Dramatic and Musical

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 61, 31 August 1901, Page 14

Dramatic and Musical

By Footlight.

MUSGROYK'S (Jiand Opc-ia Cornpan v is mining the end of its tlnid week, and going quite as strong a.s it did at the outset. Such a MMSon lia.s ne\ei been known in Wellington It lias been at the flood-tide horn the start, and in spite of variations of piogiamme and repetitions ot some operas, the attendance has been so unihnm light tliiough that I am mfoimed £20 would cover all the variation theie ha.s been between one night and another 'Mignon," full of bieezy and flond music given for the first time in Wellington on Friday evening last, won further eulogy for the Musgrove Opera Company for their fine treatment of it. So many of the finest voices the company possesses are heard in the production that it is a tieat m trained vocalisation, as it is a picture to the lover of the art of stage sceneiy. * T * The intense dramatic enthusiasm instilled into the part of 'Mignon," the abducted daughter of a mad nobleman, b\ Madame Slapoffski, entitles her to a meed of cordial praise Her voice vibrates with the sadness of her hopelessness, 01 abandons itself to the iov of her re'ea.'-c from the thraldom of her Gipsy master One moment pathetic, ueirdlv another vivacious, wildly loyous, Madame's Mignon is a fine performance * * * Miss Coomber, as Filina, a coquette, whose object is to steal the affections of Wilhelm, a rich student, acts and sings her difficult part faultlessly. Madame Jansen, in the part of Frederick, the adorer of the fair Fihna, has little opportumtv to do anything but act Her laro vocal items are rendered with the great artistic taste for which she is noted. * * * The gentlemen are moio stilted than usual, but their singing was of a high older. The Wilhelm of Mr. Salvi was haidlv as pood as his "Don Jose," or, indeed, of am other of his characteis. Nor was the Lothario of Mr. Charles Tilbury as finished a performance as many of his former ones Mr Leumane to whom what fun there was is flue, acted with success, and a house filled throughout testified it,% annrova! most waim.lv at frequent intervals. The icpeat peifoiinance of "Mantana," on Saturday night, was bright, vnacious, and sparkling. Still, I did not peicene any advantages from the changes in cast Mr Barron Berthald was out of his element, as Don Caesar, which is not to be wondeied at. if it is tine, as I heaid, that it wa.s the first time lie had pla\ed it for sixteen years Mr. Lempnero Pi ingle, a,s Don Jose, was pienatuiall\ solemn, and Mr. Tilbuiv's King of Spam was dieadfully staichy Miss .lansen's geneious hguie does not lend itself easily to the part ot La/aril!o, the aimourer's apprentice, but she was the ''hit" of the cast, and hei execution ot ."Alas, those Chimes," was the best thing m the performance I liked Miss Coomber's "Mantana." It was girlish and graceful, and she sang hei music sweetly. •*■ * * Wagner's Flying Dutchman," on Monday mght, was a great musical treat The highly romantic stou with its uncanny incidents, has been tieated in the most graphic and pictuiesquc stj le. One is impressed at the outset by the powerful overture, descriptive of the storm. The i aging sea, the shrieking gusts of the tempest, and the muttering and bellowing of the thunder, find forcible expie.ssion in the rich mstiumentation. and make captive the attention at once It is highly dramatic music, and the instrumentation is remarkable The rousing sailor choruses, the steci smaii's song in the first act the delightful spinning chorus in the second act, the spirited duet between Daland and the Dutchman, Scuta's lomanee, and the festal chorus, weie all most successful X executed As Krik the Huntsman, Mr Beithald sang and acted with much foice Mr Lawrence Moone\ ga\e a capital exposition of the title lole, and Miss Coomber sustained the pait of Senta attiactivelv and, in spite of an evident cola, sang the music very nicely Miss Jansen filled the bniall part ot the nurse perfectly and

