National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-05
AMERICAN OPERA.
The Experience and Opinion OF Director
John y. sousa.

John y. SOusa.
"There are many reasons why American
theatrical managers refuse to bring out Ameri-
can plays and operas" remarked Director
John p. Sousa to a representative of THE Re-
PUBLICAN yesterday.
Gould you state leading one2
Readily. In many instances, say of opera,
there is a faulty arrangement either with the
lbretto or the music. There tho chief diff
Guilty lies. For some reason there has not
yet been found q good librettist. By
this / mean writer who thor
oughly understands not only the
out of composition, but everything that con-
tributes to stage effect, situation, and dis
play There Is a great art in such
matters, and it is always TO this that
managers first look. The plot of work may
be charmingly woven, the characters well
drawn, and the dialogue sparkling with wit
| humOr grace, and elegance Of dicton, but
this is not all, by any means. work may
be superb as closet piece, but when placed
on tho stage with the necessary appointments
might nevertheless prove flat failure. In
comic opera it must be confessed that Gilbert
and Sullivan have won unequivocal success
| They understand the necessities of the stage
part, and one very important factor with
Gilbert is his lyric power. 1t must also DO
admitted that their plots arc light
and airy, but the success which
i
thorough understanding of the business.
| They know the difference between the "flies
| and the wings" how to weave characters and
| place them on the stage at the right moment,
| with the proper effect and all the situations
fitted at the exact moment. American
| librettists of comic opera somehow don't
catch on to the lyric style 1t is diff
cult style. yet very important one, as it
enters into the very soul of the opera"
Are there many good writer's of music, or
composers, in American
YES as many here Us elsewhere and as
good, hut as say there have not as yet APP
peared two writers of music and plays who
combined have made successful play. There
is more in the art than the mere composition
! of music and words. You see a manager
| looks at the matter in business light. He
wants to see when he gets OIL play if there
is money in it. His preference is to wait aud
get plays that have become popular He
knows then that his chances are better than
| if he undertook to mount something new.
Managers have been fooled so many times
with American operas that IL is now rare
possibility to get one of them to undertake
the production of an untried work. 1t costs
large amount of money to put an opera on
the stage in first-class style. When l say
opera, understand me to mean the prevailing
class Of such compositions"
about what would you estimate the
cost?"
"From 5000 up, according to the plot and
cast of the characters and the scenic effects. 1t
is very costly, more so than one would sup
pose"
"Have you ever met with queer characters
in the opera business 2"
Operate cranks, you mean? Plenty of
them. ! remember during 1879 or 1880,
while with q large management 1 was sent
for by the manager to examine what had been
represented to be the best operate production
yet handed him. l made the necessary ap-
pointment with the author. He complied as
to time and place. His plot was laid in the
far west-'Poor Indian business, bad agent,
fair maiden and all that sort of thing
with chorus mounted on horseback !
The opening part was intended for grand
chorus scene the singers expected to be on
the chase, and he brought them into place
with the most diroful dirge that ever glad
dened the heart say, of your famous corpse
editor. There was crankiness throughout
the business, and l kindly remarked to the
would-be composer that civilization had just
marched out of the vault and there did not
seem to be a desire to return. l may have q
copy of the opera among my curios, and will
send it to your metallic statue"