MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1901, 8 November 1913, Page 9

MUSIC.

i Isr TBEliLfi Cl/EF-l That Haunting Barcarolle. When Mr. Thomas Quinlan departed from Australia last year the musical legacy lie left tho popular ear was tlio Barcarolle in ''Tales of Hoffman." Every band, of whatever comprised, played it. One hoard- it at til© races, outside the office, window* m tho park. The restaurant, imistciiiiis played it during luncheon hour. It- figured in tho entr'acte music at all the tliotttrofl. It was practised oil the piano nest door. One couldn't escape it anywhere. Thcso tilings wore mentioned to Mr. Quintan in Sydney last week. ' "Have you got anything in the nen operas tbat is going to pursue us during tho forthcoming year?" ho waa asked. ■ ■ ■

"I'm afraid I Lave/'- Mr. Quinlan replied. "It is tho intermmo in "Manon Ltfscaut," tio Puccini opera That is 'good to keep' me in memory until' 1915, when I'll lie back again. You remember •what a rage tho intarae®!o from 'CavaHoria Eusticaua' was when liascngni's opera was first produced? Well, .Puccini's intermezzo lias similarly taken England by storm. It is really very beautiful and melodious. If I liavo to be advertised by a melody, as I seem to have been all last year by the Barcarolle, let it.be tho, intermezzo from' 'Manon Lescaut' beforo anything else, lam predicting thatthe third not of 'Manon LescauC will

mako tho greatest sensation of my present visit. It was so in Melbourne,! and I have no doubt it being tho case here."

Auok!and'.s Grand Opera Season, A feature of the forthcoming. season of the Quinlau Opera Company, opening at J3is Majesty's Theatre, Auckland, will be the appearance if Felice Lyne hi a series of performances which in one short month, mads her tho ra.ge of London; amongst others, this great artiste will appear ill "Kigolo'tto," "Tales

of' Hoffman," and "Faust," Some gorgeous scenery has been painted by Oliver Bernard, the scenic director of tlse Quinlau Opera Company. Particular attention has been paid to the costuming of the operas, whilst the casts will comprise .tho most notdable artists in tho company; tho repertoire has been very carefully selected for tho Auckland

season, and one of the finest perform* aiices will be tho presentation of "Samson and Delilah," in which Franz Costa will bo heard in the role of Samson, y-hilst Miss Edna. Thornton will, be Delilah. An Australian Singer's Success. Now York's real grand opera season does not commence until January, but on September 15 Mr. Milton Aborn in-

augurated a season at the Century Opera House {formerly the Now Theatre), a theatre fostered by tho City Club. Tho new company includes: John Bafdsloy, Glisten Bergmani), Walter Wheat-ley, Morgan Kingston. Among tho sopranos are: Lois Ewcll, Elizabeth Amsden, Florence {Joughlan, Evelyn Scotne.v, and ivy Scott. The 'first four mentioned arc Americans. Miss Scott, though an Australian b.v birth, is *n American by adoption, and wado her grand opera debut in this country in the title part of Puccini's "Tito Girl of tho Goldon West," when it was produced in England two years ago by Henry W. Savage. After that engagement' she entered the Aborn English Grand Opera Company, and her success with that organisation led to her being engaged for the mere important Century Company.

Metes. A flattering offer was made during last week bv the directors of the New (Mil-, lionairos') Theatre in New York to Mr. Thomas Quinlau. This wa;s for Mr. Quintan's company to give a Wagnerian festival at tho theatre, producing the complete cycle of "The King," and "Tristan and Isolde," coromclicihg nest April. Mi'. Quhilan, who. with hiscompany, was .much elated by the compliment implied in the offer, is considering tho schoine.