MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.

Evening Star, Issue 3842, 17 June 1875, Page 3

MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.

MUSICAL NOTES. Though we live in an age of novelties, who would have expected to hear “ Trial by Jury” treated as a dramatic cantata? At the Royalty “ Trial by Jury” is actually set to music, Mr A. Sullivan having composed airs and recitatives to verses by Mr VV, S. Gilbert. The scene is in a court of justice ; and the event is a trial for breach of promise. Everybody, from the judge to the crier, sings; and there are in the piece somethings quite in the Offenbachean vein, while in one quartette Mr Sullivnn has admirably caricatured the famous quintette from Lucia. “ Trial by Jury,” though a trifle, is said to be one of the merriest bits of extravagance given to the stage for many a day. Po pularity in the musical and dramatic professions is dearly profitable. For the copyright of the “Prince Imperial ” galop of Chas. Coote, jun , which was sold very recently, nearly a thousand pounds was paid—the largest sum ever given f( r any single piece of music. Dion Boucicault lias achieved a success unparalleled in the annals of literature. His share of the profits of “ The Shaughrawn,” play, d for 135 nights in New York, was, after deducting expenses, 1/800 per week, and he refused L 50,000 for the right of playing it in New York for five years ! The popularity of Offenbach with the Parian ns is demonstrated by the fact that the first hundred performances of his “ Orpliee aux Enfers” averaged L 324 a-night! At Vienna the operatic event has been thr production of Goldmark’s new opera of the “ Queen of Sheba at Marseilles Nilson car lies everything before her ; while Mde. Judk is the rage at >St. Petersburg, In April the London operatic season w>s in full swing. Covent Garden opened its doors eleven _ days earlier than old Drury with “ William Tell.” Mr Map’eson, true to his promise “to devote an evening in each week, as an experiment, to the representation of an opera by one of the great classical composers,” opened with “ Fidelio ” with Titiens as Leonora, better than whom in that role cannot be beard at the present time. Mr Gye’s first success was achieved on April 10, when Mdle. Lara Thalberg, a daughter of the great pianist, made her first appearance < n any stage, and .debuted most successfully in ‘ Don Giovanni. ’ On her arrival the artist was received by a crowded bouse with only a fair amount of applause, but before the termination of the first act she completely won the esteem of the audience, and the immense shower of bouquets told that she had made a deep impression, Her voice is a pure soprano of fair compass, exceedingly sweet and sympathetic, and perfectly under command. Without the slightest appearance cf exertion she fills the large theatre, and her intonation is quite beyond reproach. She is said to act with a simple grace which is extremely winning, and she is certainly one of the most valuable acquisitions which has been made to the lyric stage for several years. Both houses intend to produce Wagner’s “Lohengrin,” Mr Mapleson with Nielson, Titiens, Trebelli-Bettini, Campiani, Galassi, and Behrens; Mr Gye with Patti, Albani, Vilda, D’Angeri, Sclaschi (best of modern contraltos), Maurel, and Tagl’afico. Mr Mapleson also promises to introduce this season a second debutante in the person of Mdle. _ Yaresi, a daughter of the popular baritone of the same name. The young lady, who comes of a good stock, brings with her the highest recommendations from Bistort, who predicts her success in England. With two versions of Lonhegriu, Nillson, and Singelli, alternating in “ Mignon,” and the Swedish nightingale in “ 11 Talismauo,” “The Hague nets,” “Faust,” and “Othello,” and Titiens incomparable as Medea, the season at Dmry Lane ought to satisfy the most fastidious. Patti is strong enough herself to sustain the fortunes of Covent Garden. America furnishes enough material to stock half a dozen papers, but, of course, there ; s little of it that will interest Colonial readers. Arabella Goddard in April aas still on the Pacific slope, and doing so well that sho contemplated remaining on the Pacific slope till September. It is said she was off-red by a wealthy New York speculator 40,000,de15, (nearly L 8.000) for an eight months' lour, shewing that some people in the States appreciate her great talents. Mrs Oates’s opera bouffe company is still the rage in ’Frisco, New York is promised visits in the spring by Patti, vho goes oat under engagement to her uncle Sbrakosh, and hy 15-locca, the Russian prinia donna, the Litter being acompanied hy Dr Vor Bulow, the greatest pianist of the day. Of opera-in the Colonies there is little to say. Opera bouffe, uuder Mr Lyster’s management, lias had a prosperous season in Melbourne, and betaken itsef to Ballarat, where the company, strengthened by Mr Beaumont’s accession, opened the new academy of music, which can accommodate .1,700 persons and is the finest theatre out of Melbourne. Mr Allen is now director of the Opera House in Melbourne, where his company, exactly the same as when he gave his first season in Dunedin, is confining its attention at present wholly to English opera. Itopencdin“Maritana,”and the friends of Miss May will be pleased to learn that she met with a very waim reception. Mr Hallam made a favorable impression. The Italian company was very unfortunate in its Sydney campaign At the commencement all the members of the company, Z‘'noni excepted, were seized with illness, which withdrew them one by one from service ; then the attendance thinned, and the season came to an unsatisfactory close, and most of the company are now in Melbourne. We forgot to mention that on June 11 Mr Allen was to produce, for the fivet time, a comic opera composed by himself, and entitled “ GasQc Grini.” in which Miss M. A. Liddle (Mrs Hilton) and a Miss Emily Thompson wore to make their first appearances on the operatic stage. _____

