STAGE FOLK

Evening Star, Issue 22460, 3 October 1936, Page 5

STAGE FOLK

Mr Frank S. Tait, a managing direct tor of J. C. Williamson Ltd., will leave for America by the Mariposa, sailing from Sydney on October 14._ Mr Tait, who will be making a business visit, will he joined at Auckland by Mr Rich* ard Crooks, the famous tenor, on October 17, after the famous singer’s New; Zealand tour.

That veteran American actor, playwright, composer, producer, and manager, George M. Cohan, once wrote a comedy about a youth who inherited the fortune of a chewing gum king and packed the play with so much highlyflavoured romance that it ran for years in the United States. He recently searched the pigeon-holes . for his

old play (‘Broadway Jones’), turned it into a musical comedy, renamed ii ‘ Billie,’ and sent it to Australia for Sir Benjamin Fuller and Garnet H. Carroll,to produce at the Opollo Theatre . Mr Cohan’s comedy has been nicely revised and the jokes have been gaily spruced np. As Sir Benjamin proudly pointed out when ‘ Billie ’ was staged at the Apollo, the dialogue is commendably clean. Reviewing ‘ Billie,’ which is coming to Dunedin in Christmas week, the ‘ Melbourne Herald’ stated:—“For what are known in the show business as popiw lar prices you get a full-dress musical comedy, with songs and dances to match, and as much rollicking fun as the normal playgoer can digest in ona evening. The presiding genius of tha piece is Mr Charles Norman, that enterprising, handsome comedian, who mimes and fools with such a gentlemanly air of refinement. If anyone deserves credit for the success of tha opening performance it is he. His mere presence on the stage is a guarantee o! pleasure and content. Bert Matthews, too, is a comedian who, as they say, knows his onions. We can count ourselves fortunate that Mr Matthews did not take himself and his cigar back ta America a few weeks ago . Messrs Norman, Matthews, and Barrett Lennard form a victorious triumvirate, vested with dictatorial powers to make tha theatre safe for laughter. And how firmly they dictate. Miss Catherine Stewart fills the leading lady’s shoes with a graceful and delicate air, and sings her songs prettily. As leading man Mr Eric Bush gives an adequate representation of a muscular gallant swept off his feet by the twin blessings of true love and 5,000,000 dollars. Aa acquisition to the cast is Miss Dawn Lightfoot. Miss Mona Zeppol makes several welcome appearances as a sola dancer.”

One of the greatest pianists in the world, Vladimir Horowitz, may visit Australia next year, according to Mr Paul Vinogradoff, the Russian pianist who left for Australia a few days ago after spending four years in New Zealand. Mr vinogradoff said he had heard that Horowitz, who also is a Russian, would visit Australia to broadcast concerts and he did not think it likely that the great pianist would return to Europe without coming to Now Zealand. Beyond any dispute, Richard Crooks, who is to give a single recital in Dunedin on Monday night, is the tenor of the times. It may even be questioned whether any of his immediate predecessors have been endowed so richly. Not only has ho a rarely beautiful voice, hut ho has besides, and above all, r a singer’s instinct. Moreover, in the five languages which he sings, particularly English, Crooks has that rare gift ' —complete clarity of diction. He is more than a great singer, because he has that intelligence and sympathy .which, when joined to such gifts, produce great interpretative art. His song can he ranked with those of the most famous tenors of all times. Having conquered his native land ’(America), Crooks went to England and tho Continent, everywhere scoring the biggest hit of any American artist in years. His operatic debut was made in Hamburg in ‘ Tosca ’ and was a real sensation, followed by appearances at the Stadtische Opera in Berlin, whore he was hailed as “ tho new star of the operatic firmament.” Numerous lecitals everywhere in Europe caused a furore. The tenor’s following seasons both at home and abroad made his name world-famous. Crooks made his debut with the Metropolitan Opera Company in Now York on February 25, 19:13, in Massenet’s ‘ Manon,’ and received tho record number of 37 curtain calls for his triumph. Subsequently he sang 1 Faust,’ ‘ Traviata,’ and ‘ Linda di Chamounix.’ and during the 1934-05 season new roles for him were in ‘ Lohengrin,’ 1 Mignon,’ and ‘ Tosca.’ One of the world’s greatest male dancers to-day is Leon Woizikovsiky, who is on his way to Australia with Colonel do Basil’s Monte Carlo Russian Ballet. This dancer is not only’ brilliant technically, but has a remarkable personality and the gift of making friends immediately with his audiences. He is, too, strikingly handsome. Tho London ‘ Morning Post ’ recently published this item regarding his performance with tho Monte Carlo Russian Ballet at Coveut Garden Opera House before the company’s departure for Australia; “The special attraction last night was the appearance of Woizikovsky in ‘ Prince Igor.’ This great dancer’s reputation stands as high today as it did in the days_ when he was a leading figure in the original Russian Ballet, and his dancing is always of the first order. His performance last night was astounding. His 'presence seemed to inspire the whole company, and his dancing was the pivot of one of the most exhilarating performances we have seen this season.”

