New-York tribune., 1885-08-09

very great degree from its Immediate predecessor.
was prepared the next day-ard then the librctto
The II Gretto in it's first form is simply the scenario
reduced to dialogue of the badest and simplest
nature. leaving the songs TO be written afterward.
it merely carries on the action in the fewest
possible words Thus:
Nauhi-where is Yua Yum
Noble-WhO are youf
Nauhi-Ballad singer. hsten. CSingsl.
Pisn-what do you want with Yum Yami
capacity / saw her and loved her. Found she be
nS a returned Here ann no was
Pish-He was not beheal-d. bat made Lord High Exc
'Is,ons. tsong, telling howl.
And so forth, through the two acts.
Having roughly sketched out the dialogue. 1t as
put aside for term that might devote myself to
furnish Sir Arthur Sullivan with tho songs OF the
first act. and while he Is setting them proceed
with the Of Act I've W The these arS
and polishing tue crude suggestions contained IN
the first version of the lbretto while he composes
the mnse an% amd the trst are psssy competed at
abnut the same date. .
The bretto is then set up in type and read to tho
this time the jokes have lost their point the sitna-
tons their novelty, and the author is generally ut
loss to wns1 t the stated s' Sn @ SoS. m and
actresses form q displriSing audience at
such q ceremony, and that they care little for the
story Or dialogue in the abstract their attention
being concentrated on the parts which they believe
they are destined to play. am bound TO say that
my own experience is to the contrary effect. AS q
body they are keenly alive to snch merits as the
piece may possess and am sorry tn say that haze
often had occasion to wish that my play had gone"
with the audience half well rs 1t did when 1t was
Then comes the actual business Of putting the
piece upon the stage Hitherto 1T has existed only
in manuscript-henceforth 1t is to live as an
Of hupa ha hp pia IN ar,
OPERA the company must learn the music before
they begin to study the dialogue and action; The
music rehearsas. conducted by Sir Arthur Sullivan.
or in his absence by his next in command, Mr..
Frank Collier. usually last q fortnight. during
which the author occupies himself, partly In
getting the rhythm of the musical numbers into his
very unmusica head partly IN arranging details OF
scenery with the scenic artist partly IN arranging
details Of costume but chiefly with determining the
tho first stage rehearsal" takes place he shall be
IN position to announce clear and distinct policy
to his company. To this end fac-simile models OF
the scenes on a scale of half an inch to the foot
are supplied to by the scenic artist and on these
miniature stages the piece duly rehearsed. by the
Aid of blocks Of wood three inches and two and q
respectively. The details which are obtained by
these means are committed to paper. and MT the
very first rehearsal the piece begins to take
definite and distinct form.
While these matters are occupying me. Sir Arthur
Sullivan is busy with the music rehea, sails. The
company arc seated in semi-circle on the stage.
the principals in front. and each number is gone
through several times until it is thoroughly
acquired After two OF three rehearsals at which
the whole company is present, two or three re-
bearsas for the chorus only take place under the
superintendence Of Mr.. Collier, while Sir Arthur
Sullivan instructs the principals at his own resi-
dencs. Then principals and chorus are brought
together again. and in about fortnight tho music
Is thoroughly grasped by everybody concerned
excepting myself, who am absolutely incapable OF
acquiring an air with any approach to correctness
can get the rhythms into my head easily enough
but that is ALL and for purposes OF rehearsal the
hrpa
The piece ,s now ready for the stage. and to the
stage rehcarsals we invariably devote four weeks
One during the second with Act Two. and during
the third with both acts while the fourth Is devoted
to four Dand rehearsals and at least three dress
the scenic artist and carpenters daring two days of
this last week, that the various portions Of the
scenery may be accurately a'ted together; % the
advisable to call two more rehearsais OF the music
as the introduction of business" into tho earlier
music which ras been learned without the accom-
panment of dramatic action. Moreover. 1t is
generally found necessary to make certain musical
alterations have to be heightened or reduced
and perhaps one or two musical numbers have to be
The first stage rehearsal Is rather depressing
with the mechanical details of exits. entrances
crosses. stsings down and gettings, up,, and the
dialogue is allowed to 90 by the board. The chorus
deal onIy with broad effects the nicetes of detail
are passed over for tho time being. The intention
of the first rehearsal is to convey rongh general
notion Of the relation borne to each other by the
various characters in the piece and If this is
plished the first rehearsal Las served its end. AT
the second rehearsal the first half OF the first act is
dealt with mcroscopically. and the busin ess" to
be introduced into the musical nmbers is roughly
skctched out. The third rehearsal is concerned
with the second half OK Act one ana by Tbs time
settled. 1t is time TO call in the ba le master.
Mr.. John dAuban, who looks on during one
rehearsal, and comes the next day prepared with
ri. IN her a laQces a
company at rehearsals called for this express pur-
pose As soon as the details OF the first act are
a rehearsal in order To that the proposed
4 business is not inconsistent with his musical
effects and this visit generally results in certain
amount of Encouragement. He IL the most self
sacrificing and unseifish of composers, bnt even his
good nature is not proof against an arrangement
whereby the chorus dance Wild jig during an
elaborate oddenza or an nnaccompanied quartet.
But when composer works with librettst who is
deaf dumb and blind ON all musical points. he is
not uuPrepared Tor professional soiccisms Of this
As soon as the stage rehearsals began it occurred
to me that the native ladies of the Japanese village
might possibly be prevailed upon TO teach sone
of their dances, and Mr. Tauaaker. the manager Of
4 that exhibition. most kindly promised to assist
ms in every pr&tca9ie manner. very charming
rehearsal. and went through her dances. piece by
piece, until her Tery apt pupils. Miss Braham. MISS
reasonably proficient. II impossible not to be
struck by tue natural grace and gentle courtesy OF
their ndelatgablc little nstrnctress. wlo although
she must have been very mnch amused b. the
earlier efforts Of her pupils. never permitted them to
see that the spectacle OF three English ladies
attempting for the first time "a japanese dance in
Japanese dress had its ridiculous side. Our verbal
intercourse with this fascinating little lady was
limited. all the Japanese we could command being.
q Sayo nara - IL good by"). whereas the Japanese
young lady lwho serves cups OF tea ip the village
tea house) knew but one English sentence,
= sixpence EACH"
The first dress rehearsal Is usually disappoint-
. ing business. The dresses require considerable
arc incomplete, the company have yet to learn how
to put them on. and the bootmaker has "a matter
of cnnrse dsappointed Bnt by the second dress