MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1699, 15 March 1913, Page 12

MUSIC.

TBr Tbeble Clef.i

\Cast of "Carmen." "Carmen" lias not been heard in Wellington for nearly four, years, when it was played hero by Williamson's Opera Company, headed by Mdlle.- Bel Sorel and Miss Amy Castles. ' Although the .per-' formance was not first-class, it' was distinctly interesting, and, was . capitally; mounted. Bizet's "Carmen" is not by any, means a simple work.; All the<music is written for voices of big (not normal) range, and even in the'oase of the minor roles, voices of-exceptional range and flexibility, are required.' It is therefore a: matter of great difficulty to cast the' opera l for concert purpdses with the confidence that all will be well. The "committee of the Royal' Wellington Choral Society have had a rather anxious time in arranging their ca6t, which is as follows:— Don Jose Mr. Prank Graham Escamillo Mr. Hamilton Hodges Uaucairo Mr. H. Phipps Eomenado Mr. E. J. Hill Zuuiger and Morales ; Mr. T. W. Laycock Carmen Miss Carmen Pinschof Micaela, Madame Wielaert FraSquita Miss Gertrude Hunt Mercedes Miss Muriel Bennett .The performance ia'to bo given on April 22,. and on account of the exceptionally heavy expense incurred in getting such a large cast together, % the prices' charged will bo 4s. and 3s.—which should be an inducement for citizens to' become honorary meinbers. ' Mr. Christian Helleman, tho society's new conductor, will bo in Wellington to witness tho performance. An Operatic Tenor, The death of James W. Turner, a wellknown English • operatic artist and'manager, is chronicled. Mr. Turner, who had reached the "ago of 68, was (states the Sydney "Sun") the brothor of tho lato Charles Turner, for many, years associated with English opera in Australia. Tho two brothers were tenors, and both distinguished themselves ,in "Maritana" and "The Bohemian Girl." "The Stage," January 23, published this review of the lato Mr. Turner's career:— Mr. Turner was born' at Sutton-in-Ash-field, Nottinghamshire, in 18-47.'»\hen quite young lit. started on tour with a concert party through India and China, finally landing in Australia, where he made his stage debut as Don Caesar do Bazan in "Maritana," which afterwards became his favourite role. From Australia, Mr." Turner went to San Francisco. On returning to England he was fortunato in attracting • tho notice of Madame Parepa Eosa, and under tho direction of her husband, Carl Eosa, he joined tho famous troupe. After a season extending to nearly two years, Mr. Turner's health became impaired, and he went to South Africa. After resting, he rejoined tho Carl Rosa Company, and subsequently formed an opera company of his own. Ho ran his company ' for many years, and made opera • pay." Mr. Turner at one time travelled with Sims Eeevcs, and often sang when tho famous tenor was in trouble, with his throat or nerves.' •_ The .London, paper may bo in error in regard to Mr. J. W. Turner's visit to Australia (thinks the "Sun"). There is no 1 record of any operatic appearance there. The ' 1 late Mr. Charles Turner came to Australia in 1881. Tho robust tenor formed his English opera company in Sydney the 6ame year. Mdlle. Eva Gauthier. Mdlle. Eva Gauthier, an operatic mez-zo-soprano, at present engaged in a concert tour of the world, is in Sydney. She has just concluded .a series of .appearances in Java, tho Straits Settlements, Siam, Peking, and the Philippines—an out-of-the-way track lor singers coming from tho other side of tho world, but one which has proved highly interesting. She claims, indeed, to liavo been tho first to sing Debussy in tho East, for her music on this tour includes the beautiful aria of Lia, in "L'enfant Prodigue." It is her intention to sing in Australia ,aud New Zealand,'and slio will complete her travels by' visiting South . Africa . and British Indies on her way back to Europe. Mdlle. Gauthier, who is a' niece of. Sir. Wilfrid Laurier, and a merry FrenchCanadian, studied in Europe. "I was," slio- said, 'the first Canadian who ever entered the Paris Conservatoire. Thero was • place for only one foreigner, and there were 300 competitors and I won it," slio explained; with a justifiable note of triumph. After her career at this great teaching institution slio went back to Canada in support of Madame ; Albani in her farewell tour of that country in 190G, and took part in 100 concerts all over the Dominion. Then she sang in England, with tho London Symphony Orchestra (directed by the celebrated Nikisch), andwitli tho Sheffield Choir. Sho was a piipil of tho famous Bouhy in Paris for three or four years, and continued her studies in Italy, wliero her teachers were Oxilia and Carigniani, iu Milan. Hero she was trained-, in coloratura, 'and from heavy contralto music stepped into the role of Micliaela in Bizet's "Carmen" at the Eoyal Theatre at Pavia. Then, sho went to Holland -for concerts with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra,' and later sang. in Denmark.,'one of the concerts being'at tlni Eoyal Palace, wherp sho received a decoration Of' tho Louisa Order from, the Queen. Her .operatic experience also includos Covent Gardon, for she sang there on no less eventful an occasion than that of the first performance of Debussy's "Pellcas and Melisaiule," in 190 D. as well c* in tho production of "Lakme," the cast of which contained Madmne Tetrnzzini and Mr. John M'Cormack.

A portion of. the celebrated Sheffield Choir, which sang its harmonious 'way through Now Zealand three years ago, was appearing in vaudcvillo at Hie london Coliseum when tho last mail loft. Dr. Henry Coward was wielding the baton, and his chorus consisted of 45 voices—H sopranos 10 altos, 10 tnnors, and II basses. This capture by the music-halls just shows tho prime quality of up-to-dato vaudeville.