AUSTRALIAN HAPPENINGS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIX, Issue 1097, 20 April 1911, Page 18

AUSTRALIAN HAPPENINGS.

(From Our Sydney and Melbourne Correspondents 1 After the rush and bustle of the last two weeks the J. C. Williamson companies settled down on Easter Saturday to the usual state of quiescence which attends the holiday season. The only one unaffected by the change so far has been Our Miss Gibbs,” and as some one graphically expressed it some little time ago, “ it does not look as if we could dig her out with crowbars. She has rested on the harbour side since September 24 last year, and is still apparently as full of “ go” as ever. It is credibly reported, however, that the last nights are to be announced shortly, unless, of course, the little lady plays up as she did on three former occasions,' when the same announcement was looming in the future, and resolutely refused to be shifted. Her companion now is “Jack and the Beanstalk,” which opened to a tremendous house at Her Majesty’s Theatre last Saturday, and began a career that, judging by the enthusiasm, is likely to equal, if not exceed, the record season the big extravaganza put up in Melbourne. In Melbourne the New Comic Opera Company began its season with Viennese opera, and the popular organisation was welcomed back very heartily by a contingent of their many admirers in that city . Theirs will only be a short stay, however, as last Saturday saw “ The Merry Widow” go up once more with Miss Florence Young as Sonia, Frank Greene as Danilo, Reginald Roberts as Jolidon and W. S. Percy as Baron Popoff.

In the engagement of Mr. Harry Roberts and Miss Beatrice Day Mr. William Anderson has secured two very popular artists to lead his new dramatic organisation on its tour of New Zealand. The initial production, which will take place in Auckland on May 6, will be Walter Howard’s successful romantic drama, “ The Prince and the Beggar Maid.” Mr. Roberts and Miss Day will be supported by a strong company.

A tremendous rush of applicants for chorus ■work in the Melba Grand Opera Company has set in, and Mr. Henry Bracy is being kept busy hearing voices. Three days last week were given up to the sopranos alone, and there are some really fine voices amongst those who can sing.

On learning the sad news of Mr. Max Maxwell’s death Mr. Bland Holt cabled his attorney in Melbourne to extend to the young actor’s widow every assistance in the matter of continuing the comprehensive tour already entered upon by the popular actor - manager. Mr. Holt’s cable from Paris expressed his great sorrow for the untimely death of Mr. Maxwell, who was for many years associated with, him.

A fine new American drama of Western life is to be produced at the King’s Theatre, Melbourne, as an Eastei’ attraction, with Mr. Harry Roberts and Miss Beatrice Day in the leading roles. The play is written by a well-known American playwright, Mr. Edward Peple (author of “The Prince Chap”), and is said to be of exceptional power and to possess a very strong cast. An Ameri-

can contemporary, in speaking of the play, said:—“lt is a Hiving, breathing story of the Golden [West, where the trails of men are dim and far apart. It is the .best play of-Western life we have witnessed for the past decade. It is. a-heart play and should live forever.”

William Anderson’s pantomime company, in “ The ©ld Woman Who Lived in a Shoe;,” hds just concluded a very successful -tour of the 1 small towns of New South Wales, and Is now en route for Queensland, a season being . played at Newcastle on the way.

With the advent of Mr. William Anderson’s new dramatic organisation, who open a season at Auckland on May 6 in “ Prineg. and the Beggar Maid,” with Mr. Horry Roberts and Miss Beatr’ce Day leading, New Zea-

land playgodrs wll be treated to a fine dramatic season. The company supporting these two popular artists is exceptionally strong, and will include Miss Ethel Bashford, Miss Florence Ritcher and Mr. Herbert Leigh.

At the Princess’ Theatre, Melbourne, on Saturday, Miss Kather.'ne Grey opened her season with Eugene Walter’s powerful play, “Paid in Full.” During the season one 1 or two novelties are promised, including the long looked for Shavian comedy, “ Arms and the Man.”

A -very important and interesting engagement in connection with the forthcoming Melba Grand Opera Company is that of Mdlle. Axerine, the young Russian prima donna, who has rapidly come to the fore and is now known as the Russian Melba. She

was a pupil of Joan de Reezke and the wbrld Damons (teacher is very proud of his pupil. After she had passed through her course of study she toured the whole of Russia in prima donna roles of Faust, „ “Rigoletto,” “Romeo and Juliet, “Traviata” and others of the Grand Operas that have become world famous. She is quite young and judging by her photographs, is very prepossessing in appearance.

It is quite a mistake to Imagine that Mr. H. B. Irving, whose projected visit to Australia is ’being looked forward to with so much interest by lovers of high class dramatic work, only came to the front rank in his profession after the death of his father. True enough while Sir Henry lived he kept his place as the very foremost dramatic artist of his day, but all the same as early as 1897 his son had established himself in the estimation of the public as an actor of high repute and the feeling then was that the son would forge his way right to the front in his profession. In the fourteen years which have since slipped away Mr. Irving has shown that those early prognostigations were by no means unfounded and he has certainly proved himseflf theatrically the worthy son of a worthy father.

Still another success stands to the credit of Mr. Winchall Smith, whose name appears in conjunction with that of Paul Armstrong as part author of “Via Wireless,” and an adapter of “ Brewster’s Millions.” His latest comedy is “ The Fortune Hunter,” which, with John Barrymore in the leading role, is now playing to big business in America. A little while ago Mr. Smith himself relieved Mr. Barrymore of his part for three nights and appeared in it himself.

An interesting opinion on the present day demand for opera is given 'by Andraea Dippal of the New York Metropolitan Opera House. It will be remembered that it was with Dippal that Madam Melba arranged for •the inclusion of John McCormack in her Australian Opera Company. It was by consenting to sing twice a week in Chicago, in addition to carrying out her engagement at the Metropoltan Opera House, that this satisfactory engagement was arranged. According to Dippal the demand for opera is on the increase. Some people, he remarks, are convinced that the desire for this class of music is a transient one, and that it will in time pass away, but Dippal considers that the taste of the public for opera is like the taste of the tiger for blood The tiger when once he has tasted blood is forever thirsty, and

when once the opera diffuses its glai mour in the brain the brain requires to be constantly stimulated. Also the opera differs from the’ ordinary type of theatrical entertainment, in that while the latter deals with sub- . jects which happen to be in vogue at the moment, the opera is concerned with masterpieces of all time. It forms part of the cultivation of the musical mind and it finds supporters all the world over.