MUSIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 210, 24 November 1927, Page 18

MUSIC

(By

F.I.R.

Sir Edward Elgar has been writing his musical reminiscences, which will be published early in the year. Announcement is made of the engagement of the Australian baritone, John Brownlee, for the forthcoming season of grand opera commencing at His Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, in March. The opera season of La Seala, Milan, during the past year, revealed Puccini as the favourite, with 32 performances. Verdi came second, with 27 performances; then Wagner, with 16; Mascagni, with 11; and Giordano, with 8. “The Arcadians” still retains its popularity with amateurs. This evening the Nelson Operatic Society will >tag© this musical-comedy under the direction of Mr. Theo. Tresize, and later it will be produced by the Stratford Society. The Wellington Amateur Theatrical Society has decided on “The Belle of New York” for its next production, and arrangements have been made to stage this musical comedy about the end of March. The society started rehearsals last week.

When Mr. Joseph Hislop recently hela bis opera auditions the accompaniments for all but six of the 200 aspirants were played at sight by Mr. Idwal Jenkins, a promising young Sydney conductor. The J. C. Williamson managemnt acknowledged this feat as only worthy of a master musician.

The Handel operas and oratorios adapted to the stage are enjoying a lively revival in Europe. Latest to be produced is his “Belsazar,” which was given its first performance in operatic form at the City Theatre, Breslau. A Handel memorial hall, to be used exclusively for concerts and festivals of “The Old Saxon’s” music, is now being built in a suburb of Hamburg.

“Elgar stands at the opposite pole to the German master . . . Strauss is always materialistic; Elgar is as spiritually minded as Bach. The German is orchestral and operatic; the Englishman choral and orchestral. The oratorio (as Handel discovered) really takes the place of opera in England. Strauss is supernational; Elgar is alAvays singing the praises of England. No one could be better suited than Elgar for the ancient post of ‘Master of the King’s Musick.’ ” —Hr. A. Eaglefield Hull considers Elgar as “Our Greatest Living Composer.”

The Blenheim Operatic Company was very successful last week with a production of “High The cast was:—Or. Robex't Thorne, Mr. A. E. Hobbs; Florence, Miss R. Findlay; Madame Rabelais, Miss A. McGrath; M. Jacques Rabelais, Mr. M. Llanfear; Or. Wayne (Oick), Mr. N. Hart; Mrs. Thorne, Mrs. J. McKay; Colonel 'Slaughter, Mr. F. C. Carver; Mr. J. J. .Jeffreys, Mr. E. J. Brammall; Sylvia Dale, Mrs. Errol Reid: Adelaide Fontaine, Miss P. Bennett; Chi Chi, Miss O. O’Sullivan; Mrs. Thorne’s companloa. Miss R. Thomson; Garcon, Mr. J. Corry; J*age, Miss B. Griffiths. A HAPPY CHOICE BOHEMIAN PROGRAMME THIS EVENING’S CONCERT If the plebiscite taken by the Bohemian Orchestra for its programme for this evening’s concert is any indication of the musical appreciation of the present day there should be little cause for complaint. Unfortunately it seems too good to represent general opinion.

In the programme set for the orchestra is contained the nucleus of a very interesting evening. It includes Schubert’s * Unfinished Symphony,” “Tannhauser” overture (Wagner), Morceaux “Hie Hummel” (RimskyKorsakov), and Liszt’s “Liebestraume”

and “Rhapsodie No. 2.” With orchestral accompaniment a violin choir <vf 50 players will also play Corelli’s “Saraband© and Allegro” and Handel’s ‘‘'Largo.”

The violin choir is composed of 50 I>upils of the leading violin teachers of the city, the idea being to interest juvenile students in orchestral work, flnd spur them on to further progress l . This is undoubtedly a sound iea, the formation of such a choir providing a useful training ground for prospective members.

A lighter leavening will be provided ■with scenes from "The Gondoliers” (Sullivan), which ir* view of the forthcoming stage revival in Auckland, is appropriate. The soloists are Mr. Ernest Snell, who will sing “Tangi,” by Alfred Hill, and Master Bavid Lunny “Danny Boy,” by Weatherly. The orchestra will be under the baton of Mr. Colin Muston, L.R.A.M., who has lately returned from Wellington, where he was guest conductor at the Royal Choral Union’s presentation of Aida,” and the leader will be Miss Edith Whitelaw, L.R.A.M,

