AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2881, 20 June 1882, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

The Montaguc-Turner company com ploted an extraordinarily long and successful run of English opera in Melbourne on June 5, when “Mignon was given for the tenth time to a full house. The “ Argus ” says that a notable thing in connects with the season just ended is the largo amount of success which has attended the production of the two most popular English operas. Fifty-nine performances have been given as follows, namely, “ Mari tana,” 13 times ; “ Girl,” 9; “ Lucia di Lammermoor, 8; II Trovatore,” 5 ; “Faust,” 6; “ The Rose of Castile,” 4 ; “ Martha,” 3 ; “Lucrezia Boegia,” 2 ; a benefit concert, 1 j & benefit performance, parts of “ Lucia and “ Faust,” 1: “ Mignon,” 9. These experiences are unique in the history of opera in Melbourne as regards of the same duration. A strong set of public opinion was in favor of “Mignon when the season came to an end, and that work would have no doubt stood higher in the list if the first production of it had been given at an earlier date. The company are now at Ballarat. The Rev. J. Myers, rabbi of Sandhurst, has started on a tour of the Victorian towns for the purpose of collecting subscriptions in aid of the Russian Jews Relief Fund. As an introduction to the clergy of the Church of England, Bishop Moorhouse sent him the following letter :—“ My dear Mr Myers,—ln common with the whole civilised world, I sympathise most deeply with the poor persecuted Jews who have been driven from their homes, with every circumstance of outrage, b barbarians bearing the name of Christians, in Russia. I think that every believer in Jesus Christ is bound for the honor of his faith, not less than through the claims of humanity, to protest indignantly, against such horrors, and to do all that he can to help these poor sufferers, whose are the fathers, and from whom, as concerning the flesh Christ came. I know of no one who is better fitted than you are, by ability and character, te bring the claims of your suffering bretheren before the public of Victoria, and I wish you all success in your undertaking. Glasgow University has conferred, the degree of D.Ch. on Professor Strong of Melbourne University, in recognition of his distinguished services to education and literature. —“ Evening Star.”