New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-14
favorable progress toward recovery. lie sat up
day to-day. and had his meals served in his room
INRE KiRALFY'S NOTE BOOK,
THE ART OF PLANNING sPECTACLEs AND
STITCHING DANCES.

STITCHING DANCES.
In tall brick building uptown there has been a
ceaseCss sllrrying Of feet, sQueaking OF ddcs and
pounding of scenery for the last weeks The re-
hearsas for the spectacle and ballet OF columbus 1"
which will be exhibited with the Banum and Bailey
Show have been going there. on three floors the
various squads have been drilling simultaneously.
Throughout The long day class succeeds class in this
academy Of dancing and posturlnc, from the kinder
gaten Of the fguraes up TO the post graduate
of premiere danseuSe Iurryng here, there and every
where among that congress OF young and maidens
attired In curious combination Of working clothes
and dancing skirts, and adorned EACH with big piece
of paseboard on which Il number is printed. goes a
slender, darkeyed man, in high hat and frock coat,
directing, correcting, cIfticsins, eXpostuating Is
Imre Kraly out Of whose fertile brain this and many
other spectacles have been evolved
! Mr.. KIalfy has double distinction. He not only
stands at the head OF his fellows, but he has created
bis art. The history of gigantic spectaces Of that
nature began with Kiralfy. lie has the thing down
20 science He has evolved system of notation by
which he can put his ideas on paper and complete the
whole scheme with its Of intricate dances and
shifting tabeaus before single girl has danced
single banner waved. long. wellworn note book
contains hundred doubepage diagrams the entire
score so TO speak Of the columbus" spectacle.
| In its maze Of curvng lines, scattered numerals
pointed arrows dots dashcs and notes. the people who
carry out Mr. kiralys ideas read the progress Of
the humbest fgurante-s7d, for instance-from the
| entrance, through every scene. to the exit.
Each diagram has n general plan of the stage or
amphtheatre, a mathematical figure in red lines ind
Gates the general character OF the tableau movement
while numerals, arrows, whirling curves, dots and
dashes show the orbit of each little star IN this universe
OF life and color That IS, TO Mr.. Kiray and his as
sistants the diagram Is thus eloquent and explicit
To the uninated IL looks like storm chart OF the
Weather Bureau supcnmposed on a map Of ocean cur
rents. Down in one corner is series of brief notes
in regard to "practcable rocks party practicable
gates and such details Of scenery. Up in another
corner is written the theme Of the music TO which the
dance most Of these being also composed by the
many sided talent OF Kiray. Then there is the ques
ton OF costumes and the blending Of ooors. Historical
accuracy determines the first and the artistic eye OF
the Matchmaker the second. We TO sec Ferdinand
and Isabella Columbus and Prince Boabdil cl Chico
with their retainers in exact reproductions OF Their
Sundaybcst clothes. chart Of the coor In each set
Of costumes is made out, and the grouping on the
diagrams carefully arranged that all jarIinG effects
arc avoided. In speaking of his work, Mr. kiralN
said recently
This book OF diagrams and that heap Of costumes
reg eseht two and half years work on my part.
have read almost everything ever written the III,
Of Columbus and have been most OF the ground
where the scenes arc laid. And yet, thanks 10 my
system Of das grams and notation have been able 10
crystalline the whole tling on paper Just as an arch-
tect or musician sketches or writes ont his inSpra-
ton. and then taking my bricks and mortar which ar
men and women. horses charOts and scenery, my
Neutcnants can build the structure in few weeks, &c
cording 10 plans and specifications, without change
being necessary. | can the whole thing before
costume has been made a line of dancers formed
in the old days Of spectacular drilling, everything was
experimental. No complete ard consistent advance
plan was possible. The girls were marched THIS way
and grouped that way, and if the thing didn't look
we'll Or II they got hopelcssly tangled up 1t had 70
be tried over again. Sometimes they were kept on
the saarylist year and four months before the play
could be put on. Consequently the manager often went
busted before the box Office could be opened Win
my system need only three weeks 10 dTill the l-"D
people In this production. $500, .... ,,,,
| THE spectacle will ahe an hour and twenty MN
utes for s. production. IL opens with the Alhamura
palace a fte Is given by Prince Boabdll To quiet tne
nroplc Then comes the news Of defeat by the sI"i
| isrds constcrnaton surrender, trlumpha entry 81
Tcrdinand md Itabclla the Qucen promises Couintu'
Ia pledCe her Jewels 10 tit out his EXPEDITION u ~
cnvrrv Then the departure OF the niue .hct W
aforrn the discovery OF the variation OF me w
nntiriv the discovery Of the New World, tho lannls
ofprJvard the return 10 Barcelona, the day OF c'N
i,iee welcome 10 the hero OF the hour ctc ec ne
bins viii he about seventy feet long dnd 10 increase
tbn I,lnson the crew will be understood so UNIT ,lC
rnlotjye nroportonr will be almost exact. we Shdh
haze complrte rehearsals In the Madison square ,ni
dr ncxt week and get thing down N ciQck"Orh
rnnnn~ by the opening day. Monday March IL