A famous writer has devoted a whole chapter of one of her most noted books to Leon Woizikovsky, the world-famous principal male dancer of Colonel do Basil’s _ Monte Carlo Russian Ballet, which is soon to tour Australia under the management of J. O. Williamson Ltd. This writer is Ethel Mannin, and the book is her ‘ Confessions and Impressions.’ “ A living flame ” is' how Ethel Mannin describes the warmth, beauty, and vitality of Woizikpvsky’s art, and, in referring to his performances in ‘ Prince Igor,’ ‘ Apres Midi d’un Faun,’ Swan Lake,’ and other ballets in which he will appear in Australia and New Zealand, she refers to him as “ a great artist, of seductive personality, and faultless technique lit by imaginative , inspiration. The art of Woizikovsky has the fire and spirit of Borodin, the romantic beauty of Handel, the capriciousness of Debussy, the tenderness of Tschaikowsky. There is tremendous interest in the forthcoming appearance of the Monte Carlo Ballet, for Leon Woizikovsky is not the only great dancer in the company—there are a dozen noted principals, including the beautiful Helene Kirsova. The repertoire will comprise no fewer than 24 ballets.

Besides being one of the most famous tenors in the world, Richard Crooks, who sings here on Monday under the J. and N. Tait management, is a fine athlete. This form of relaxation is not only beneficial to his health, but keeps him in good form and provides a complete change from the routine of concerts and practice. As a sport, he is a wonderful baseball pitcher, a par golfer, a crack rifle shot, and a tine tennis player. He can handle a motor car with ease, and is a very fine plane pilot, his antics in the air being the daily terror of his managers. He is a deep-sea fisherman of no mean ability, and an equestrian who might be the envy of any polo player or circus rider. But this is a mere nothing. He is the handball champion of New York State. Richard Crooks likes the feeling of a personal contact with his audiences. He believes that music is as personal a medium of expression as conversation, and he definitely enjoys sharing an evening with his audience. Another reason why he prefers concert work to making records or broadcasting is tlmt ho is free to choose the songs he feels like singing. The mistake of radio, ho affirms, is the limited repertoire.

in connection with the J. 0. Williamson Ltd. revival of ‘ The Merry Widow ’ at His Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, with Gladys Moncrieff as Sonia, and Frank Leighton as Prince Danilo, it is interesting to recall the names of the principals in the original Australian production at Her Majesty’s Theatre,

Melbourne, on May 16, 1908, when Lehar’s opera was presented for the first time in Australia by the late Mr J. C. Williamson. Carrie Moore was Sonia; Andrew Higglnspn, Prince Danilo; Victor Gouriet, Baron Popoff; Reginald Roberts, do - Jolidon; W. S. Perpy, General Novikovich; Florence Young, Natalie; Fred Leslie, Nisch; Arthur Hunter, the waiter at Maxim’s; and others included Claude Bantock, Edmund Sherras, D. B. O’Connor, Ivy Scott, Jessica Deane, Connie Milne, Lybus Caffyn, Mignon Ashton, Gladys Young, George Musgrove, Birdie Gross, L. Raleigh, Nellie Wilson, Gladys Turner. Tne play was produced by Gerard Coventry, with Gustave Slapoffski as musical director. Some of these artists are in Australia to-day, including Carrie Moore, Andrew Higginson, Victor Gouriet, Reginald Roberts, Nellie Wilson; also Gustav Slapoffskt. Ivy Scott is in America; Fred Leslie and W. S. Percy are in England. Percy recently published a charming travel book on Scotland.

New York likes Evelyn Gardiner, the contralto who toured New Zealand a few months ago with the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera- Company, and who left later to join the D’Oyley Carte Company which opened on Broadway on August 20 in ‘ The Mikado.’ Referring to the opening performance, the ‘ New York Times ’ says:—The evening began on the right note when the red head of Isidore Godfrey bobbed up in the orchestra pit to lead the overture. Ovation and rapture, unmodified. When Derek Oldham arrived as Nanki-Poo and Sydney Granville as Pooh-Bah, more ovations. For Martyn Green, who in himself personifies all the dreams of the true Savoyard, there was another one. Call the entire evening an ovation, and be done. The D’Oylev Carte Company is expected to be itself, and it always is. But there were spies present. Into paradise last winter crept a rumour that the D’Oyley Carte Company this trip would not include Dorothy Gill, who had been its Katisha. Associations were formed, with offices and a telephone number; the general tenor being bring back Dorothy Gill. She didn’t come, however, could not he wooed, and so last evening as Katisha there was Evelyn Gardiner. Association members were present to judge, and while it is difficult to tell what goes on in the back of any Savoyard’s mind, they seemed to be content. Miss Gardiner was properly terrifying and she went easily through some of Sir Arthur’s more desperate chores. All is well. ‘The Mikado ’ will linger for eight days more, then afterwards, in due and fitting order, will como the rest' of the Gilbert and Sullivan festival. Eight weeks, they* say, maybe longer.