The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-08-02

day "Das Rheingold" will be sung on thu
second. Die Walkuere;" on the third
"Seigfried;" on the fourth, die Goetter
"Seigfried;" on the fourth. "Die Gotter
daemmerung." The first cycle is com
posed of July 10, 20, p and % the secont
of July rs, q, 2S and 20; the third of Aug.
ust z, 3, and 5; the fourth of Angus
8, 10, II and 49, and the fifth of August
16. II, Is and 10. The respective days OF
these dates are Sunday, Monday, Tues
day and Wednesday. This gives twenty
days of opera within the period beginning
July ~ and ending August 10.
Particular preparations have been
made for the productions this year as t.
artists, scenic effects and costumes, and
Judging from the demand for tickets
TINS FESTIVAL will be the greatest in the
history or the series. Rehearsals havt.
been going on for severa! months and 10
those who have the privilege of visiting
behind the scenes this preliminary WORK
is quite as interesting as the opera itself.
Much of mechanical nature is neros-
sary TO present Wagner's musico-Cira :
matte works in their full effectiveness
NO one appreciated this more than Wag-
ner himself AT the Bayreuth festival
or 1882 Wagner himself directed every
thing. During the rehearsals and for
weeks before the productions he Iabored
behind the scenes.
1t. was his custom to chalk little
- eiiS StoSc " liluIcdIe Uno exact
spots where he wanted the singers tn
stand, and he also drew lines to show the
direction in which they were to move
from one point to another. During the
productions, when he could not watcn
everything from behind the scenes.
ne look up position in the foreground
OF tne stage, coloring his face so that If
WOULD not be apparent against rock or
tree IN the background, and from there
olrect the work of the artists
ne uriiled the men up in the flies, he
Iniarched the soldiers to the exact time If
~ n ra,i,' making everything move with
chinery. VI 'oi'ipieA ma
ne knew all the details of the work !,
the various departments-costu ~
property manager. musical counducto.
Sease manager, scenic artist, engineer
master carpenter. the ballet the chorn,,
and the individual work of the ont;at US
ne knew exactly what each ono of -
asencles should do and he was e1la, NC
where 10 see that his ideas were carr;e,
THE OPERATIC STAGE
al operatlc stage is Chinese puzzle
10 the novice, but every square foot ne
II means something in particular to ~ ~.
siusers. Wiuthwise it is divided int
nve parts. The size to the extren,e ' LA
OF the spectator is called the promnt sida
Inc prompter stands there in theaters
Jo1s 49, LIZZIE IS no prompters box.
the point which marks half the width |
OF the stage is the prompt center. Then |
there are the center proper, and CORE |
spending with the prompt center AMI
prompt side, the opposite prompt center
ana tne opposite prompt side, or as
they are always called in theatrical mar
lance, the o-p-center and the o-p-side.
The depth of the stage Is divided into !,
entrances" according to the number
of wings. Thus the first prompt en-
trance" is between the proscenium and
the nrst wing on the prompt side. Cor
responding with it on the opposite side
is the first o-p-entrance
All these divisions and their appella-
tions hold good not only of width and
depth. but also of height. For instance.
the prompt center extends from the floor