Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-18
OPERA REHEARSAL.
The Sarge Stage Manager and the
Giggling Chorus.
Tho DriIs which Ering Perfection
out of awkwardness--- Tiie Work
so9 Getting an Opera Into
GsG0,l Shape.
New York Ti1neS.1

the waters that are under the earth. They
were working apart in separate fields OF labor,
when an astute manager conceived the Idea
Of bringing them together. He did SO, and
the first result of the union was an artistic
novelty. The two men were Sir Arthur Sui
Ivan and W. S. Gilbert; the manager was
DOyley Carte, end the novelty an operetta ia
one act called Trial by Jury.H Then they |
wrote .Tihe Sorcerer,n and then the deafness
''Pinafore.H The latter, being one of her |
rnajesty's ships, crossed tho sea and brought !
the Others with it. 1t became the rage and
was played everwhsre-in theatres, In halls, |
inlac5lre-roons, on real lakes. People wiIstied
it, hulfn1ed it, danced it, talked it; and comic
opera, as Distinguished from opera
bouffe, became g naturali1ed American
citizen. The first productions of these
comic opera, were not diStin. uished for
richness Of scenery or costumes. The visit OF
the famous author and composer, with their
energetic stage manager, Charles Harris, to
this country, marked the beginning OF an era
of splendor in the presentation Of these plays.
1t may, therefore, be interesting to follow
the process Of preparing one for presentation
from the time when the ibretto and score
are finished until the curtain is rung up on
the first night The methods of different
stage utSlsass,eiS diIl ElttSIIdi Wa J
slightly, and tue rrsthods described in this
article are those employed by Charles Harris
and Alfred Collier.
In the first place, Gilbert, who possesses
much Skill attlrawingg, prepares rough models
of the scenery. Tzlase ara given to the scenic
artist, wl1osnakes complete models in paste
board. These models are carefully cut out,
painted with genuine finish in water coloys
and set up on miniature stage. They are
then submitted to the author; and if they
suit him, they arc placed IN TIE hands Of the
stage carpenter. He proceeds to build the
scenes after making & careful measurement
OF the size Of each piece. The back drop is
first prepared and PIT on the paint frame,
when the artist paints it. The other pieces
are put up as fast as prepared and are paint
ed. Mr.. Gilbert slso makes rough ssAstches of
the costumes. These are elaborated and
beauti1ed b. q skilled artist, usually Mr. Pi-
| lotel, who has made reputation in England
! for that class Of work. The costuner FOL-
! lows these models closely in preparing tie
| dresses In the meantime the copyists are at
| work writing cut the vocal end instrumental
| parts from the score. When these are ready,
| the work begins il earnest. A full chorus
| rehearsal is called The conductor assemblies
his people on the stage, where they seat them
selves il a se.ni-circle around the piano.
| ''Now, them" says the leader, ''the soprani
| first" The pianist plays overa few bars of
| the soprano part of the opening number and
the singers listen Then they sing it as lie
| plays it. and next they sing it alone, the con-
| ductor looking out for mistakes and correct
ing the blUnders Of each singer. Very few
OF the chorus singers engaged in comic opera
are good musicians. Host Oh them cannot read
music. They are selected iiGst for their voices,
and second FOR appearance. Each must, CT
course, have a good ear for music. They
soon catch the melody and are able to sing ii
alone. Then the pianist plays the acconpa'
niment, which often contains c; contrasting
melody, and tends TO Gisle2d the singers
When the soprani are perfect il the portion
selected, the ccntralti are taken up and in
sJrUcted in the same way and then the tcnori
| and the bassi. After ali are able TO sing alonc
they are made to sing together several times
| without accompaniment and then with it. Al
| this point the conductor has to exercise grea
| vigilance to detec5 blun1ers and correct
| them before they become habftIai. 1t some
times happens shat a chorus has to be gone
| over il this piecemeal fashion twenty time
or more before it goes smoothly. In thi
way the chorus work goes OH q part Of every
day for three CT four weeks, by the end o
which the singers are perfect in their music
The chorus usually rehear5os i'll the morning
and the principals in the afternoon. Often
however, the chorus is trained wholly by th
! pianist, willie the conductor instructs tn
principals at the sane time in another par
| o. the building. The method is almost tn
same Many OF the principal singers, how
ever, are excellent musicians, and can b
9>oi-, 81
the conductors work is confined to regpiatiu,
tee expregs.oD, tie time, and the erea:nbl
vert. F,lS2 The music IS nearly perfect 81
| orchestra rehearsal is usually callcd, SO tina
the members of the bani may faiMi!iariz
themselves with their work. Two or thre
, reheaTsalS are all that are necessary for thes
accomplished players. Then c notice
posted in tie glass case at the stare doc
reading thus:
''Call-Fuli chorus and piano 20 morrow q
? | II q. IN. sharp. CHARLES HARRIS"
The name CT the STAGE manager appende,
} to this notice .'neans business stage bust
ness It is now time to instruct tic raelr
bers of the chorus in those evolution5 'ghic
have been called the calisthen.cs OF conf
G opera. They are TO be told when to soy an
when to sI1aile; when to lean forward an
VIXEN to raise their hands; how 20 execut
; | the marches, couEternlarches and dance fe
ures which form SO large q part Of the spec
> tacular work III comic opera WRen the.
. are all assembled the stage manager begin
operations by administering SQUAD lsc5ur
to these who are late, threatening them Wit
T all The punishment known to the Gheatsica
b limbo. Then ne ranges the soprani il Il roy
: acrozs tie front OF the stage, and begins t
? ! -.,11 them Ctls according to size
f Here, you girl with the big ears, what
E your n@nieT
i, TO answer.
{ ''You, there, don't stand gawi,ing in tia
4 Kramer. Come out here, you with the SIX
Blue veil"
the girl awakes TO the situation, looks i
t,:srart. and walks forward amid the suE
I..ts.e,. s,:EEeles OF her associates.
2 No laughing, now, you idiots' exclain,
the s.a.-e manager. ''ItIlbe your turn mex
Z E.oU, then, whats your nalne!"
"'Befe Smith, sir"
5 well, go dogn to the o5lier end-uot tha
g end-the other end. Nov, you're No. 1. Ca
: you remember th&tE'
5 Eyes, SIR"
, ''Wcll, wen see if you can tomorrow"
The pToospter, who is sitting at the tabl
: near by wish plenty Of foolscap paper, writ
n | down The girls name and number. The Rex