A ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 949, 14 May 1908, Page 17

A ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE.

Its English birthday (it has already had half a dozen Continental ones) of “The Merry Widow” takes place shortly at Daly’s Theatre, london, and Franz Lehar goes over to conduct for the occasion. Every capital city in Europe has seen him in the chair under similar conditions during the past two years, for the twelve months run of his famous opera had been easily achieved in each big city from Vienna to London. There is a romance about Franz Lehar’s life as there is about that of most musicians. The son of a military Bandmaster, he began his musical career at the mature age of four and at twelve was a student at the Prague Conservatorium. His early years were full of trials for his parents were poor and life was hard for the young artist. But he was always being stimulated to further efforts by such encomiums as those of Anton Dvorak, who, when asked for his opinion on two sonatas by the youthful composer, advised him to give up fiddling for a living and take to composing. It was impossible to do that both because money. had to be earned and because his father wanted him to be a violinist. At last Lehar revolted and turned his attention to writing music instead of making it. At first the way was hard for he applied his genius to Grand Opera, and Grand Opera was apparently not wanted. “At last I grew sick and tired of it,” he says “and took to writing light operas with which I had more luck,” a faint way of expressing the tremendous sensation his work has made in Europe and America.

Pollard’s Juvenile Opera Company is now playing a successful season in Wellington.

For the final night of “A Royal Divorce” on Friday there was an immense crush at His Majesty’s, stall seats selling freely for ten shillings. The attendance must have been a record for the house. With people jammed on the steps, the passages, and every available corner, one can imagine what would have happened in case of fire.

Miss Lily Thompson, of Pollard’s, is just recovering from a severe attack of pleurisy.

They are talking of going in for a new Opera House at Napier.

A play entitled “The Man of the Hour” has just concluded a run of- 749 nights at New York.

Mr George Musgrove is securing comic opera artists in London for an Australasian tour.

Madame Clara Butt’s tour of Australasia was throughout so full of records that it is worth while adding yet another to the list. In the whole course of her 71 concerts, she never once disappointed her public, that is to say every one of her appearances took place on the date for which it was announced, even though keeping faith meant sometimes forcing; herself when really “off colour” x> sing. The same may be said of Mr Kennerley Rumford, and these two artists in doing so have done something unique in the annals of visiting vocalists.

“The Christian” was recently performed for the 3250th performance in England.

The fire at Drury Lane Theatre put the national play house out of action for the next six months (says a Home paper). Thanks to the prompt action of the firemen on duty, the auditorium stands intact and uninjured, for the theory of the safety curtain and the light roof seems to have worked well in practice. The curtain held out, keeping the flames from the auditorium, while the glass openings in the roof speedily collapsed under the heat. In this way a flue in a limited area was caused. And the firemen were enabled to attack the flames by pouring water in from the top. gradually getting it under control.

After her concert in the Melbourne Town Hall, on June 6th, it is probable that Messrs J. and N. Tait will organise an Australian tour for Signora Revello, the brilliant Spanish soprano. * * » *

The directors of the annual Greig festival in Paris this year paid Mark Hambourg a well deserved compliment. They asked him to play and finding that his engagements prevented his doing so in March —the usual time for holding the festival—postponed it until April nth. Svendsden, the eminent composer, conducted on that occasion.

Mr Frank. Thornton’s New Zealand tour, under the direction of Mr Edwin Geach, commences at Invercargill on June 22. “When Knights were Bold,” “Charlie’s Aunt,” “Private Secretary,” and other pieces will be produced. The firstnamed play has been running at Tery’s Theatre, London, for 550 successive performances, and is still drawing enormous attendances.