THE V ERICAL GOSSIP. The tragedian of the hour iu the world’, metropolis was, when the last mail loft London, Salvini, whose fame is, for a time, sure to eclipse that of Henry Irving, whose wonderful performance of Hamlet had, on April 4, rcaclu d its 120 th night. Though Signor Salvini now appears iu Loudon for the first time, his name has long been familiar to l-’ngHsh ears. Gould it be other wue when a man has travelled up and down the United States time after time, and accomplished extraordinary successes? At Drury Lane, alternating with Italian Onora Salvini gives some of the most admired char mters in his repertory. By recourse to a simile.! plan, it will be remembered, London heard Rachel and RGtori. -"e is extraordinarily handsome, is possessed of a Voice delightfully rich, of extraordinary compass ulkl v.VUfiie o-ml melodious from its lowest to its highest note and his elo u lon is absolute peifcctiou. In his outbursts of fury and passion, the ‘ Era’—n-> mean aulhoi ity describes Sahiui as without an equal on the English stage; and for producing effcite by the meve means of speech and declamation, nothing like it has been achieved since Macr-aidy left the stage. At tome of the London tfitAlths we come across many names Well known in the Colonies. At the Globs Mr G. B. Ireland figures m Ihc Guinea Stamps.” Mrs Mary Glads lane, mppirted by Mr J. L. Hall, mafe her first appearance on the Loudon boards at tfie.Goiety m fflaiaptotbli from (lie French entitled _ Poro Michel ’—a dull and miserable saipld piece 1 hat hid almo.-t the cr.-ps of

driving Mrs GbuM-anc straightways back to the J rovmces. very unfavorable impression slie made in B!un a stupid piece she wholly ie moved when she appeared as Lady (Jay in London As_suvar.ee.” At the Sir rey we find Miss Lloise Juno p'aymg Gertiude with considerable success to Mr Creswick’s Hamlet. At Birmingham Barry Sullivan has met with a truly popular ovation On the evening that *ne citizens presented him with a magnificent salver, tankard, and beakers, the juices were ' r mi . ed and tlie oiohcstra was converted into stalls—- uhe theatre was not i ble to hoi! half the people who applied for admission. ]V[r E. I’, llingston, Spiers and Bond, manager at the Utt.cnon, who is invalided, had a L nefi j >vndered to him. Every artiste of am- , .nto in a’-'i l’l (°«no P 'Y fc iu t , he Poyformance, which patby * uet—a substantial token*sym-

