Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-28
HOW CHOPIN" WAS REHEARSED
In THE CHILLY AUDITORIUM

that, and thrummed on at intervals
II judged by her clothes she certainly
would not have taken the prize I'm a
fashion magazine, for her suit was Of
mixed sooty color OF the kind worn
fifteen years ago, tight-ftting and with
trail in the back which had been
carelessly dragged through the mud.
Her hat was large black affair tipped
over one ear most of the time and with
one large wired ribbon bow extending
across the front
All Bored to Death
AT each end Of the stage stood several
other members of the company, all men
with their overcoats buttoned up to
their chins and nearly every one of
them wearing a tiny black hat. They
stood In various attitudes Of ungrace-
fulness. seemingly bored and tired Of
life until the stage manager came up
from behind and gave them q vigorous
poke when the poked one raised his
head wearily, mumbled TO himself
awhile, grumbled little more ener-
getlcally when the orchestra leader
waved his baton at him and then fell
back into his lethargy.
Perhaps they we're trying to save their
voices. but they certainly didn't save
their looks, for they were anything but
beautiful to look upon. their mouths
following mechanically the sound OF the
music, but with no sound forthcoming
Some of them knew when to start in,
but most Of them didn't even seem to
know the music, and instead of keeping
with the musicians followed them.
Their seeming unconsciousness of the
orchestra was puzzling. The musicians
would grind out a wrong note and the
leader would stop them, but the singer
would go right on, and when the
musicians started i'm again that made
no difference to him, he would sing
several lines ahead, and when the direc-
tor would violently shake his head at
him the singer would stop a few
seconds as If glad of the rest. When
the musicians had caught up he would
oren his mouth as If he were going to
yawn, and let out a wheezy whisper.
All this time at the back of the sing
ers this stage hands were pounding
as if their life depended upon it. drag
ging disappointed pieces of scenery
across the floor balancing a pole here
and pulling rope there, but never
seeming to accomplish anything.
Some big fellow in overalls would
stop once in while and gaze, with his
mouth open, at the singers, but would
suddenly come to and fall to work with
'OaNN
swore briskly at him.
No Acting Rehearsed
A few straight sticks were suspended
by ropes from the top of the stage and
several pieces of scenery were stacked
up in the corners, but otherwise that
great scene of life and energy which is
in evidence at night was empty and
fcrlorn.
The oldest part of 1t was that no
acting at all was rehearsed. There was
no concerted action. The people simply
came, sang their little songs and went
away again. No scene was acted, moth
ing was done methodically. When an
actor arrived, If the orchestra hap
pened to be playing something when
he came in, he walked to the front of
the stage and mumbled away in time
with the playing.
1t can easily be seen why grand opera
singers do not know how to act, for
evidently they never practice.
During the whole rehearsal every one
kept his or her head going in time with
the music. They never stopped, some
of them almost letting their chins touch
their chests, but none of them evei
missed a count, orchestra men, stage
hands, spectators or players.
\ They say that poor rehearsal makes
ia good performance, but with the
pounding of the carpenters, the laugh.
] ing and whispering of the players and
| the wheeling of the orchestra even a
| re hearsal could not be distinguished.