The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-04-04
LORD FAUNTfERoY's oPERETTA
Mr.. Vivian Burnett, Son of the Fam
Gus Author, Is Also the Possessor
of Marked Talent.
BY MARION DEPEw.

The particular bright and happy star
that ruled the fate of little Lord Faunt-
| leroy seems to be no less kind to his
| fortunate prototype. On the 5th of
April is to be given by the Pi Eta So
ciety at Harvard an operetta, the mu-
sic and lyrics of which were composed
| by Mr.. Vivian Burnett, for not only has
Mr.. Burnett inherited a faculty for
welding the pen gracefully, but is ex-
ceedingly talented musically. He seems
| to have been born with a rare gift for
improvisation, and since childhood has
| entertained himself and delighted his
friends for hours together at the piano,
allowing his varying moods to express
themselves in rich and somber harmon
les or delicate bits of melody. By one
of those usually happy condolences it
just chances that the performance will
| celebrate Mr.. Burnett's coming of age,
as on that date he attains his major
ity.
Only a few weeks ago Mr.. Burnett
came over to New York to be present
at the first night of his mothers First
Gentleman of Europe" and Mrs. Bur
nett now returns the compliment by
duction of the operetta and to cele-
brate her sons 21st birthday.
1t may interest boys-especially those
who are thinking of going to college
to know something of the usual meth
DDS in getting together (for that is
really what il iS) and producing col
lege operetta.
A list is first made of all the fellows
that can do Specialties, and a collec-
ton made of all possible local jokes
and gags that are in the least fresh
and pointed. Then they decide upon
a general plot, as for instance bur-
leSque of Shakespeare'S Henry VIII"
There really is a decided reversion of
the methods that obtain in legitimate
composing, for instead of writing the
music and selecting the actors to suit
the libretto, they are obliged to write
the libretto to not only suit the actors,
but usually to fit the music, for al
though there are always plenty of
clever fellows that can write the dia-
logue and lyrics, it is very unusual to
find a college man who can compose
the music. A notable exception was in
the case of the SPHINX later
had a long run az the Park theater,
Boston-given by Harvard in "a, the
music of which was written by Lewis
Thompson. They generally. therefore,
select their music from here. there and
everywhere, mostly taking the bright
est bits from ths modern light operas.
making the lyrics which conform to
them embody all the college hits. They
snappy, getting to the songs and cho-
ruses as rapidly as possible, for. after 4
all, it is chiefly the music that carries 4
the thing along.
The men usually reheal Sc themselves
until within about four weeks of their
public appearance, when they call in a
coach, who, as it is always at the end !
of the regular theatrical season, goes !
to Cambridge. New Haven or wherever |
the college is located. and remains dur |
ing the whole period, taking the men |
whenever they happen to be free from |
Rotations and study.
A professional stage manager who |
has coached repeatedly for the Har-
ward and Yale productions, says that |
one finds just as good actors amongst |
them as are to be found anywhere. |
They are especially clever in taking
parts, though, as a rule, they
object to becoming distin-
guished in this particular line. 1t is
impossible to tell, however, the kind of
man who will excel in feminine roles,
for as the coach said one of the very
best actresses they ever had was really
a very manly looking fellow, whose
beard would grow an inch a minute,
but he somehow made up so well and
played with such delicacy, grace and
finish, that when he had his war paint
On the other men felt shy about ap-
him.
For their stage wardrobes they de-
pend wholly upon the costumer. who
not only has to have corsets and gowns
specially made for the women's roles,
out frequently is obliged to order en-
ire new suits for the men whose ath-
etics have developed them several
inches each way beyond the ordinary.