The age-herald., 1901-02-04
SKETCHES FROM
 EVERYDAY LIFE


 their voices than the average person." said Miss Fatmah Diard, who has delighted the public for many years with her voice and who ought to know how to take care of it. ''I believe there is a general idea among the public that singers take extraordinary care of their voices, and as their voice is their fortune it would seem that they ought to guard and treasure it a pretty woman does her face. However, they do not, and I believe it is as bad plan to be over eau tous with your voice in any other mat ter. Emma Abbott killed herself with too much caution. She would have the walls of her room lined with blankets to keep out the damp, and her dressing room at the theatre fixed in the same way. She would ride in a close carriage. and did everything else that could be thought of to protect her throat The result was that she became so sensitive to cold and dampness that when she was taken i'll he died in day or two She was literally blanketed to deaths A singer should never wear thick fiannels for the stage is often very cold and the change from warm clothing to delicate gowns or tights is so great as to produce colds Really when you think of it, it is marvel lous that singers going from town to town in all kinds of weather are not more troubled with colds, but don't suppose the understudy has chance to appear on this account more than two or three times dur ing season. I studied for several years under the famous Marchesi and her idea was not to over-nurse the voice, so to speak As to the durability and lasting powers of the voice. they depend almost tIa of birdo and hOt- ties a singer enjoys-the fewer the bottles the longer the song. With care, and by that I mean general care of the health, the voice ought to last long time. Good health is everything to a singer, and to enjoy it, you must have plenty of rest and nourshng food. Speaking of myself, be- gan singing at fourteen, was married at fifteen, have been singing ever since-I won't say exactly how long-but as you see I am still alive"
 "An opera or a play is really more in- teresting when viewed from behind the scenes than in front" said at the Jefferson Theatre the other night. "You not only see and hear everything that is presented to the audience, but great deal more It is somewhat like seeing a circus
  the side shows of theatre are better than those of circus. There is a wonderful amount of system and dicipline on stage, and the stage director is in command of everything as fully as the captain of a ship. Besides being bossed by the stage director, in an opera troupe no singer dare pipe any louder than permitted by the musical director. When you see three or tol ,1i on ha stage and wonder at the volume of their voices, the chances are that the rest of the chorus is behind the scenes helping them out Besides the actors, the mechanism of a stage is interesting.
 Most people know how thunder, lightning and rain are produced. All this and the lights and the shadows are under the super- vision of the stage director. He says "let there be light" or 'let there be thunder,' and whatever he says goes. One of the most interesting of these mechanical de- vices is flat piece of iron used for produc- ing chimes. This iron is held in one hand suspended by leather thong and the chimes are produced by striking it with a hammer The notes are different according to whether it is struck gently or hard, and whether on the flat side or the narrow edge. SIanulnS Den0u the scenes the duulence cannot be seen, and it produces a queer sen- sation to see a play and not see the audience and yet know they are there. The first applause breaks the spell. Applause by the way, sounds much fainter behind the scenes than it does when you are in the audience. Birmingham audiences are not addicted to enthusiastic applause. It 44as the reputation with theatrical com .f I.a;,, o1l south. It is a mighty occurrence to see some actor actress come off the stage after a solo fine bit of acting exclam- ing well they never gave me a hand "
 
 "Electrlc lights,'' he continued, "have rev. olutonized scenic effects. At the Jefferson there is a swithboard with about fifty dif- ferent circuits arranged so that any amount of red, blue or white light can be thrown on the stage from any direction The amount of light is regulated by drums like those on the dashboard of street car. The stage electrician like the motorman, can turn on one notch, two notches any amount of electricity desired. By means of a long cord any number of electric lights can be suspended or placed at any point on . the stage Formerly in the days when gas was uSeu TOT HgnunS, tnlS coulu only pc done by means of rubber tubes. Some times an actor would step on this tube, which would, of course, instantly put out all the lights, and the moment he took his foot off would flood the stage with gas. This was not only annoying, but very dangerous, for if not shut off immediately there was danger of a fire or explosion. It was during this gas period chat the rule pro- hibitng smoking behind the scenes originat- ed, which is now a constant source of an- noyance to many actors, the danger from 1t having been eleminated by electricity
 SEAFARERS.