musicianly compositions.

A record was the result of Mr. Andrew Mack playing “ Jack Shannon” in Sydney for the final week of his ten weeks* season there. The singing comedian and his company are now paying a short visit to Brisbane, and on its conclusion they le.iv • for San Francisco, where Mr. Mack is due for a prolonged stay.

The tour of the Knight-Jeff ries Company in West Australia is being brought to a conclusion with a visit to Kalgoorlie, where the season has been a uniformly successful one. The company leaves almost immediately for Melbourne again, wht re ;ney will play their farewell season at the Princess Theatre. “ His Majesty’s Servant” will, as stated, be the

premier attraction of the five weeks’ ■visit, but succeeding it will be ££ The Darling of the Gods” and “ David Garrick.” All three, as well as others of the extensive repertoire, will be played during the New Zealand season which is to complete the career of the organisation.

The Orient liner Ormuz, which arrived in Sydney on September 9, had on its passenger list Miss Susie Vaughan and Douglas Gerrard. As already announced, they come under Mr. J. C. Williamson's engagement, and will take up ’ heir vc rk in leading parts with the Trcb ii Bi une Company. The first piece in which they will appear will be 11 Merely Mary Ann,” which is to be done in Sydney in the forthcoming season there.

It is not probable that the double bill, li Trial by Jury” and 11 The Sorcerer,” which the Gilbert and Sullivan Company are now rehearsing, will be done by them during their present tour of Adelaide and West Australia. The seven pieces in their repertoire will all be new to those centres—that is, as far as the present company is concerned—and with the comparatively short visits arranged, they should more than suffice to fill the different theatres at every performance. Consequently Mr. J. C. Williamson has decided to reserve the new piece until the Sydney season, which it is at present proposed to undertake at the Criterion Theatre early in November.

Miss Nance O’Neil has made a success of ££ Marie Antoinette” in Sydney, and the part will rank as perhaps the best of all the new characters assumed by her during the present trip, and quite equal in power to her Magdo. How great the emotional strain is upon her may be judged from the fact that she felt herself unequal to the tax of a matinee performance, and therefore “ Ingomar” was staged on Wednesday afternoon, the tragedy keeping the bill that and subsequent evenings.

There is trouble in London again over the theatrical agent question. This is a branch of the profession notoriously bad and unfair. Of course, there are honest and fair agents, but there are also—well, others. The London County Council has been talking of licensing these gentlemen and fixing charges and commission. Result, dire dismay in the ranks. In New York the powers that be have already stepped in, and in addition to regulating the conduct of agents, have fixed their fee at two dollars per deal. And quite enough, too.

J. J. Dallis, who has come to Australia under engagement to Messrs. Meynell and Gunn for the forthcoming tour of “The J.P.,” has won great renown in comic opera, his greatest hits being in Gilbert and Sullivan’s “ Haddon Hall,” in which he played McCrankie. and in “ The Vicar of Bray.” As might be expected, Mr. Dallas has appeared in a big number of successful pantomime characteiisations.

Madame Melba has received a fee of £lOOO for singing four songs at a party at Clievedon, the English country house of Astor, the American millionaire. Mr. Astor is said to have paid the same fee to Paderekski, a year or two ago, for similar services.

Some of the profits and losses of the past London season make interesting reading. The five nights’ run of “ Lady Ben” is said to have cost the producer, Miss Darragh, the sum of £3OOO, quite a costly Experiment, while the loss of nearly double that sum was the net result of “ What Pamela Wanted.” ££ The Beauty and the Barge” yielded a profit of not less than £20,000, while upwards of £25,000 has been netted by f£ The Walls of Jericho” up to date. “ The Catch of the Season” is another big money maker. Its profits up to date are quoted at £12,000. “ The Talk of the Town” is said to have been a financial failure to the tune of £lO,OOO.

. Die Musik” gives an interesting summary of the contents of programmes for twelve mouths of 190 musical societies in Germany, 10,885 works were performed, of which 5085 were by composers whose copyright has expired, and 5800 by those who still possess copyright. The totals come out as follows:—Beethoven, 1039; Brahms, 797; Schubert, 770; Schumann, 562; Liszt, 461; Hugo Wolf, 449; Wagner, 417; Mozart, 389; Bach, 352; Chopin, 312; Richard Strauss, 306; Berlioz, 235; Mendelssohn, 230; Haydn, 178; 178; Weber, 167; Tschaikowsky, 155; Saint Saens, 142; Handel, 112; Grieg, 109. The rest fall below 100 a-piece. * * * *

His Majesty’s, Sydney, from September 30 to October 14, will be occupied by Messrs. Meynell and Gunn’s Strand Comedy Company, who have come- out here to play a 20 weeks’ Australasian season of “The J.P.,” a successfdfr farce, which they are producing by arrangement with Mr. J. C. Williamson.

More than one member of the profession has made the assertion that a Dunedin theatrical audience is hard to please (says the “ Otago Witness.”) In fact, some have gone as far as to express the opinion that the artist or company giving satisfaction to the full will pass muster in any part of the world. Not that we are better critics than, say, our Australian or American cousins, but we want too much for our money. Overhauling some old papers the other day (writes a correspondent), I came across a progiamme of the initial concert given in Dunedin by the De Murska Concert Company, on April 26, 1876. The charges for admission will, I believe, open the eyes of some of the rising generation. A circle ticket cost 10s, stalls ss, pit 2s 6d. Box, lower tier, £3, upper tier, £2. The old Queen’s Theatre was crowded at these prices, and the audience, it is believed, considered the attraction fully worth the money paid. Perhaps the people had more money in those days. Speaking of De Murska, “ What a voice! It was one of phenomenal range, beautiful flexibility and quality. In opera scenes this Hungarian nightingale, who was then described as the greatest living vocalist of her day, and the only legitimate successor of Jenny Lind, gave evidence of possessing undoubted originality, versatility, and magnetic power of delineation. She was forgiven much for her voice. Her temperament, her love of a menagerie, her Teutonic pronunciation in ‘ Cornin’ Thro’ the Rye,’ and other slight peculiarities were placed aside by her admirers. And yet, after all, this cantartice died of a broken heart and in indigent circumstances. This through no fault of her own. Associated with De Murska were Rosnati the great tenor, who died in Milan in 1884; Susini, the basso from Covent Garden, and who in his younger days was considered to be the coming successor of Lablache. He was run over by a cab in London in 1884. Giammosa was the flautist of the company, and Maestro Strauss Illa (Jack Hill) was the accompanist.