THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 3427, 14 February 1874, Page 2

THEATRICAL GOSSIP.

A rumor reaches me that the Queen’s is to be opened shortly under the management of Messrs O’Brien and Hydes. Nous verrons

The nows from the Provinces is almost nil. That from Christchurch is contained in a postscript, and tells me business has not been over bright since the departure of Mr afi.l Mp Hoskins, who are much missed. By this time they have left New Zealand, ■they played to a crammed house one night at Wellington, and on Wednesday last were to have a farewell performance in Auckland. He had excellent terms offered him to play at the theatre there, but having already put his passage, lie could not acProgramme is to do California and the States, then to go London, where in leas tlisui than twelve months ho hopes tp place his wife in a good position in ope of the leading theatres, and then to use his own words, his “work will bo done.” Miss Aitken is still the “ star” at the Christchurch house—Messrs Collier and Maegowau are still lessees of the Prince of Wales at Auck'aud, but think of returning to Victoria very soon, 0

ow f° r a few miscellaneous items. The Allen Opera Company, whose appear* ance in Dunedin next month is announced, are still performing in Sydney, the “ Grand Duchess * being the opera last represented. - In it Miss May and Mr Rainford were very successful, but Mr Hal lam, who sustains the tenor role, proves unequal to it at least so says the ‘Mail.’—Miss Anstead I last heard of from Sydney, with which place she is anything but pleased. Indeed I have reason to know that she would gladly be back in Dunedin among “friends.” I know further that she holds a very poor opinion of the management of Sydney theatres. —Mrs '■deele remains in Tasmania, where, in conjunction with Mr T. P. Hdl, the well-known teacher of elocution, she has been giving readings. At Hobart Town both her entertainments were attended by Governor and Mrs Du Cane. Earl Donoghmore, and the upper ten of the island Charles Dillon appears to be always in diffiDespite most advantageous engagements, he cannot keep his head above water, as appears from the following extract frr m an English paper just to hand At the Huddersfield County Court, Mr Edward Clayton, lessee of the Theatre Royal, appiie that Mr Charles Dillon, the well-known actor, should be committed to York Castle. The application arose out of a debt of L 6 ss, which was due to Mr Clayton, and an order for payment of which he had obtained at a previous sitting of the Court, Air Sergeant Tindal Atkinson, Judge, ordered that Mr Dillon should be committed to gaol for 40 days. The opera season in Melbourne commences on March 16, and will extend over fortyeight nights. As I hinted some time ago, Mr Lyster has gone in for increased prices —half-a-guinea to the circle, 6s to the stalls, family circle (second row of boxes), 4s ; pit and gallery alike, 2s, the pit being doubled to exclude the roughs. The company will not after all include many new faces. M. Cagli has found it a harder task than he imagined to obtain desirable talent. The additions will be Signora Palmieri (prima donna), a mezzo soprano (Signora Persian!), a contralto (Signora Magi), another lady for comprimmarie parts (Signora Baldassare), and a basso (Signor Baldassare). Beaumont, Coy, and Rosnati will have their old parts, and Susini may return, but at present that is doubtful. Ihe new prima donna is described as pos« seasing great personal attractions, as being a very clever actress, and most capable singer, lbs following particulars of her career are sketched by the ‘ Argus Maria Palmiori was born in London in the year 1842. At a very early age, and in consequence of her precocious vocal talents, she was taken to Italy and placed under the tuition of masters, who in that country are admittedly competent to train the human voice to its most skilful utterances in song; and we hear that they predicted for their pupil a brilliant career. This young lady made her dehut in the city of Leghorn, in the Carnival season of 1862, and the public of that place quickly appreciated the great abilities of the young debutante. From Leghorn she went to the Grand Fair in Sinigaglia, and the same success attending her, she was at once engaged for a theatre in which mediocrity finds no place—namely, La at Milan. Here, in the autumn of 1863, sho appeared in two new operas—namely, ‘‘ 11 Vecchio della Montagna,” by Cagnoni, and “I Profughi Fiamtninghi,” by Face;©. It was from her success in these works and at this place that her artist fame in professional circles takes its rise. After having performed the Lucia of Donizetti, sho was bo highly thought of in the same place that she was engaged for the Carnival and Q.uaresima seasons of 18d3 and 1864. From this time her recognition became general, and in the spring of the year last named she_ was engaged at the Theatre Carlo henice, in Genoa. In the following autumn she made a great success in Turin, at the Theatre Vittorio Emanuele, From this she was promoted on advantageous terms to the Teatro Begin in the same city, in which she made a great effect in Verdi’s opera “ Simone Bocnaneara, ” In the succeeding spring “La Palmieri” ' was engaged at the Theatre Reggio d’Emilia, from whence the impressario ot the Pergola in Florence secured her services for the Carnival seasons, 1865 and 1866, and there she sang m two new operas, namely, “ Veronica Oybo” and “ II Conte di Konigemark/* as well as in Donizetti’s “Poliuto. In all of these her performances were so highly thought of that her talents were secured for the grand seasons of spßuran and 'Carnival IBu6 and 1867, at no less a place than the ( at Naples, and there she sang in ‘ll Imvatore,” and in a new opera, “La Duchess di Guisa,” in which last-named work her success was so great that it was played thirty times. Her appearance after this &s Margherita, in Gounod’s “ Faust 1 * was significant of her powers to please her audience, for upon the strength of it she was immediately re engaged for the same “ San Carlo for the Carnival and Quaresiraa seasons of 1867 and 1868. It was at this time that Meyerbeer’s “ Africaine” was first represented at the “ San Carlo,” and in this Signora Palmieri took the loading part. She * ls ° ~a , new <’P era b Y Serau, 11 Figho Prodigo, and again in “ Poliuto,” and her performances in each ease were the theme of unbounded approval. In the autumn of the same year she sang at tho iipera-house in Trieste with great success. In 1868 and. 18 9 we find her singing at tho leatro Bellini in Palermo, still maintaining tho high position she had enjoyed in the other places. During the next season she was in Brussels. For the Carnival of 1870 the impresaario of “La Feuice,’i Venice, secured the services of La Palmieri,' and in that theatre she is reported to have achieved the same brilliant succeai that had marked her career throughout Italy. As a natural sequence to this her services were sought by the impreasario of the “ Itahens,” in Paris, M. Bagier, and at the beginning of the late war she had just negotiated a most advantageous engagement, but the war put a stop to it. Although the war closed the Paris stage to her, the ban Carlo at Naples was again glad to secure her services, for the third time, and therefore wo find her singing in that great house in 1870 and (Carnival) 1871. Alter this Signora Palmieri was again engaged at the Teatro Regie, Turin, with some success that had attended all her former efforts. Prompter. v