OPERA IN AUCKLAND “CARMEN” TO BE STAGED A LOCAL PRODUCTION At His Majesty’s Theatre in four weeks’ time Auckland residents will be afforded an opportunity of witnessing, in the staging of Bizet’s “Carmen,” opera produced and acted solely by Aucklanders. In the past we have had musical - comedy and much that has been termed light opera but throughout the length and breadth of the Dominion few have cared to face such an undertaking as the production of opera. This, what one might terma herculean task, is being attempted by Madame Irene Ainsley, a company over 60 strong now being engaged in rehearsing the tuneful and very colourful opera, which will be produced at His Majesty’s Theatre on December 19 and 20. The difficulties confronting the producer of opera in New Zealand are appreciated by none better than Madame Ainsley, and probably there are none better fitted to face the task. Auckland music lovers will perhaps remember her last year’s production of a suite of operatic excerpts, including scenes from “Aida,” “Trovatore ” “Rigoletto,” “Faust,” “Orpheus,” and “Martha,” etc. Although, on account of the particularly bad weather prevailing at the time, not a financial success, little fault could be found with the general artistry of the production. EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE Madame Ainsley’s experience in the operatic field has been indeed extensive, as borne out by volumes of overseas Press cuttings. Parisian papers contain notices of her girlhood appearances at Marchesi studio concerts. As Dame Melba’s protegee and special friend, Miss Ainsley found every door opened; for the Marchesi studio was a veritable salon. Here the brightest, gayest and wittiest followed in the' wake of Melba and her brilliant entourage, and the great diva, then at the zenith of her glory, showered not only

gifts, but , personal training on the talented young New Zealander. After her training was complete she made her debut in London at the then Bechstein Hall, in the presence of the King and Queen, then Duke and Duchess of York, and a brilliant gathering of the English aristocracy. This was followed by a Royal command performance, at which a treasured souvenir brooch with the Roj r al monogram in diamonds was presented to the young singer. Numerous engagements followed — Albert Hall and Queen’s Hall concerts, provincial tours through England, Scotland and Ireland with Backhaus, Busoni, John McCormack, and with Melba herself. Also extended contracts for the Chappell Ballad concerts, where the popular publications of this great house are first presented to the public at the Queen’s Hall, London. Thus Irene Ainsley sang her way into the hearts of the public, and incidentally lost it to the brilliant baritone who was one of the principals of the Joseph O’Mara Grand Opera Company. Her marriage, in 1912, practically decided her operatic career, and for six years she held contracts with, first the O’Mara Co., and later the Carl Rosa, playing such roles as “Carmen,” “Amneris” in “Aida,” “Azucena” in “Trovatore.” Gluck’s “Orpheus” was revived for her by Mr. O’Mara and her success in the very exacting title role was instantaneous, as her numerous Press notices testify. AN ENGLISH CARMEN During the war years her career went on undimmed, until her widowhood, when a chance meeting with Miss Lilian Baylis opened out a new vista. Miss Baylis runs opera all the year round in London in conjunction with Shakespearean and classical plays. Her successful management of this scheme has secured for her the much-prised doctorate conferred by the Oxford University. At the Old Vic Madame Ainsley had continual success, and became the favourite English “Carmen.” Madame Ainsley’s knowledge of stagecraft is unparalleled, and as costumiere and setting expert, she can call upon a life’s experience. For the rehearsals which are in full swing she has as her companion and assistant, her sister, who as Miss Mary Hamilton, is so favourably known for her work in this capacity, and who was for years with the same companies. With some 60 of Auckland’s best young voices in training, and supported by the leading professional talent of the city, Madame Ainsley hopes to have everything in readiness for the production of “Carmen” at His Majesty’s Theatre on December 19 and 20. She herself will take the title role and the supporting company will include Misses Nancye Hanna, Letitia Gardner, Marjorie Fair, Mary Hamilton. Irene Frost, Messrs. Jean Dellore, J. de Montalk, Hugh Woods, Morton, Davies and Burr. An orchestra of picked musicians will be under the very able conductorship of Mr. W. E. Webb; the ballets under the direction of Miss D. Knight. The musical event of Lone on in October was the reappearance of Leo Slezak, the great Czech tenor, who first sang “Lohengrin” at Covent Garden in 1900. Slezak is famous for his robust voice, his great stature, and his sense of fun which has given rise to countless anecdotes. It was Slezak who granted a hearing at Bayreuth by Cosima Wagner, horrified all Wahnfried by suggesting as a trial piece a song from “Pagliacci.” It was he, too, who, at one performance of “Lohengrin,” when a swan was removed with “unswanlike” haste, audibly inquired, “What time does the next swan goV”

has been considerable discussion in England of late as to which is the most familiar song in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas of which there will be a welcome revival in Auckland this month. One must agree with “C.J.M.” m the “Dominion,” that the palm for familiarity in New Zealand must go to ‘Take a Pair of. Sparkling Eyes,” from the “Gondoliers,” which is so often heard on the concert platform. As to which : s Sullivan's prettiest number, however, is a different matter. The writer has no hesitation in expressing his preference for that very expressive duet between Frederick and Mabel, “Ah, Leave Me Not To Pine,” in the second act of the “Pirates of Penzance.”