MR. HUGO GORLITZ.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 767, 16 March 1910, Page 5

MR. HUGO GORLITZ.

. (By "Sylvius.") f ... - .

Do you know Hugo Gorlitz. It is a privilege fOr the stay-at-home New Zealander to meet a man who has for many years moved 'in the charmed circle of the artistic Four Hundred—who personally knows half the great artists—instrumental and vocal—of the world. Mr. Gorlitz is the husband of Madame Amy Sherwin, the' golden-throated."Tasmanian nightingale" of twenty years ago, and who txwlay;is one of. the most successful teachers'of'singing in London. : ' Mr. Gorlitz-is at present ti-avelling New Zealand, making all forward preparations for the .coming, next year of " the great Sheffield'. Choir, which is being fiimnoed round the world by Mr. Charles Harriss, who' believes that music can and will strengthen the bonds of Empire., Mr. Gorlitz says that the people here have not yet begun to dimly realise what : a treat is in store for. them in the coming of the great choir,'and it is going to be of incalculable benefit to music throughout Australasia.' "There will never be room for 'the people 1 to hear the great choir when it comes-r-not. even in our big Town Hall, you'll see!"-

The choir is-merely an incident, in Mr., Gorlitz's life—he is going to write of his' life, some day. -It is an impresario that he is .known in England and America. He uiauaged Kubelik's first tour through' America, and Paderewski was also ' one of Gorlitz's ■ artists in America.;'

It was Hugo Gorlitz who introduced the great Diise'to. London—for which act alone lie deserves the thanks of- the. artistic.. He .lost .much money by.it-r-it was ever thus. - Afterwards the great woman commanded the finest audiences London could, produce.' Tho-adjective is used advisedly—she, was gTeat, greater in her operatic work than. Bernhardt in drama,_ and that is saying volumes. "She could make, me cry—me, ridiculous—yet it was so," said Mr. Gorlitz. "At the endof 'Cavalleria' and in Tja Traviata'. sho could tug the heart like-no one else. She. was - half-a-dozen people iri one .as Violetta—one minute laughing and commanding laughter, and the next a passion of real tears, and' 1 the audience ' sobbing with her. . Yes, she was greater than Bernhardt. She is not heard of so much 'now, you say. No, that is, so. She became friendly .with Gabriello d'Annunzio, and acted his plays—it is not evoryone that likes . d'Annunzio's plays.- Duse would only play three nights a week; it inado touring very expensive. And she. would never lot mo play anything with the company on the off nights. She made it impossible for me and my pocket." Mr. Gorlitz toured Now Zealand with his wife nearly a quarter of a century ago. ' The plaoo has grown since then— in music, not so much. He hopes much from the visit of the Sheffield Choir, and is gratified at tho news l.lial- "The Dream of Gerontius" is to be sung in Wellington. It was nndor the management of M. Gorlitz that. Elgar'p-great, work, was first suae in Westminster Abbey, London,