Los Angeles herald., 1905-03-16
BELASCO DRILLS
FLOWER GIRLS
"PARSIFAL" BEING PREPARED
AT LOCAL THEATER
Singing Of Miss Marian Badger Prenn-
ises to Be a Pleasing Feature
Of the Produce
ton

mot a bit like It, girls; not bit like
It. Now see; this is the way 1t is,"
and then a man with shock of black
hair with suspicion Of gray In 1t
gave a capital illustration of the say
ing that dancing is the. poetry of mo-
tlon. Now, all of you try it and get
1t that way. Now all again, once
more" Then a violin squeaked few
Introductory notes, a plano Joined In,
and in another second score or more
of girls were rhythmically swaying
their bodies and singing one of the airs
from "Parsifal"
All this happened yesterday morning
in the large hall of the Turnverein on
Main street.
The man with the mass of inky hair
was Frederic Belasco and the young
women were the flower girls who will
appear in "Parsfa" at the Belasco
theater next Monday night. Mr.. Be-
lasco was doing his level best to be
flower maiden himself, and even went
so far as to give an imitation of Sem
brich singing one of the enhancing
sical play.
Then again did the girls dance and
sing, and when they broke the circle
in the middle was found Joseph Gal
braith, a copy of his part in "ParsifaP
in one hand, an unllghted cigar Sc
curely gripped between his teeth, and
a look of IT wonder IL I'll ever learn
this part" on his face. Just seven
times did Mr.. Belasco and the flower
girls go over the scene in which they
are supposed to tempt Galbraith as
the Parsifal before he finally o. KID
their work and announced that he was
ready for the next scene.
The Belasco people are making ex-
tensive preparations for their produc-
tion of the dramatic version of par
sifal' that is to be disclosed for the
first time on any Los Angeles stage
next Monday night. The force of
stage carpenters and scenic artists re-
quires all the space of the Belasco
stage, and in consequence the rehear-
sails are held outside the theater.
Charles Henley has charge of the
musical portion of "Parsifal," and by
the time he is through with the singers
it is 10 o'clock, when Mr.. Barnum and
Mr.. Belasco arrive and take charge of
the entire lot of players and singers
who will be seen in "Parsifal."
The singing of Miss Marion Badger
is likely to prove pleasant surprise
to the Belasco patrons Miss Badger
has been brought to Los Angeles es-
pecially for the "Parsifal" perform
ances. She has recently been selected
by Madame Minkowski of the Minkow
ski operatic school of New York for
the Nordica scholarship in this cele-
brated institution. Nordica three years
ago decided to give a scholarship once
each year to the most promising So
prano of this country, and delegated
Madame Minkowski to visit the largest
cities and try the voices of ambitious
and talented vocalists. Over two hun
dred singers entered the competition
and the successful one was Miss
Badger Of San Francisco. She will
enter upon her studies at the Minkow-
Shi oSiiooi III OcptcHlucis. anu oS Siic 10
the possessor of a temperament of the
dramatic order and a voice Of mar
velous range and purity, her friends
in California predict a great success for
her in her operate work.
Another singer who will participate
in the Belasco production of "Parsifap'
Is Master Harold Forman, whose sing
ing of kathleen Mavourneen" and
"The Last Rose of Summer" in TON
Moore" has found much favor with the
| Belasco patrons. Master Formans
beautiful soprano will be heard in
"Parsifal" as the voice in the temple,
and in these solos he will have a better
opportunity to display his wonderful
high notes than in the ballads he sings
at the Belasco this week.