STALLS GOSSIP.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1915, Page 11

STALLS GOSSIP.

The Wellington Musical Union lias commenced rehearsals of Gaul's historical cantata, "Joan of Arc," and Stanford's setting of "The Revenge." *-* * *

In an all-star cast of "Henry VIII." in London recently, Miss Ada. Crossley was billed to appear as the first singing lady. * * # %

John M'Cormack recently had to interrupt a tour of America owing to a breakdown in health, but the latest mails state that after four weeks of rest he was able to resume duty.

The anti-German element assembled in force at a recent performance of Wagner's "Tristan and Isolde" in Amsterdam. It is said that it was only through the exertions of the Dutch police that the performance could be given. * s> $ $

The blonde who appears with Charles Chaplin now is Miss Edna Purviance, who was selected by Chaplin out of five thousand who answered an advertisement in a newspaper calling for a young woman to act opposite him. $ * $ #

By the death of Liadoff, Russian music has lost one of its greatest exponents. Ha belonged to the type of artist who advances slowly, step by step, works with great expenditure of powers, and leaves to posterity but a handful of results.

Mr. C. B. Wesmacott, who piloted Beaumont Smith's "Glad Eye" through New Zealand, is now acting as Press agent for J. C. Williamson, Ltd., in the absence of Mr. Claud McKay, who is acting as private secretary to Mr. Hugh Ward during his tour of America. * * * *

The rehearsal had not gone at all to please the stage director, who, at its close, severely and unjustly criticised the leading man. In conclusion, he said: "Say, do you think I have been a stage director 15 years for nothing?" "I cannot say as to that," answered the actor suavely, "but if you haven't you have cheated the management." * S: sS *

News from Mr. John McCormack, the Irish tenor, indicates that he has now closed his long tour of the United States. About months ago he had a breakdown in health, and was ordered by his medical adviser to take a fonr weeks' rest. He, however, rapidly regained his usual health, and was able to give his postponed concerts in New York and elsewhere with brilliant results.

The manager of a vandcville house was testing the abilities of a few candidates for stage honours one day last week, and this is how he let down one of the would-be funny men:—"Your songs won't do for me. I can't allow any profanity iu my theatre," said he. "But I don't use profanity," was the reply. "No," said the manager, "but the audience would." —Kansas City Star.

The Belgian Band, which shortly tours the .Dominion, is partly augmented by British players. It numbers 20 players, comprising strings, woodwind and bass. The conductor, M, Philippe Meny, who ia a native of Ostend, was attached to the Medical Corps of the Belgian Army during the early stages of the war, and was given Bpedal leave to undertake the present tour, i•« * «

Miss Amy Murphy, the Dunedin vocalist, who has played several engagements under the J. C. Williamson banner, and Miss Nellie Black, the violinist of the well-known All Black Family (also a native of New Zealand), are at present fulfilling an engagement on the Fuller circuit in Australia. They will probably visit New Zealand in the near future. * ❖ % #

It is announced that Vitagraph, Lubin, Selig, and Easanay have turned themselves into a company, with a capital of £IOO,OOO, with a view to handling their special features on the American market. It is stated, however, that all four companies will continue as in the past, to release their regular programme pictures through the Branches of the General Film Company.

The Keystone Company has decided not to produce any more single reel comedies. The reason for this decision lies in the fact that they intend to devote their entire energies to the turning out of two-reel laugh producers weekly. Several of these will be comedy romances ill which such famous stars as Mabel Noriuand and Allen !loore will appear. They have now as many as ten companies at work, and the studios have been enlarged to a tremendous size.

Mr. Stanley Walpole, a popular J. C, Williamson actor of yore, has just made a flying return from America to Australia on private business. Mr. Walpole is now one of the silent army of American "movie" actors, and has been a leading film hero for about five years, lie says that several well-known Australians are making good in the United States, particularly George and Mario Majeroni and Cyril Keightlev, whose reputations are considerable on this side of the world. Keightlev is the husband of Ethel Dane, the alluring little Kiki of "The (Had live."

"J.F.H., in the Bulletin: The Irish l'layers of the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, are reported to be booked for an early Australian tour. Look out for ructions. When they presented Synge's "Playboy of the Western World'' in the States they were bombarded with everything ihrowalile from the pit and gallery. Some Irishmen still consider the piece a slander upon the daughters of Erin, though most of -the London dramatic critics, especially Walkley, of the Times, are enthusiastic about it. At. latest the I'layers were at London Colosseum raising mars of laughter at the expense of ill" "fooi'ee" in a new and merry farce ailed "Dutv."

During his travels throughout Europe at the beginning of his wonderful career the youthful Mozart was especially delighted with the little Archduchess, Marie Antoinette, tho future Queen of France. She was as beautiful in her way as Wolfgang was in his, and the boy's artistic taste was pleased by her golden hair and exquisite little face. While he was walking across the polished lloor of one of the great rooms in the palace he slipped and fell, to his humiliation. Little Marie Antoinette ran up to him with eager sympathy and helped him to his feet. Wolfgang looked at he with grateful aproval. "You are good!'' he declared. "I will marry you some time." This proposal was quite seriously repeated to iier mother by Marie Antoinette, to the Empress's great amusement—From "Masters of Music," by Ann* A. Ckaplin.