America must be the place for “stars.” Witne-'s Boucicault with his “ Shauehraun ” playing for 135 nights to crowded houses; Kate Carson, in “The Two Orphans,’’with noprospect of her time of mourning coming to an end ; Kignold, so well received by the Yankees that he serWisly thinks of residing permanently in the States; J. S. Clark is doing so well that he was able to command his own terms to reappear in London for the production of Halliday’s latest work, an adaptation of “ Nicholas Nickleby Maccabe is coining moneyiat Philadelphia ; while Toole remains in the Provinces months beyond his time, and draws full houses all the while. The sensation of the hour in New York is “A tour round the world in eighty days,” in which some wonderful painted scenery is exhibited. A sad item from the United States*; old Victorian playgoers will remember Miss Fanny Morgan, a pupil of Mr Lambert, who was latterly known by her married name of Phelps, and who was travelling through America with a company. She and her company of four went down in a little steamer that foundered during a gale in Puget Sound on March 26. Of their end the ‘ Portland Guardian ’ wrote :—“ On the day the steamer left Seattle for Port Maddisou a fearful gale was blowing and the sea was running mountains high, hissing and roaring like a world of enraged lions. The Ruby passed out into the open sea, and the spectators watched in breathless silence. At last, with a fearful leap and plunge, she went down out of sight. It was thought at first that she had gone down in a trough of the sea, and would rise upon another wave. For an hour close watch was kept, but she appeared not, and it was concluded that she had gone down with all on board. The persons comprising the troupe were Mr J. A. Sawtelle, the promising young actor; Mrs Fanny Morgan Phelps, Miss Lizzie Morgan, Little Yivia, and Mr Jerry Crowell.”

Turning to the Australian Colonies we find “The Shaushran” is being played in Melbourne with great success, Mr Wheatleigh, an \ merican actor, playin $ the principal part. Of theatrical and musical matters in Sydney, a correspondent of the ‘New Zealand i hues ’ writes—“ The great American stars, the Williamsons, objected to the exorbitant terms of Mr Bennett, of the 'Victoria; and Mr Lazar, of the Adelaide Theatre, entered into an arrangement with them, secured a lease of the Queen’s, in York street (the cafe dmntant, one of the lowest dens in the city), and converted it into a perfect little hijou theatre. He then brought the Williamsons round, with a fair company to support them ; engaged the best orchestra to be got, led by Levey—as well as Wilson, the scene-painter—and opened with “ Struck Oil,” The piece was played here forty eight nights to splendid business, and the dress circle was fillecf each night by the best people in the city, from the Governor downwards. They are now playing “ Kerry ” and two small pieces, to excellent business. At the Victoria, the Opera Company, a co-operative Italian arrangement, with Pompei as nominal imprmario, only did fair business at the very commencement. Their chorus and orchestra were weak, and most of the principals always ill—particularly Rosnati and Dondi, the former seriously so. Pompei introduced to us in “II Trovatore ” a new baritone—Signor Bono—who achieved a genuine triumph. He is young, of good address, a capital actor, and-, sings splendidly. The Marionettes, at the School of Arts, are well patronised. Mdle. Jenny Glaus, before leaviig here, gave a highly successful recital, at which a young French lady, said to be the daughter of the Chief Justice of New Caledonia, made a good im pression. At Adelaide little Rosa Towers has developed into a “star,” and pleases her patrons greatly. Some critics profess to be shocked with the idea of a “star” actress dressing her characters. But what wouldthey say tothelady who plays Lady Flora at the Court Theatre in London, or to Mdlo. Montaland at the Gaieto, Paris ? To see either would wholly unnerve them. Our lady readers can understand how “ the handsomest brunettes” on the Parisian stage would look in any of the uud -Tmentioned toilets. In the first act robe of rich pale green silk, almost hidden under clouds of magnificent Valenciennes lace, the corsage made with a double point behind, fastened on the shoulder with a knot of ribbon of the same shade and a bunch of cherries. In the second act—black silk dress, trimmed with strawcolored embroidery and lace of the same color. In the third act Nasturtium-co-lored silk _of the rich dark, red-brown shade, which constitutes . the handsomest variety of that flower. The right side of the skirt forms three waistcoats, embroidered with nasturtiums of all the shades affected by that flower, and trimmed with fringe to match ; from those three waistcoats fall three straw-colored scarves, embroidered with nasturtiums, and forming an elegant bunch at the back of the dress. The hat worn with this dress is trimmed with feathers and nasturtiums. Finally, in the fourth act A dress of magnificent white satin, thick enough to stand alone, reflecting the light in wonderful style, embroidered all over with white jet, and covered with a flounce of diaphanonoi B tulle, with all these dresses a profusion of magnificent jewellery. Prompter.