The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-04-16
1.-THE MAGIC FLUTE"

House.
One of the most elaborate stage set
tings ever used in the Metropolitan
Flute" An entirely new lot Of prop
critics, scenes and costumes had to bt
made at an expense said to amount tc
$45,000. There are twenty-five scenes IL
the opera and seventeen changes. The
services Of twenty-four property mer
and thirty-five stage carpenters ant
mechanics are necessary to complete the
illusions designed to please the eyes Of
the audience.
The task of drilling the army of sup.
ers and minor actors was trying to the
patience of those whose lot 1t was tC
carry it out During the rehearsals
behind the scenes was bedlam. There
were crawling beasts all about--wooly
headed lions, practicing their gait, that
at close quarters looked uncanny in
their unnaturalness, and crawling croc-
odiles to trip over as one watched
4 drop curtain that threatened to crack a
pate or two. The headquarters of the
elephant would go to get drink, leav-
ing the carcass Of the brute In sitting
posture, while the real tiger came out
just for one peek at his expressive glass
eyes. Crowds of supers and chorus
people were being jostled about by the
carpenters and electricians, who We're
in turn, shouted at by the stage direc-
tor. Scenery stood around in stacks
and the rolled curtains made ready for
use were enough for dozen operas.
Tinseled paraphernalia was in the way
everywhere, and hot grease from the
torches occasionally increased discom-
fort by dropping on the clumsy torch
bearers. From the rooms and corridors
would come an occasional aria from a
singer tuning up, and petty directions
were being given everywhere. Still, the
animals crawled and practiced step
the front feet with the hind feet. There
were six lions, two serpents, two alliga-
tors, tiger, camel, an elephant, a
| giraffe and six monkeys.
| During the performance there was
perfect order-such order that the low
ers of music in the audience said the
performance was complete because they
were unconscious Of anything marring
| the setting of the singers When the
curtain rose, at o'clock there was little
crowding behind the scenes. The sup
ers and chorus were kept below, and the
small monkey boys were sent back to
their quarters whenever they showed
themselves, to the amusement Of the
stage hands
Active operations were begun when
Herr DIPPED had toibe chased by a SER
pent. This terrifying reptile was not
big enough in girth to be run by one
boy unaided and a papiermache beast.
with a dozen strings attached to make
it wriggle, was drawn down the hillside,
while double of the snake was ready
in the opposite wing to pursue Tamino
on the stage
The true vaudeville performance be-
gins toward the end of the first act,
when Sarastro enters upon chariot
drawn by four lions and followed by
the members of the two hundred. There
was one accident Saturday evening-the
breaking of the chariot when Sarastro
and Pamina mounted it. An amusing
side play was caused by the supes, who,
while carrying off the kicking Monosta-
tos, ran into the elephant and knocked
the carcass off it's human legs.
The animal boys certainly acted their
parts we'll when charmed by the magic
flute. The small boy inside the reptile
had the easiest job. His legs and arms
extended into the creatures limbs, and
he only had to waddle easily. The boys,
who, unfortunately, varied In size too
much, dressed in the lions skins, had a
more difficult job to be natural but had
an easier gait The small monkey boys
came under the same category. The
only difficulty with the mock birds was
that they necessitated wire being run
across the stage, which was hard to
keep from getting snarled with other
things.
The panoramas in the second act ne
cessitated a series of curtains, through
which the views were seen. The cur
tain next to the back had large openings
covered with netting. Back Of this the
two panorama curtains We're lowered
from the loft down though an opening
on the stage to the rooms below. Each
Of these was 1876 feet long. When the
visions of mountains of fire and water
were shown to the candidates for pur-
cation the rolling curtains We're replace
nQ a CuI ldIu cOVGTeu Oh
the back with an Opaque substance, but
having two translucent areas left. On
these light was cast by lanterns behind,
the light passing through unevenly col
cred sheets of glass that were passed !
rapidly before the lens to give the |
5treaky effect of ascending fire and de-
rain. When the moonlight |
made a glimmering path on the lake the |
,IereopLicon man slowly rubbed Logeth- |,
er the sheets of colored glass before the |
ems When the storm ragged the man
With the big box drum gently beat his
instrument for thunder, the tin paddle
Wheel covered with rasping sheets of |
,anvas was turned for wind, while the |
lightning was made by one man beating
,ently on plate zinc and another flash
ng calcium light.
During the darkness of the changes
he work of the stage hands had to be
and accurate. Much of the
cenery for one scene was hidden be-
lind the previous set of scenery, but
most of it had to be brought from and
aiken to classified stacks in such quick
rider that the lights could go up again
within half minute.