MUSIC NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1416, 14 June 1917, Page 32

MUSIC NOTES.

(By

“G” String.)

During the present season at the New York Metropolitan Opera House several important roles are being sung by two Australians, Madame Frances Alda and’ Miss Anna Case. Madame Alda was for some time a member of the J. C. Williamson Royal Comic Opera Company. The well-known Russian musicians, Alfred Mirovitch and Michael Pias-

tro, have decided on another tour of Australia and New Zealand: They are at present touring the East and are due to sail for Australia on July 15. The first concert of the tour will probably be given in Sydney early in August. Miss Adelaide Van Staveren, of Wellington, in April made a highly successful appearance in the title role of “Carmen” at Liverpool with the Harrison-Frewin Opera Company. She had a very enthusiastic audience, who were genuinely appreciative of her voice and dramatic powers. The Micaela of the cast was Miss Norah d’Argel, also formerly of Wellington. Miss Van Staveren also appeared successfully last month at the Aeolian Hall, London, at a concert given by the London Trio of instrumentalists. Edouard de Reszke, the Polish singer, whose death was announced a few days ago, was 61 years of age. He was one of the two famous Polish operatic singers—Jean and Edouard —and was born in 1853. Jean is a tenor and Edouard was a baritone, and both achieved high fame and immense fortunes by their singing in various parts of the world. At the annual meeting of the Wellington Amateur Operatic Society the election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: —President, Hon. A. Herdman, M.P.; vice-presi-dents, Messrs. A. W. Newton, W. H. Atack, P. Levi, T. M. Wilford (M.P.) and V. R. Meredith; committee, Messrs. A. Shaw, H. Plimmer, W. Smith, Misses Isaacs and Saunders, Messrs. H. D. Bridge, D. A. Kenny, V. G. Rhind, O. H. Green and Dr. Isaacs (the last five elected as a graceful compliment to former committeemen now under arms); musical director, Mr. Bernard F. Page; hon. treasurer, Mr. W. Fraser; hon. auditors, Messrs. E. W. Hunt and D. R. Menzies; hon. secretary, Mr. E. B. Vance. The question as to whether the society shall produce an opera this season was left in the hands of the new committee to deal with.

Of all his creations, the “Grumpy” of Mr. Cyril Maude, the famous English actor, is considered his masterpiece. Grumpy is a shrewd, lovable person in spite of his attribute from which he takes his name, and the character is said to rank alongside the living portraits that Charles Dickens handed down to posterity.