The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-11
WITH A WAGNER ARMY
How the Cohorts of German Opera
Travel.
A Few Moments After Curtain Falls
the Scenery is Loaded on Trucks.

Az O'Clock next saturday afternoon
the last strains OF the music of the Dam.
rosch Opera company will he heard In tho
Boston theatcr. Mr.. Damrosch will bow
his thanks 20 the applauding audience, and
the throng Of Wagner enthusiasts which
has filed the house from orchestra "a roof
will file out. Before Mr.. Damrosch has
made his final bow and while the faces of
the applauding crowd are still turned to-
ward the stage, the stage carpenter will
have taken possession. The sound of the
hammer will be heard.
Men will rush hither and thither under
the short, sharp instructions OF the shirt
sleeved foreman standing in the center of
the stage. Cracking pulloys will let down
the sky borders and the drops that hang I'm
the flies. Practiccd hands will unfasten
the ropes, ana each picco will be rolled or
folded at its joint. Wing pieces will bo slid
from their grooves and laid one on the 9th.
er. Amid clouds of~dust and an appear
ance OF hopeless confusion, each piece Of
scenery will find its appointed place, and
one by one tho relays will be carried out
20 the big trucks which wait In the theater
alley. In 30 minutes the stage will be
stripped. Meantime tho costumes will be
packed and taken TO the wagons In big
trunks. In 80 minutes more tho trucks
will have delivered their loads, and the
scenery will be aboard one of the six spe.
cial baggage cars which travel with the
Damrosch company.
AT half past q o'clock men and women
will begin 10 arrive ut the station in par
ties of five or ten, asking for tho opera
train. These are the members Of orchestra
and chorus-60 In the orchestra and nearly
100 in the chorus. Most of the musicians
will carry their Instruments All will
have bundles and bags and paper parcels,
looking suspiciously like packages OF
luncheon. Who will have charge of this
big party? No one. The train Is engaged.
accommodations arc provided for all who
are TO go, and notiocs-they arc known TO
the theater rs "calls'--are posted at the
stage entrance. The call for Saturday will
say that chorus and orchestra will take
train at 2 o'clock for Cincinnati The
name OF the railroad will be given. Each
member Of the chorus and orchestra will
be expected TO get to the station in his own
way and at his own time. But IL he is
not thero by z o'clock, the train will pull
out without him, and no will have TO pay
full faro on the next train he can get Ii
very seldom happens that any one is late
for the train.
Two weeks ago when the company left
Philadelphia the call said that baggage
would como through to Boston, though
the orchestra was TO stop In New York to
play at the Symphony society concert
This meant that clothing for two days was
TO be carried in handbags.
i was surprised when Manager Graf
told me each man and woman In the com.
any was n distinct unit. when the opera
company arrives at Cincinnati" said Mr.
GraR, 1.-THE members of tho chorus and
orchestra viii go where they like They
engage their own living quarters In hotels
or boarding houses, and all we expect of
them Is that they will appear at the Music
hall at the time of tho next call for re-
hearsal or for regular performance
The chorus people go TO boarding houses
or small hotels, where they sleep four in
room. They receive extra pay on the road,
but not enough To provide very luxurious
quarters. When they travel, only their
fare Is paid. If they want sleeping bcrshs
Or seats In chair cars, they must pay for
them. This Is true Of the principals also.
They receive tickets from the manage
ment, and they can ride in day coaches II
they like None of Mr.. Damrosch's prin-
cipal singers does this. They live at the
best hotels, and when they leave Boston
Tor Cincinnati Saturday they will travel
IN special sleeping car. But there have
been great singcps who were IA economical
is chorus people. When the American
Opera company was touring ten years ago,
.ho great tenor robusto Eloi Sylva-who
hat heard it will ever forget his "Nerp?"
stopped at tho cheapest lodging houses,
'ooked his meals on little oil stove and |
lid his own laundering In his room.
MIR. Damroschs orchestra and chorus |
will travel from Boston on a special train |
os six baggage cars, two day |
caches and four slcepers. On day run /
he special is made up of six baggage cars,
wo parlor cars and four coaches. There
re buffets In the parlor cars and sleepers,
'ut the people in Che day coaches carry q
upply Of food and even the eating sta
ions on day run sec fow of them. When
he train reaches the end OF the route, the
rchestra and chorus people get TO their
oarSiing pleccs as beat thoy can. If they
ave any personal baggage, they club 20
other and hire wagon TO deliver IT, All
tage baggage of course is taken direct TO
he thcater. GRANT HAMILTON
Boston.