The Indianapolis journal., 1902-11-09
WRITING A COMIC OPERA
KIRKE LIE sHELLE DISCUSSES THE
CAMPAIGN OF THE LIBRETTIsT.
The Personality of the "Star" in DOM
fnance-Why the ContraIso Doesn't
Become a Prima Donna.

There are some fine scientific points in
volved in the building of a musical show
If you don't believe it, just try il some
time" The speaker was Kirke La Shelle,
whose name is familiar to theater-goers as
one of the prominent men in New York
theatrical activities and as manager OF
the Frank Daniels comic opera company,
which is TO present here this week Miss
Simplicity" AS the librettist of The
Aneer' and THE Princess Chic" Mr.. La
Shelle speaks as one with experience.
THE book and the lyrics are written
first" continued Mr.. La Shelle, but long
before they are written several other very
important things have to be done by the
librettist. First of all, the whole complex
ion of the piece in Influenced by whether
Ii is TO have for its leading character a
comedian or a primma donna If 1T is
the former, the comedy element must pre-
dominate, and the writer may revel with
much more freedom in the realm OF the
ridiculous. If a prima donna is to be the
central figure, the piece must be more ro-
mantle and legitimate in its atmosphere.
with the particular comedian or prima
donna for whom the piece is being written
in his mind, the librettst, even before he
knows what his story is to be like will
usually decide upon what sort of charac-
ter he Is going TO give the star. Some
prima donnas appear to the best advantage
in roles which require them to be merely
coy and winsome, while others, who find
it tudicious to use tights adjunct to
their art must be given swash-buckling
roles, in which they are obliged to dis
guise In masculine attire, as this is the
| only logical excuse whereby a woman can
assume the doublet and hose. If the star
| is comedian, the author has to consider
| whether he is a man who will be best
fitted with a part that will permit of un-
| limited clowning and 'slap-stick' business,
or one who, like Daniels, can make fun
more legitimately by using his brain, as
we'll as merely his anatomy.
THE next point TO cover is the locale
| and period, and, no matter what the period
may be, whether it is up to the day after
Tomorrow like Miss Simplicity or back
to the days OF Robin Hood, the surround
ings and circumstances must be such that
the mise en- scene will be picturesque and
unique and colorful. Pictorial value is as
| important an element of a musical piece
| as the music ITSELF for there is an un-
written but unbreakable law that requires
| offerings of the musical stage to appeal not
only to the ear, but to the eye. In choos-
| ing the time and place for his piece the
! librettist gives attention to the beauty
and quaintness of the costumes. the possi-
bilities for striking effects in a scenic way
and the opportunities that are apt to arise
for his leading character to do queer and
| uproarious things after the accepted man
| ner of comic opera outlandishness.
| "All this time the story has, of course,
been assuming shape. but it is not yet time
to begin to write. First, the acts and scenes
must be arranged-and they must be ar
ranged so as to be effective To let the
company appear in several changes of cos
tunes the author must let the players ap-
pear in different places, and a change of
scene or two always adds to the value and
attractiveness of the production.
with the building up of the story the
characters come of themselves into the
authors view. These must be catalogued,
and he must select which are to be depend
ed upon for the fun and which for the vo-
cal effects. Not much is usually required
of comedian in the singing line, you
know. In every musical piece, whether the
star be comedian or a prima donna, it
| is always necessary to have more or less
of an attempt at a love story. as love and
it's attributes, in addition to having been
through all the ages the key to the heart
and the pocketbook of the dear public,
serve the puzzling librettist in an even
more practical way by providing the nu-
merous excuses and motives for the carry
ing of his complications and action.
And, besides, what heartless piece it
would be if there weren't at least two or
three dainty lyrics of love to be sung dur
ing its progress! And so i'm every comic
musical piece you will find love story.
1T isn't until he has this love story and
the things that are to keep the course of
it from running smooth clearly in his mind,
and until he has arranged the relationship
of his characters, that the librettist begins
to 'libret.' He may have written count
less notes, memoranda and stray lines be-
fore. Now he can really begin to write the
piece as he wants it to be spoken and sung.
First of all, he writes merely the story in
dialogue. In doing this, he provides for all
of the entrances and exits and the speeches
that introduce or accompany them, as we'll
as for the lines that lead up to his impor-
tant situations. He coins his gags works
up his funny scenes, and writes the
speeches that are to introduce make ex-
cuses for his lyrics
"Then he comes to the fnales of his acts.
And, oh, those finales, That's where he
will find himself splashing around and try
ing TO feel bottom, If he hasn't got into
, trouble before When it somes to the finales
. Mr. Librettist is very apt to feel, If in
deed he hasn't felt so before, that con-
| versation with the man of music might
prove very interesting. In this he is not
! disappointed. The talk is sure to be inter
! esting to the point of excitement. And after
il is over the writer of the book and
; lyrics feels surer than ever that in the fin
ishes to those acts he can see his owl
finale. Sometimes these are not written un
til the music. book and lyrics for all the
rest of the piece have been completed
They are the most important of the single
:. episodes of the work.
1T is probable that prior to this th'
author has been moved by occasional in
SEPARATIONS and bursts of whatever genius
he may be blessed with TO throw of, from
4 time TO time, a versifed gem for one o
I his characters to sing. But now is tn
. logical time to sit down and systematicall!