Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-04-28
WRITING AN OPERA.
A. 8. ol-sERT TELLS HOW ne pro-
pucEs COMIC LIBRETTo.

0Isberasn Laborioas Methods--Hmw 10
osss mis- Ideas For Popular ffass
1 asked w. 4. Gilbert what he consid-
cred the chief traits necessary 10 enAbie |
enc TO become a successful playwright
well" he replied thoughtfully, that
opens up a very large subject They DIFF
FER vastly. lin my own line should sum
them up as follows: In the first place,
the power OF catching the public taste;
then q thorough knowledge OF stagecraft
and q gift for stage management; the
capacity 10 invent plot, the power TO
create characters, an eye for dramatic
situation and scenic effect, and finally
the faculty 10 write readily dialogue. Tyr
ics and musical numbers"
II believe, Mr.. Gilbert said, that
You have little or no ear for music.
Don't you find this interferes with your
rhythmical numbers
ut In quite true that have no ear for
music, bnt | have very sensitive ear
for rhythm; 1t il precisely the difference
between time and tune. lam very fond
Of music, but | don't know discord
when | hear one. On the other hand,
the slightest error in time. which would
probably escape a musician, would jar
most gratingly on my ear My fondness
for music chiefly lies In hearing pieces
which are connected In my mind with
associations. would rather hear an
unknown soprano singing a song knew
than Patti singing one did not know
where do your plots come from. Mr..
GilbertT
pilots? Good graciousi where do they
come from2 | don't know. A chance
remark In conversation. little acct
dental incident. a trifing object, may
suggest train of thought which devel-
ops into startling plot. Of course
/ am talking Of original plots. don't
call adapting a play or translating q
play writing one. Taking my own plots,
! for instance, the sMikado' was suggested
oy Japanese sword which hangs in my
study. The Yeomen of the Guard by
J even more unlikely incident. had 90
J minutes one day to wait at Uxbridge
station for TRAIN, and | saw the adver-
tisement of the Tower Furnishing Com
J kpany,' representing a number Of beei
J eaters-why, goodness only knows II
! gave me an idea, and | wrote the play
originally as one Of modern life In the
J Tower of London. Then 1t suddenly
occurred to me to throw the time Of u
| back to that OF Queen Elizabeth. Hav.
I ing got ones plot. the next step is to I'll
/ in the characters. And the chief poin,
In doing so Is to invent original charac
D tiers.
1
j II write ont the play as story. Just
as carefully as though ii were to be pub
lished In that form. then try to divide
0 it into acts. think two acts the right
number for comic opera. At least my
, experience-and that Is 30 years old
Q teaches me so. Sometimes. Of course
o the original story does not fall readily
0 into two acts. and so requires modifica
D tion. Well, Iput 1t by for fortnight
4 or more, and then rewrite the Who'll,
1 thing without referring to the first copy
: find that have omitted some goot
Q things that were in the first edition and
have introduced some other good thing
that were not In 1t. compare the two
put them both aside and write II on
; again. Sometimes | do this dozes
D times; indeed the general public has nj
J idea Of the trouble it takes to produce
! play that seems to run so smoothly AND
! 90 naturally.
: Zone must work up TO good curtain
3 Tbelieve very strongly In this, although
never take up any controversies. but sim
Q ply 60 my own way ON my own lines
! The last impression Is always the strong
. est, and the audience viii often pardon
I feeble. wearisome act for one dramati'
climax at its conclusion. lean general,
. judge now what viii have good effect
: Sometimes. but very rarely. 1t Ii spoiles
: by the interpreters. They always a,
y their best. bat occasionally they fail /,
> realize my intention. The fact Ii tina
y for comic opera many artists. especial,
! tenors and sopranos, are necessarily en-
! gagged who are singers rather than actors
. and IL Is not to be expected that care
q fully written comedy dialogue win re
! ceive full justice OF their hands.
well. to go ON with the writing o
Q the play, ! next sketch out quite roughl,
Y the dialogue and then fill in the mnsica
numbers As feel inclined do not at
a tempt to write them In order, but jus
- stt& &sAtssts& e<*HsS s&lf--1t49 st&&Es III
+ there. q sad one when feel depressed,
y bright one when am In happy mood
n When at last all those of the first act ar
. done. II Is sent to the composer to be- %
q 10 music, with a copy Of the rougl
sketch OF the dialogue TO show him hov
the different songs hang together.
generally like reading II over TO the com
!. poser, 30 as to give him my idea of th
rhythm, which, as matter Of course. h
: varies nj his pleasure.
There must be perfect good fellow
!. ship between the writer and composer
!. ~ there 10 much give and take 10 b
= managed. Meters have to be change.
+ by the writer, or times altered by tn
composer. TO fit in with some idea. SOM
2 intention. Of the other partner. For In
stance. the writer may have put them
In ono meter. and the composer has |
2 tune in his head which viii Just suit tn
! theme. but win not fit the scansion, an.
9 20 the lyrics must be altered. Each mus
u Try 10 make the others part AZ easy a
possible. There must be no jealousy. "a.
Tad feeling between the two. They mus
be on the best Of terms. otherwise Their
viii be no success Cor. st. jaime
2 Gazette.
: An Average Parent.
Fond Father-My boy doesn't seem 10 b