The sun., 1903-12-06
THOSE OPERA HOUSE LIGHTS.
A VISTA or EXPERIMENTS NOV
BEFORE MIR. CONRTED.

Present Arrang emeut Throws the Women's
Faces Too Much Int shadOw-Audi'
ences Cold This Season-Waits l.Ong
Patrons stin Shy At the Foyer.
The lighting system in the Metropolitan
Opera House has not yet proved entirely
satisfactory to the subscribers nor to the
architects, 80 there are to be experiments
until the desired effect is produced
After the opera the other night, the
directors Of the Metropolitan Opera and
Real Estate Company held an informal
meeting to discuss what changes had best
be adopted The gathering was not very
fruitful OF results.
Whatever one director objected to vio-
lently, some other director considered the
only attractive part Of the new system
When the meeting adjourned 1t was unani-
mously agreed that while differences OF
opinion existed on every point, the senti-
ment Of the directors was in favor OF any
possible arrangement Of the lights except
that now in existence.
The architects. Carrere 4 Hastings. have
already reduced the light In the boxes
about one-half The complaint is still
made that the light from the two electric
bulbs between the boxes throws the faces
of the women into shadow, and It is doubt
f,ll II with such back ground as the royal
purple velvet offers. 1t will ever be possible
to throw out the figures as much as they
were formerly.
IL ia the intention ultimately to have red
globes on the lights, so that the soft light
from the rear Of the boxes shall not throw
the faces Of the occupants into shadow
and shall make the effect of color even more
mellow and beautiful than 1t is at present.
1t was the intention OF the architects to
hang the chandelier much lower than 1t is
at present, and that plan would have thrown
more light on the parterre boxes. but Mr..
Conried wanted it hung high; and there
1t Is.
The radical changes In the decoration OF
the theatre have naturally led to express
sions OF somewhat varied opinion, but
most persons who 60 there think that the
tawdry old house has been beautifully
transformed. Some Of the most valuable
su pRestions in the decoration came from
Mr.. Conried.
Tho corridors, for instance, had been
painted In an even brighter shade Of red
than the dominating tone OF the auditorium
He ordered the present pale neutral tint
substituted.
"H you have the hall as red as that. y
he said to the architects. "the interior OF
the theatre will create no effect at all. I
want the contrast between rather q color
less exterior and the brilliant frescoing
inside"
The decorators saw the force Of this
opinion and followed the managers advice.
Nowadays the main curtain opens to
each side, instead OF rising, as 1t formerly
did TO the top of the proscenium arch. The
curtain is not new but was made for the
gala performance given IN honor OF Prince
Henry two years ago.
If the audience appauds enough the
curtains are drawn aside. showing second
painted curtain in the background. The
artists appear before this and come back
az many times as they are recalled. Flow
ers are handed to the singers then, II any
have been sent.
Thus is the old cakewalk from side to side
superseded by very much more artistic
but less exciting manner OF acknowledge
ing applause. In former years even polite
subscription audiences applauded with de-
lioht as thier favorites walked across the
M. Rieo, the former stage manager,
! would open and shut the door in the arch,
| as II to say: -Now she comes and now she
| to the utmost pitch OF suspense. Nowadays
no such stimulus to applause stirs up the
T, jaded audiences.
The coldness of subscription audiences
| ia always a matter OF comment. at the be-
ginning of the season, but the climax came
most popular singers in the opera returned
after an absence Of two years In part In
| separately connected with her name.
When she appeared In the first act there
was not . hand raised to greet her. Such
| indifference always sstonishes newcomers.