New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-22
BEHIND THE SCENES WITH NERO.

color are harmonzed or contrasted and tho precision
OF the movements OF the thousand performers who
are divided into principals, ehoruses acrobats riders
ballet dancers and auxiliaries Little however. does he
comprehend appreciate the amount OF work and
tho inntuie Of detail that involved in the
tion and to less though still considerable extent
nightly required to ensure smooth performance. The
great Duke OF wellington said that the difficult feat
he had accomplished in hs military march
ten thousand In good order OF Hyde Park
II this difficult IN that large with its
wide gates how much It have been get
two thousand persons to By OF only two
entrances and TO keep them moving that stage in such
manner as to make II appear crowded and yet neve-
to get In each others way
With the seeing some OF the workings OF
gigantic spectacle Staten Island more
than hour before the beginning OF the performance,
and shown the mysteries behind the By Imre
Kralfy whose enterprise the extraordinary
success IS wholly due. with only exceptions
all the performers live in New-York Brooklyn The
rate Of their remuneration IS the paid during the
regular NewYork season at tho NewYork theatres Free
transportation Is furnished and the performance
short terminating before 10 o'clock. OF
Including travelling. scarcely longer than they would
be at theatre The boat which leaves the Battery at
10 the which performers tickets good.
Those who too late for this their fares
The object Of this regulation is make OF their
arrival in good time and also keep the later boats
clear for the paying public After the performance
SPECIAL boat takes the company back and they have
private pds ascway from the stage the dock.
The enormous proportions Of the stge are not realized
By those who look It from the OF When the
stood alone thereon before the audience and per-
formers had arrived 10 seemed Ike foorcd prairie. In
such figures give very poor impression Of space
but It may wei. that this stage Ave hundred
nearly hundred deep Those persons
who have walked from end to end OF the three
largest steamers crossing the Atlantic Will have good
idea Of what distance hundred feet While the
front part OF the for depth OF hundred
very 1 level the ground. the back
Is considerably raised and the ground also falls
there is for the great number OF dressing
needed These ranged In numerous long rows and
though naturally much larger resemble the collection Of
bathing boxes In the big pavons Coney Island. The
dressing for and different parts
OF the structure and each division well patronzed
luncheon stand where sandwiches and temperance drinks
only dispensed Near the dressing-looms vast
wardrobe rooms, with the sides lined with small partitions
Each OF these Is numbered and performer known
By corresponding number. On arriving each person
N the wardrobe and gets his costume. and after
dressing makes his street clothes into a bundle and
them In the wardroberoom for safe keeping This
process OF course reversed after the performance
Twenty wardrobe women are kept work daily. in
specng, repairing and when necessary, refreshing the
Although only the general effect Of the dresses
he distance, many OF them Of rich
material. and handsomely embroidered and trimmed
intended for theatre Even the chess board jackets
OF the eighty athletes who stands and hold
the ballet girls made Of heavy satin The
maoritY OK these members OF different German
Turn" societies. and their feats In the front Of tho
Leading from the right hand side Of the stage the
spectator looks at it is rum inclined plane which
eight hundred feet On this the pro-
cessions formed Prior the beginning OF the per-
the bevliering array properties placed
Intervals along this Each piece Is numbered and is
carried By person who bears corresponding number
Among properties swords spears, banners stand
balls and wires for the ugglers fasces FOR
the ctors and paanquns in which the women OF rank
carried end the large number Of horses
used in the procession and in the the came ele
plants and chariots Neros triumpha is
affair thirty long and nve feet high The
handsomely decorated with amora sro
phics and carved and gilt ornamentatons will stand
close inspection. All these slowed away In the day
time propeIyroom large the stage Of an ordinary
theatre
working OF the spectacle Is mainly done from
TOP this Electric bells communicate with the
auditorium the conductor the carpenters and the principal
dressing and regular code Of Morse signals has
arranged printed. Slgnor Cappl is the chief
stage director bulk OF work falls Joseph
Slater in Roman PUSHES about in every direction
and keeps moving the reporter stood BY wha,
prompt stand during the entrance Of the
first procession. the following few OF the In
structions heard yet. walt another bar;
now 20. Get in step Mark time TIL you start. Slant
all those spears at the same angle Take wider range
toward the front Stop that talking, girls Now the
first four horsemen Keep that camel quiet. Stop that
vhlstng boys. Now hoist those palanquins. Get
out OF the way the Close up there Now the
elephants Keep moving Why in thunder don't you boys
get Now. then. everybody Get of lively when the
signal Is given"
Tho gigantic scenes, painted in oil heavy canvas,
nro mounted trucks wide and oval
chapel endless railroad making complete clrcui, Of
stage. Only the wheels OF side rail. the
other being large By this means sharper turn
is obtanablo II double rails used The sections
the from fifteen to twenty feet long, are ontd
On the facing the audience. At present these
pushed along by but Mr.. Kirafy will have steam
cable road work In another week Sixty carpenters
and assistants employed In moving and setting the
All Roman dresses, that they can move
in the and their work without attracting
attention There scene OF Eeros palace
which has yet because OF It's tremendous
weight and VIII be exhibited TIL the steam cable
is at work This is hundred and eghty-dve
feet long and mounted trucks twenty feet wide.
All the backngs and bracings OF the are now OF
Georgia pine Before the great which did much
damage Just prior opening all the timber
bu. this replaced at cost Of 600 Two hundred
and h;y pounds Of red Gre ara nightly used IN the nnal
subssa;aI brick building where an the electricity used
In lighting the stage and auditorium Is generated
It IS amusing at some times and at others little sad
TO move around with Mr. Elray and hear the complaints
that are constantly made 20 him Tho majority Of
the ballet who about 300 have been with him in
different spectaclos They are nearly all young. and
though they do make up at all, many are ex-
tremely pretty
Mr. Kirafy,' said pretty girl whose arms and neck
were bare very cold this evening"
Keep moving. my dear IL is little chilly. But IT'S
better than rain and no performance. isn't itr
Oh, yes"
"Mr Kitalfy,r exclaimed another. lost the boat TO-
night and had pay my fare"
Very sorry 1t will you 10 be punctual though.
@But can't always catch t. because my mother
my dear we must have rules, and 1t Is impossible
to make exceptions"
"Mr Klralfy." said super who rushed ~ man
has had his foot stepped on By a horse.
is he much hurtF
" 1 think So"
TEL the super.captain to send FOR surgeon I'll
be down In o moment"
@Mr Klr.lty. was fined ten cents yesterday and i,
wasn't fair. because
Tell me about it later have to go down stairs now
aMr Kirafy our dressing IS full and there's
one opposite has only six in and
What numberT
Third line. fourth ROOM
I'm inquire about It."
And in this way the almost endless chorus goes on
Through Il all Mr.. KirafY and courteous He
a. nnrfn