Mr Tilbuiy ga\ c a s.itislac toi y account of himself as Dalaiul The sccmc effects weio splendid Nothing hnci m stage-craft lias been seen lieie than the fust act, lepieseutnig (lie ISoiwegiau vessel mooied in <> iocKv cose, and Ihe phantom Dutchman caieuing along m the teeth ot the gale light acioss the held of \ lsion Tann.hau.sei," pl.ned la.st week and again tins Wednesday, and set down also for the taieuell night (Xatui da\) is one of the tnuinphs ol the season Personally, I piefrei Lohongim," but ' Tannhausei" makes a \ er\ close second. It i-s too late m the da\ now to dilate upon its haunting beauties The eo'den witchei \ of lomame invests it Among its delightful charms let me but local the glorious overt mo, Tannhauser's song in honour of Venus the pilgrims' choius the splendid seplet at the end of the first act, Kh/.abeth'.s giand ana and duet with Tannhanser the maich, and the bril'iant finale of the second act, Wolham's !o\elv 10mance, "0, Star of E\ c " and Tannhauser's \ory stnking account of his pilgrimage to Rome Madame Slapoffski as Elizabeth, and Mr Berthahl as Tannhauser, scoied very high honours, and Mr Max Eugene made an excellent Wolfram Altogether it has been a dehahtful season, and its memories will abide with us for many a long year » * ♦ At the Theatre Royal, Dixs Gaiety Company is plaung brilliantly to nowded houses. The stream of specialists constantly flowing into the theatre keeps the bright business up to a high standaid and the people satisfied The Wondeiful Dartos have arrived to asceitain if the praise lavished on them in the States of the Commonwealth can be confiimed heie. It certainly can for no ptewous "turn" a-t the Gajetv has earned a moie mstmt or unqualified recognition than that of these clever people Tho iim and abandon the delightful ease and grace of their wonderful poifoi mance, make the rooplo lather ciuelh demand fiequent lenetition and it is noticeable only when the talented people finish

then act tli.it it is a tax on their enduiance it lepeated too often. The D.utos' peihnmance is undoubtedly a splendid one The enthusiasm of the audience emphasises this The Ha\tois have a laige lepertoire, <uid lansack it nightly foi something neu and alluiing They aie ever successful in. then seaich. Mr. Jim Mai ion has taken a seat at the corner, uheie he seems to be at home. Alberrn the deceptiomst, is an adopt at his ail, ii a little uneann>. Many weird wiiks does he perroim to an audience which concentiates its attention on finding out how it is done " It does not <-com to come to any satisfactory solution, however Johnnie Collins has .it last torn himse'f an ay from Auckland Auckland without its Johnnie Collins *■ * *■ The Dunbai Empire Company is pro^ giesMng niemlv at the Kxchange Hall, and has so far justified the management in the supposition that Wellington would patronise another permanent Vaudewlle Company. Houses have been veiv satisfactory, and Mr. Fenton, the manager, infoims me that he is keeping an unsleeping eye on stray talent for the combination Chailefc Hugo has come back to bumtcoi k business after rather a prolonged absence His hand has not lost its cunning, and his quaint comicalities, that New Zealanders remember so well, are being unived for the present veneration Hi« reception on his first appeaiance was aftei the old pattern, and Ins native wit showed no diminution. — * * Mr T Mooney has a new thing in dog dances well woith seeing. Mi V Daw son has a tenor voice of some ment, and as he only sings song.s the sentiment of which appeals to the average audience he is welcomed vigorously, and l'ecalled sometimes Pei haps, the featuio of the enteitamment is the "turn" by the Cortez Bi others, trapeze arti&ts, and genelallv jomtless acrobats. [Continued on Page 16.]

