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VOL. XVIII. No. 6.
published Every Saturday.
*
VorK, September 2, 1893.
relieve his mother of some of the cares and re-
sponsibilities attaching to the Bayreuth festival
performances, so report says. His mother, mean-
time, does not wish to be relieved for she is
notoriously niggardly. Sh» has employed the
reputation and traditions of her husband's
genius since his death, with a clear purpose of
getting all the profit possible out of them, and
she has personally managed the Bayreuth fes-
tivals with a jealous and watchful business eye.
Siegfried cannot come over such a mother.
ITALIAN ENTERPRISE.
OUR
MR. DANIEL FROHMAN EXPLAINS - YOUNG SIEG-
FRIED WAGNER AS A MUSICIAN—OPERA
IN ITALY—MODESTY UNVEILED—
GENERAL FACTS.
LONDON, Aug.
DEAR MUSIC TRADE REVIEW :
20th, 1893.
There is likely to be some dissatisfaction over
the production of "Sheridan," which Mr.
Daniel Frohman is to bring out in New York
with Mr. Edward Sothern in the title role. Mr.
Buchanan, the English dramatist, has written
a play on Sheridan's life, and this was siibmit-
ted to Mr. Frohman, who found it unsatisfactory
from a managerial and stage point of view.
Mr. Paul M. Potter's version was then secured,
and Mr. Buchanan feels, whether rightly or
wrongly I know not, that his ideas were given
to Mr. Potter to be reworked in new shape, and
he is consequently aggrieved. Mr. Frohman
writes this week to the London dramatic papers
saying that he found many serious difficulties
in the way of Mr. Buchanan's story, and that it
would require most radical alterations. He has,
therefore, paid his forfeit to Mr. Buchanan, and
purposes using a version which he declares to
be entirely unlike Mr. Buchanan's in every
scene, incident, story and character, and one
which he thinks will satisfy the American pub-
lic. Mr. Frohman bought the option of four
copies of original plays on this subject, and has
selected the one he regarded as the most suited.
I think that this explains things very satisfac-
torily, leaving nothing to Mr. Frohman's dis-
credit.
WAGNER JUNIOR.
It will interest your readers to know that
young Siegfried Wagner, the only son of the
poet-composer and Frau Cosima, erstwhile the
wife of Hans von Biilow, has definitely renounced
his intended profession of an architect, and has
given himself bodily to music. Genius is very
seldom inherited, and it is highly improbable
that Siegfried will become the dtathor of any
sublime music dramas. However, report speaks
highly of his abilities. It is his intention to
Sonzogno & Co., of Milan, are developing
extraordinary enterprise in operatic affairs, since
they brought the genius of Mascagni and Leon-
cavallo to the notice of the world. I learn that
they recently acquired rights to the Theatre del
Fondo, one of the largest and best opera houses
in Southern Italy, which has been closed for the
last ten years. They are to reopen it on Decem-
ber 1 st. The repertory will consist of eighteen
operas, ten of which are quite new for Naples.
At the opening either " I Rantzau " or " Rad-
cliff," by Mascagni, will be given. The fol-
lowing operas form part of the repertory for the
season: " I Medici," by Leoncavallo; "La
Dannazione di Faust," by Berlioz; " Manon
Le«caut,'' by Massenet; " L a Bella Fanciulla
di Perth," by Bizet ; " Mireille," by Gounod ;
" Teresa Raquin, "by Coop, and "Fior d'Alpe,"
by Franchetti. It is also reported on good
authority that Sonzogno & Co. have taken the
Grand Opera, Paris, for next season, but this I
doubt. They are furthermore credited with the
intention of reviving the old Theatre Italien of
Paris. Sig. Sonzogno is, at any rate, said to be
now in negotiation with M. Gailhard, the idea
being to organize an Italian company to give a
series of representations of the newest Italian
operas unknown to Paris, the performances
taking place on the off nights of the Grand
Opera. The season will not, in any event, start
until the spring, and it is not improbable that
the company may afterwards visit London.
MODESTY INDEED.
Sir Augustus Harris is not disposed to under-
estimate the personality of Sir Augustus Harris.
I hear that he has suggested that if sufficient
funds are collected for the proposed testimonial
to him he would prefer that a scholarship bear-
ing his name should be founded either at the
Royal College of Music, or the Imperial Insti-
tute. This strikes many as being rather an odd
way of testimonialising a living person, but
then Sir Augustus is always original.
THE COVENT GARDEN CONCERTS.
The return of the heat is playing havoc with
the theatres. The Haymarket closes on Wed-
uesday, and the Gaiety on Friday this week,
and I should not be surprised if the Vaudeville
shortly puts up the shutters. The Covent
Garden concert season, however, is so far a re-
markable success. The usual Vocal Waltz this
54.00 PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
year is entitled " May Day." It is by Clement
Locknane, who has already achieved some suc-
cess as a composer of songs. Mr. Locknane is,
by the way, a compatriot of Rudyard Kipling's.
He was born in India, in 1868, but is of Irish
parentage. " May Day '' is full of action.
The clock chimes the quarters, then 12
o'clock strikes, children come out of school and
scamper to the woods, where they pluck flowers
and bring them to crown the Queen of the
May ; then, as sunset comes on, all wend home-
wards. This conceit Mr. Locknane has set to
some very effective music. The piece com-
mended itself to the bulk of the audience, and
the composer was warmly applauded.
MUSIC IN HUDDERSFIELD.
For the season 1893-4, the Huddersfield sub-
scription Concerts will offer great attractions.
The series consists of 12 concerts, including or-
chestral concerts by Sir Charles Halle's band,
Madame Patey's farewell concert, a recital by
M. Paderewski, and an Albani concert! This
speaks well for Huddersfield.
LOIE FULLER HAS BEEN OUTDONE.
Among her many imitators there is now a
circus-rider in Paris who performs the serpen-
tine dance on horseback, while the electric
lights follow her round the ring. She is quite
a young girl and looks very pretty.
The sixth National Co-operative Festival was
held on Saturday at the Crystal Palace. It was
a step in advance of all previous festivals.
There were two great concerts of 10,000 voices
on the Handel Orchestra, instead of one as pre-
viously. The piece de resistance of the musical
program was to be an ode, " Sons of Labor,"
specially written and set to music for the occa-
sion. It was capitally rendered and enthusias-
tically received.
A TRADE NOTE.
Here is an interesting item. Dawkins & Co.,
London agents for Lyon & Healy, Chicago,
have sent an order for 2,000 guitars, mandolins
and banjos to be delivered as quickly as possible.
While this speaks well for the British demand
for Lyon & Healy guitars, mandolins and
banjos, it also speaks well for Dawkins & Co.
The following story is true: A gentleman
walked into a piano wareroom in the neighbor-
hood of Regent street the other day and in-
quired, " Do you sell pieces for the piano?"
" No, sir ; we sell pianos whole," innocently re-
plied the salesman. He never saw the joke
though.
NIRVANA.
THE Imperial German Military Band has
left Chicago and will make a tour of the prin-
cipal cities. The Musical Mutual Protective
Union, of New York, has notified the immigra-
tion authorities of this fact and has demanded
that the Alien Contract Labor Law be enforced.
The case has been referred to the Immigration
Counsel.