In Montreal a %d tax la now charged on every ticket for any place of amusement. The revenue is to benefit, hospitals and other charitable institutions.

London fais lately been invited to consider itself thrilled by the first appearance of a (real titled woman in revue. The revue is "Watcli Your Step," at the .Empire, and the titled "star" is Lady Edward Fitzgerald, sister-in-law of the Duke of Leinster. Lady Edward Mts Under her maid'en name of May Etheriidge. As May Etheridge she was one of the attractions, (in pjyanuis) of "The New Aladdin," at the Gaiety, and of "Princess Caprice," at the Shaftesbury. She had been on the stage seVen years .when she met Lord Edward Fit/.gerald in the run of the Shaftesbury piece' and she was only 21—the same age as her husband—when she married him at a Wandsworth Registry office in 1913. ITer husband is now serving with the Irish Guards.

There is food for thought in a recent utterance by Mr. D. W. Griffith, who is probably the biggest figure in the moving picture world. Speaking of the conflict between the regular theatre and the photo-play, ho remarked: "The only plays the public will care to see in the regular theatre will be the intimate quiet plays that can be staged in two settings, within four walls, and in which the setting is unimportant, while the drama will be largely subjective. Objective drama, the so-called melodrama, will be entirely absorbed in the pictures. The audiences for those old-fashioned theatres will be drawn from the oldfashioned people, who remember the old days, 'when I was a boy.' The new generation will be wedded to the screen plays. You won't be able to satisfy them with anything else."

An American girl who seems destined to attain honour in the operatic field in her own country is Lydia Locke, the prima donna, and wife of Orville Harrold, the noted tenor. Miss Locke attained notice in Europe, where she sang principal soprano roles at the London pera House under the direction of Oscar Hammerstein when that famous impressario was directing the destinies, of that institution. Miss Locke was "discovered" by Hammerstein in Paris and made her operatic debut as Giulictta in "The Tales of Hoffman," succeeding Liiia Cavalieri in the part. Heh triumph was emphatic, and during the remainder of the season she was heard in a number of roles. Subsequently Miss Locke appeared in numerous Continental opera houses. She returned to America at the outbreak of the war, and last winter was heard in concerts and recitals.

The performance of "Madame Butterfly" at the London Opera House had extraordinary distinction and interest, for the, name-part was taken, for the first time by a Japanese singer, Mine. Tamari Miura, and the production was supervised. by the well-known Japaneso artist, Mr. Yoshino Markino. • Mine. Miura's personality filled the part; petite,dainty, and vivacious, she was the tender little maiden, just burgeoning into womanhood, tha\her lover described her, while she acted with a good deal of subtlety, and had the power required for the maturer emotions of the second act. On the vocal side she was at some disadvantage for the idiom was foreign to her, but her voice has a clear, bird-like quality, and she phrases with delicate play of tone, and with every now and then a quaint kind of staccato that is very entrainant. The only disadvantage of such realistic interpretation of the part was that it showed up the other members of the cast who were only pretending to be Japanese. s» # $ *

There died in a London, nursing homo recently J. T. Tanner, a librettist who was responsible for the books of most of the Gaiety musical comedies. lie was born in London and started as a clerk in the Anglo-Australian shipping office, but before many years had passed over his head he took to the stage, and after some rough experiences lie secured an engagement with the Lingarda, who will be remembered in Australasia for their production of "Our Boys." Horace Lingard was associated with the lute August Van Biene in some musical speculations, and it was at this time that Tanner got his first chance to write for the stage. Van Bieno wanted a play written round himself and liis 'cello. lie approached lJinero and other well-known dramatists, but without success. Tanner tried his hand and "The Broken Melody" was the result, although lie was assisted by James Leader. Van Biene took the play and used it for over twenty years in all parts of the world. A year or so later Tanner was engaged as "prodOr" for the Gaiety Theatre, London, but soon settled down as the stock librettist. Ho wrote the books of most of the "Girl" Gaiety successes, including "The Circus Girl," "The Country Girl," "The Quaker Girl," "Our Miss (iibbs," and also "The Messenger Boy," "The Toreador," "The Dancing MistrPss," "The New Aladdin" Mid a host of others.

Ethel C'admaii, who makes her reappearance in Melbourne in "Ma Mie liosette," has a wholesome regard for interviewers from the newspapers. This is based not so much 011 the advertising value of the "wrileups," but because of a little experience Miss Cadman had when she first went to New York to play Sombra in "The Arcadians." An unfavourable voyage followed on her arrival in Xew York by something of a collapse, so when the newspaper representative!) arrived to interview Miss Cud man, ami find out the colour ot her eyes and her favourite breakfast food, with other important information, Miss Cadinan sent word that she was unable to see them, and went to bed. The newspaper writer.-, however, were not to be baulked of their prey. .Xext day the papers devoted considerable space to the new English actress, and printed the most remarkable accounts of the lady and her career. One of them came out with an article describing Miss Cudinan's experiences as a sleep-walker, ami detailed bow one night she arose, from her bed, dressed herself as Sombra, and went forth in!o the cold streets, singing on her way until she was conducted home, still sleeping, bv a kindly and discreet policeman. This was the heading of the article: "Soninamlmlating Actress as Arcadian. Dressed in Thin Air and One Flowing Garment, Ethel Cadman walked the Gold Dawn Singing on Her Way. English Artist's Stirring Story."