MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1503, 27 July 1912, Page 9

MUSIC.

(Br Tredle Clef.) "The Redemption." The Royal Wortington Choral Society has nxed on August 23 as the date for the performance of "The Redemption," which great work has now been in rehearsal for Aγ 1>!K f, "\1 nth - The soloist s engaged are Mr. (~ \. Mohr will undertake the I asi-o part) (also a Narrator). Matin me . Weilaert, of Auckland, will .Dp the sopiano, Miss Doris Dall the w\r ?' aml Mr - Jamcs A - Dohertv, of We lington, will sing the music allotted to the rolo of Jesus. The tenor solo music has yet to be allotted. lie Choral Society is showing a good (leal ot enterprise in importing a tenor nun Australia. This is an indication Imt it is making widcavour.s to do the best for its subscribers and for the public generally, further proof of this is forthcoming „!_(,„ answer to a letter written to the eminent English tenor, .Mr. .John Coates (now in Australia with the Quinfen Opera Company) by the secretary (.Mr. \\. V.. Caldow), who wished to know 1, there was any possibility of wciirins ms valuable services for n . performance. Jir. Coates wrote, as follows:— 'I (hank you for your very kind letter, out am sorry I cannot accept vour inMtation to' sing for you in Wellington as our tour mil not permit of my coining to -Non- Zealand this time. I 5 ], 0 ,,1d Have liked to have been nble to come It is ince to feel that I am known and have II lends there. I appreciate very much your kind note, and hope I mav have the pleasure of singing; for you at a future time, for certainly the generous reception and welcome I have had h?rc Melbourne), and also in South Africa, will tend to niako me fry to plan a second iisit before long, if I can fit it in without •ipsetting things at Homo too much. Mγ hearty greetings to you and your society. —1 ours sincerely, John Coates."

/'Gipsy Love." "Gipsy Love," the new light opera of Iranz Lehar, tho composer of "The Merry Widow," has been produced in London by Mr. George Edvardes, and no doubt in duo course will find its way to Australia under the J. C. Williamson management -It will require thoughtful ■casting however, if, as one of the critics stales, the music is more ambitious than that of "The Merry Widow." "Gipsy Lovo is describcii n& one of the best examples of Vicnneso liglit opera yet seen ■in London. Of course, there are waltzes in i.t—none of the Continental composers oi this class of score seem to Iμ able to do without, the waltz—but-Lehar knows how to tires.;his ideas-in'original garb, mm his use' of the woodwind is generally extremely skilful. These qualities are said to lie more than ever in evidence in the new piece. The story is of a Roumanian nobleman's daughter, who runs away with a gipsy, and is rescued by a triend, jn unconventional /memker of the llritish aristocracy. Mr. Edwardcs tried (lie experiment of bringing over a young Hungarian actress for the leading role. She met with a great reception, and is s-aid to have proved, herself successful as » singer as well as an' actress.' Miss Gertie. Millar is in. the ca>-t as Lttdv Babby, Uie friend of Ho'nn; anil Mr. Kobevt Miclnelis, Hurrv Dearth, .and W. H. Berry also have good parts. Judg-i ing from the greeting, the piece-. i-ecein'd ■ on the-first night, it is in for a loiij-nui at Daly's Theatre.

Cisnoros in Melbourne, "It must bo frankly stated (says the Melbourne "Argus") that Madame de Cisncvos is pre-eminently an operatic singer, nml what laurels she may win on the concert platform will be immeasurably inferior to those she has already gained in opera, where her graceful presence, the wide range, and 'dramatic quality of-her voice, have full scope. In concert work ono cannot overlook the insecurity of the middle register,,which.is responsible for .tho consistently faulty intonation noticeable in every one .-I' her items on Saturday, which uiarral the artistic effect throughout. Madame do Cisneros took as her first, bracket Nobil Signor (Meyerbeer) and the Aria (H San tiizza (Maseagni), in each of which she displayed good operatic technique, and evidently finds.them thoroughly congenial. She was warmly applauded, and as an encore added An Irish Mother's Kong (Laing), a ballad of no great artis'.ic value. , Tho fine song, 'Verbogeuheiv, by Hugo Wolf, was bracketed with Jch Grolle Nieht (Schumann), and an exnuis-, ite little Standchen (Richard 'Strauss). Two of these song?, with their various atmospheres, deiinnding keen artistic perception, proved disappointing. Yerboifenheit was very faulty in intonation, vhile Ich Grolle Nicht was unsuitable to the finger both- in style and temperament. J. he Standchen was in every respect better, and it was artistically given. Bn.nnlnlde's Call from the Walkure was added as an encore. Madnme de Cisneros, in the second part of the programme, contributed four bracketed songs—We Together (Kernochan). Light, (Bauer), Will o the Wisp (Snross), and a weird «etf.in" by Tours of Kipling's Mother o' Mine (repeated as an encore), anrl Schubert's Serenade, with tlie 'cello oMjlig.ito none of which calls for special comment."

Madame Clara Butt in Germany. Evidently the recent tour of Gennanv and Austria-Hungary by Madame Clara Butt created interest, for the season was extensively noticed in the European and press. The Xew York "Musical Courier, speaking of her success in Berlin, tnyi:—"She appeared in liorlin some years ago at tho Sinyalcanoniic, but with the Several thousand of concerts that we have had meanwhile, that recital is naturally but a hazy memory. Clara Butt is an artist with whom queenly presence on the concert platform and majeslic. vocal powers go hand in hand. The volume, sonority; and beauty of her vcice could not fail to impress a. German audience Madame Butt has a remarkable [coloratura facility, and; her technique, considering the unusual volume ami depth of her organ, was quite extraordinnrv."

Notes. ■ The long-talked-of . stage version of Mendelssohn's "Elijah" has been produced in Liverpool by the-Moody-Manners .Opera Company. The work .is said to "have created a deep impression. ; A •French paper slfltes that Caruso will sing the rolo. of Lohengrin; in.Berlin this season. 'R.ichinnninoff, the. great. Russian composer, has'had n call to become: director, of the Uoyal Opera at St.' Pctersburp. - ■ A wonderfully im)iressive performance of Verdi's "Aida" wns niven a few .weeks ngo outside the Great Pyramid of Cheops in .Egypt. A huge wooden stand was erected for the accommodation of an audience of over four thousand people of all nationalities, and the performance itself took place on the base of the pyramid. »

Mischa Fil.man has received a scarf-pin with the TCoyal arms in diamonds, with a warrant, permitting him to wear it, from the Empress of ■Russia. If is terrible to think what would lmvo happened if the warrant htul been omitted, and Elninn had been forced to k"en the ornament Innkcd in a. secret cabinet. A rather unique benefit performance was given at, the. Metropolitan in aid of the relatives of the victims 1 of the Titanic disaster. 'The programme included a memorial addrow bv Boiivke Cickran: t:ho singing of "The Wt Chord." in Eii ? li=-li, by Caruso: and Brahms' "■Requiem" by Ihn Oratorio 'Syciotv, accoini"\uied by the Philhannoiiic Orehcstrn. Mii'-roni. the wireless discoverer, w.-is pre«nn|p<l with a. gold lab'ei nf honour fhe concert was under lh« natronnjti nf Tnft nnd lh» r>nl-« of Connaujlit, Govcrnor-Gcucral of Canada,