Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-27
BEHIND THE SCENES.
A Famous Young American Prima
Donna Describes Many
CUSTOMS AT TIE GRAND OPERA.
How the Multitudinous Skirts Of the Ballet
Girls Are Made.
SENSATIONS OF A PARIS DEBUTANTE
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE D1spArcH.1

ton at taking up my pen to give TO
the public any particulars respecting my
stage career, as it has been so briet and
am still so young and inexperienced. But
| my American friends have been very kind
to me, and have altogether surprised me by
the interest they have manifested in my sue
cess. And perhaps may have something
novel to tell concerning the practical side of
the representations at the Grand Opera; so,
at the persuasion of friend who has been
for many years past occupied with journal
ism, will try TO say something which, l
trust, will be found worth the reading.
made my first appearance on any stage
in March last at the Grand Opera, as the
heroine of Gounod's opera of 'Romeo and
Juliet" When first finished my studies
with Madam Marchesi some months before,
the managers of the opera accorded me a
hearing. but refused then to engage me be-
cause, as they said, did not sing in the
French style. They told me to go at once
in search of a French professor of vocaliza-
tion and to study with him for some
months, and they would then give me an
other trial.
But did not take their advice. 1t was
M. Gounod himself who taught me the role
of Juliet. I studied with him necessarily
for month before making my debut, and
he kindly consented to preside over the fist
rehearsal with full orchestra, which was ac-
corded me.
The musicians Of the orchestra on that oc-
casion paid me the great compliment of lay
ing down their instruments and applauding
me at the conclusion of my grand aria. This
| l acknowledged by coming forward and bow
| ing. Madam Ritz. the wife of one Of the
| directors, who was present in the auditorium,
came behind the scenes at the conclusion OF
the act.
SIT is an unheard of thing for our mu
sicians to applaud a debutante, Made
moiselle," she said; "and 1 think you ought
to recognize the fact in some special way"
So, at the conclusion of the performance,
made little speech of thanks in French
to them, which apparently gave great salts
faction.
AN EXCLUSIVE THEATER.
It is contrary to all rules of the French
opera for an untried foreign singer to be per-
mitted to make his or her first appearance
on any stage on these formidable boards.
''The Opera is not singing school," is the
phrase generally hurled at the head of
aspiring novices. A long course Of prelim-
mary experience in the opera houses of
Vienna, or Italy, or England, is considered
necessary in such cases. With native-born
vocalists the case is naturally different.
They are trained in the traditions of, the
establishment, and educated by professors
of the Paris Conservatoire, and are there
fore acceptable to the operatic managers of
Paris as soon as their studies are finished.
But the fact that I, being an American, had
never before ap. cared in opera on any
stage, was greatly against me.
When, some months earlier, was en-
gagged at the Opera Comique and was to have
nv debut in revival of Bizet's opera of
the "Pearl Divers" NJ. Halevy, who has
charge of the estate of the deceased COM
poser, positively refused to let me appear in
that opera, saying that 'the glory of Bizet
was not to be entrusted to the hands of a
debutante."
But, fortunately for me, M. Gounod was
most kind in his acceptance of me, both for
Juliet and Marguerite. I owe much
to the lessons of the great composer himself.
Then the De Reszke brothers, both Jean and
Edouard, were also kindness itself in giving
me the benefit of their consummate knowl-
edge of stage business and their great expert
they took infinite pains to give me such
hints and directions about acting as my
total inexperience of the stage rendered in
valuable.
also studied the role of Juliet thoroughly
with NJ Pluque, the leader of the ballet at
the Grand Opera and the first professor of
operatic acting in Paris. He was the teacher
of Nine. Rose Caron and of Miss Ella Rus
sell, both celebrated for their dramatic sue
cesses in opera, as well as of countless others
less known to fame. For it must be compre-
hended that the style of acting on the lyric
stage differs in many essential respects from
that adopted on the lyric boards. The gest-
ures are not only larger and more marked,
but must be so timed as to accompany, so to
speak, the effects of a song. 1t is therefore
worse than useless for the students of stage
singing in Paris to take lessons, as some of
them do, from the professors or the perform
ers of the Comedie-Francais. 1 studied also
with M. Pluque the role of Marguerite in
Faust" and 1 expect to profit by his les.
sons as long as remain in Paris.
A VAST STAGE.
The first thing that struck me when I
walked upon the boards of the Grand Opera
was the vast size of the stage. 1t is fully as
large as the auditorium itself, and can ac-
commodate without crowding 1,200 persons 4
Another great popularity is the great slope
of the stage. 1t looks perfectly fat from
the front, but rises at the back to half the
height of one of the lobbies beyond the level
at the footllghts. Not having taken this
difference into consideration bruised my
self severely on the occasion of my first ap- |
pearance in "Faust." When Marguerite |
falls senseless in the church scene, my fall, |
calculated for fat floor, brought me SO |
violently into contact with the slope OF the |
boards as to half stun me for a moment.
The dressing rooms of the performers are |
far from being very luxurious They are
of good dimensions, but their furnishing is
of the scantiest. a few chairs, a table, and |
tents of each of them. There is little
closet at one side containing washstand |
with very small wash bowl and pitcher,
and some pegs for the hanging-up of the |
garments not in use. There is also fire.
place, and the chimney invariably smokes
whenever fire is lighted, which Is often /
necessary, since the great furnaces that
warm the entire house are always called into
requisition at the latest possible date in the
autumn, and are extinguished as early as
possible in the spring, on account of their
immense consumption of coal. One can |.
imagine how injurious to the throat of |
singer must be the atmosphere of her Dress
ing room when it is literally blue with
smoke. The French Government has been
often appealed to by the directors to have
this state of things remedied, but their re-
quest has never received the slightest atten-
tion.
The costumes of the Grand Opera are all
made on the premises. A vast room, lust
under the root, is allotted to the work people,