New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-08
UORDS OF THE CHIEFTdIN.
A LITTLE TALK WITH FRANCIS WILSON

LITTLE TALK WITH FRANCIS WILSON
The reporter of The Tribune who was obliged
TO confess last Sunday that he had been unsne !"
find Francis Wilson, and therefore. unable 10 p'ins
any talk with him about his new opera, Inc Nh'ep'
TAIN" has since had better luck The custom MUS.
is not taking al Mr. Wilson's time any longer anu
last week he had abundant leisure and Willingness
10 say anything that needed 10 be said stli 'nere
is little TO add 10 what published about inc
Chieftan'' In these columns n week ago TINS "n''
ing OF interviews Is such a simple affair thst any
body who is used 10 II can make almost as soo0
a one II he does not the person with wnom 'he
interview is supposed to held he can If he does
see him. except, OF course. when some reaIiy im'
portant information is 10 be impaired In other
cases seeing and ia king with the man an interview
with whom Is to be published is only form WHICH
is gone through with for the sake OF giving inc
stamp of authority to the published article.
This WAS Mr. Wilson'S own view OF IT, lie was
kind enough TO say that the article In The Irouns
OF last Sunday covered the ground just as wen ana
was just good In every way as II the writer oh
II had seen him. He really could not think of any
thing that he felt 1t to say In addition'
though he was quite willing 10 answer questions
So the reporter asked him first. just for the SAKE
OF making a start how he thought the part OF Peter
Adophus Grgg, in THE Cheftaln." compared WIN
the general run OF those he had played before "
point of the opportunities offered him.
Il think IT is better than most OF them said MI
Wilson. Just away down IN ""
dumps as we usually at this stage trying 10
fiji all the odd pieces together words and music ana
scenes and principals and chorus and everything
else all in confusion and IT looks unpromisinS
but II always looks SO. and II always comes ou'
all right and 1t will this time. | think there Is .
remarkably good musical opportunity In this oper@
I mean that the music helps the humor OF the pooA
wonderfully. There is fun In the music tseH
person thoroughly familiar with the hbret'o ou'
knowing nothing OF the really could not see 'ns
opportunities for humor that there in the
opera" =.
You have not sung much Of suliiyans muss
before have your" the reporter asked
NO" said Mr. Wilson. II sang Sir Joseph Por'
ter once and that my first comic opera part
by-the-way and | sang in The GondoIers'
you know and those all OF Suivans parts 'nA'
| have sung.
do you find good. clearly marked '"a''S'S'
In Grgg?"
Yes and shall make It more marked thah y
was made in England. shall broaden II A"1
make more OF Cockney part Of II. drop an II 's'e
and there. you know. ! think shall MAKE "'-ss
one OF the Englshmen who are just ehi'sn'e"s =
enough, you know, TO be on the D)rue' "" ~,
correct speech. as far the II IS concerned ns
will dron an II and then correct himself You have
heard Eng,ishmen who talked thai way. no dou0''
| have" ~.
How much has the opera been changed from '''
Old 'Contrabandist s.
well the first act has been improved anu ea'
rated a good deal and the second act Is an n, re
The old opera ended Just where the hrst ac W ,srs
new opera ends Two three OF the chal ., ,hs
are new including Mrs. Grigg. and mueh Vi '
music even of the first act Is new -. 50
How about these costumes that nave ~, IT. ones
much trouble? Are they to be Just IKE 'he '"'
used In London , ,Ao-. and
"No | didn't Ike the costumes used ther'' az" .snt
decided TO have mine entirely different 30 ", w IA
10 Percy Anderson, who Il a thorough, 49,. . sst
such things and got him TO design fili hen ",rsct
The dresses they used at the savoy weIt5 h,,g.
enough and the men looked Ike real spanish .,see
ands in them but | thought that a Ht.iigi ~ 81
license might be permitted and that II wouiu y, ,Son
ADVANTAGE 10 :deailze them little. 10 W@he '
look bright and more picturesque. -, ,va the
"Rtt II YOU were not going 10 have theh' n Them
SAVOY costumes why could you not nav tionso
made here and save all this custom i'
well because | wanted Mr. Anderson ~ !, vas
wise the making OF them clear through. AM "a vent
a good plan too for as the work weht onsesstons
thinking OF new IDEAS and making new sae fhmnroye
II little things here and there that wViIr y arst
the whole effect. By-the-Yay ms VIII DC OF
snnearance in modern costume In eonile p"rs s,p-
coirse have been in other operas Una. rev were
nosed 10 occur In the present times pu. .n 20 wear
always In sort OF fancy dress Here n nay Even
the dress OF an ordinary English uaVehhs.n. have
here All the characters except TWO OF hn yoder1
aome sort OF fancy dress, but mine VIII w
,.,,a a new experIence for me.