Wilson Bariott brings to New Zealand 100 scenes and 820 costumes. > * * * It is said that Miss Agnes Jansen holds the rank of countess in her own country. * • # Mr. Barron Berthald is accompanied on the present tour by his wife. She is a charming American lady. * # » Miss Linda Raymond, favourably know 1 to New Zealand, comes to this colony early next month with a dramatic company. * > ' » » Harry Riekards has engaged the services of the English artist, Edgar Glanville, who will come t-o New Zealand for Mr. I)ix when the Tivoh has finished with him. » * * Claude Alberto who is in pursuit of Carl Hertz's leputation as an illusionist and conjurer, is billed for the Gaiety. Mr P. R. Dix recently captured him, and made him promise. * • ♦ "Johnnie" Sheridan has played "A Trip to Chicago," "When the Lamps axe Lighted," "The Shaughraun," "Bridget OBrien," and other laugh-makers to crowded houses of Auckland play-goers. ~ ♦ * * Bilhe Barlow, about whom the "Bulletin" alleged things, or the lack of them, is in South Africa. She has boomed m Boerland, but intends shortly to return, and give her critics another chance. * * * Australian critics are complaining that theatrical managers still persist in forcing their "talented" daughters down the public's throat. New Zealand has had some little experience of "talented" daughters, too' * * * The engagement of Miss Lillie Mowbiay, at one time one of Pollard's popular people is announced. The marriage is to take place early next year. The lucky man is Mr. G. Donelly, an Australian pressman. * * * Mr. Ernest Fitts, who is well known wherever "the Pollards" go as their finest male singer, is tiring of the stage. It is rumoured that he intends returning to the practice of his profession — that of a dentist. * * * Musical critics are being caught fresh from school apparently. A Tasmanian of that ilk says he feels confident that May Beattie will go to London and be the adored of the people and the New Zealand nightingale! * * * The success of English theatrical companies in Australia and New Zealand is acting as a bait for further explorations Charles Wyndham and Beerbohm Tree are, circumstances permitting, to do the colonies at some future date. * ♦ * Although every theatrical paper in the Union, not to mention New Zealand, recorded the fact that Bland Holt intended to retire for two years, his name still crops up in all the said papers as doing his usual phenomenal business. * • « Miss Cecile Lorraine, one of the Grand Opera Company's leading ladies, was not well enough to appear in Wellington, although she was actually billed for several days to appear as "Mignon." Slie is a dramatic soprano, and has performed before the late Queen. Miss Lorraine, I hear, is suffering from a post-nasal growth. Madame Melba has made her re-ap-pearance m Covent Garden Theatre, London. The announcement caused a block in. the streets, and overtaxed the building to the utmost. A critic thus writes, — "Madame' s voice is a miracle of nature, her singing is as unpremeditated as a nightingale's. Her wonderful edgeless voice is of itself a perfect thing of beauty." * * » The Italian opera season in Sydney was opened by the production, in Her Majesty's Theatre, of Verdi's "Aida," bv Mr. Williamsons company. The "Bulletin 1 " says —"This first' effort of ' the Italian, opera season is splendidly staged and richly mounted, and generally heaped on with a large disregard pf cost. Signora de Benedetto, as Aida, became a favourite almost immediately. She is a massive lady, and a less weighty one might look the part better, but her voice is excellent, and she is an artist of great dramatic force. 'Commendatore' Lanzza, as Radames, has enough voice to endow three ordinary Australian geniuses, and something over to take back with him to Italy. IHe has an imposing stage-appearance, and is a fine actor, but that tremendous voice of his is the recollection that remains longest. 'Aida and 'Rigoletto' »vill fill' in the, fusi. week — the latter production introducing most of the other half of the company."

I hear it whispered that the success of the grand opera season has made it certain that New Zealand will be treated some time next year to the magnificent pantomime with which Mr. GeoMusgrove intends to dazzle Melbourne at Christmas time. It will contain a porcelain ballet, which will fairly lift the Johnnies off their feet. * ♦ # The Leslie Brothers, the quaint and clever pair introduced to New Zealand by Mr. P. R. Dix, have not commenced their threatened tour to England and the Continent. News lately to hand tells me they are playing an infinity of weird instruments to Sydney Empire audiences.

We'll sing God bless the Punce of Wales, Protect him from the storms and gales; And may his health for ever hold Free from either cough 01 cold, But Piinces too, despite lestraints, Are subject to all chest complaints. Foi which the lemedy, tried and sure, Is W. E. Wooob' Great Peppermint Cunt.

It'b football 'that woiks up the mubcle, And gives a man plenty of dash, It's kick, it's sciuni, and it's bustle, And a geneial looking foi lash. In the good old hunt for the le.ithei, If a cold you should have to endme, You will soon pull yourself altogether With Woods' Gkeat Peppermint Cußt

Messrs. Jolly and Co., auctioneers and estate agents, 56, Willis-street, advertise a fine list of town properties for sale, including two residences, cottage on very easy terms, shop property and business at Newtown. Buyers of businesses, town and country properties, should secure a copy of the "Wellington Property Record" for August, containing twelve pages of properties for sale. The firm reports having negotiated a large number of sales lately, and vendors should forward particulars at once, as they have numerous inquiries. His Excellency the Governor will, on Monday, September 2nd, open the intercolonial Exhibition of Photography, at the Art Gallery, in Whitmore^street. Never before have the people ot Wellington had such a fine opportunity ot seeing all that is best of colonial photographic art. The collection is the largest and most unique ever shown in New Zealand. During the exhibition week concerts will be held in the Art Gallery. As the programme is as carefully selected as the pictures, the Camera Club should have no cause to regret their enterprise. Mr. Arthur Brown, the secretary, informs us that after 5 p.m. the admittance will be a shilling, children being allowed in at half-price. During the day 2s is the price of admission. The Mount Cook Old Boys' Association will hold its annual ball on Friday evening 20th September. The success of tbo previous gatherings is a guarantee for the coming one. Mr. H. Langdon the honorary secretary, may be found at 21. Wi'hs-strect, and members of the Association can obtain tickets tor friends at that address. The Wellington Eight Hours Federated Union holds its twelfth annual demonstration and sports carnival on Labour Day. 9th October. Many unique events are promised, together with the standard sports. The prize-list is a long one, and the prizes worth competing for. The carnival is becoming increasingly popular, and it is the avowed intention of the secretary (Mr D. McKenzie) and the Committee to eclipse any of the eleven previous gatherings.