The independent., 1907-01-31
Gentlemen
''Supers"

Conreid OF the Metropolitan Opera
the most gentlemanly force Of supers
In the world. Among the $50 who take
part In the opera large proportion
are school teachers, doctors artists,
lawyers. bank clerks, undergraduates,
students, and even numbers Of profes-
sional musicians.
There Is one thing am glad to
say" remarked Herr Conreid, as the
supers were assembled upon the stage
for rehearsal, "and that Is, you aro
all gentlemen. Years ago We did not
have such fine men, and there was
more Of the rougher element"
The work Of selecting the force be-
gins early In September. An advcr-
tsemeDt Is inserted in the newspapers
calling for gentlemen supers. II Is
surprising what large number wish
to be engaged as supers, and incident
ally be paid for hearing and partlci-
pating In the opera behind the scenes
in response to his call Mr.. Castel-
Bert. the stage superintendent re-
celves hundreds Of replies, and from
these he selects the names Of those
summoned for personal interview.
When the work OF actual selection IL
completed the fortunate ones are called
to rehearse their parts. At the first
rehearsal the stage is bare. chairs and
chalk marks represent the position Of
the scenery. and the piano takes the
place OF the orchestra.
On one occasion when the piano
player was absent, Herr Conreid him
self supplied the deficiency. Arm IN
arm with Mr. Viviani who had charge
Of the French and Italian operas, the
director led the supers around tho
stage, sang out the cues, and pointed
out where the men were to place
themselves on the opening night The
recruits no through the various move
ments which have to be impressed by
repetition. In spite Of practice. In
the beginning mistakes happen.
Last season when aida" was pro-
duced, the Egyptians who were carry
ing the sacred bull walked all around
the stage with It, and instead Of re-
manning to the rear, occupied the
center Of the stage. reserved for
/ Caruso's entrance. AT last they heard
the shout Come back" which the
distracted manager uttered so loudly
| that 1t could almost be heard In the
orchestra.
And 50, too, a group Of supers who
were assigned to guard the canopy on
which Caruso was borne, forgot their
relative positions, and Caruso had to
be content without q bodyguard on
the opening night
In the last act Of Carmen" the gay
Spanards who were entering the am
phitheater to witness the bull fight
made such a wide circle around the
stage that they stepped all over the
prompter's score, and super lost his
slipper in the action. This produced
such merriment among them that they
received chiding lecture al the end
of the act.
In "Tannhauser," among the process
sion which descends from the Wart-
burg chanting a funeral song over the
bier on which Elizabeth lies. there are
four supers who carry candles, which
they are supposed TO extinguish as
Tannhau3er expires. Yet these were
glowing bright at the critical moment,
all because MIR. Groeder. who takes
charge of the German operas, spoke In
German and could not be understood
as he shouted from the wings
! When the supers are not engaged
| they have permission To go up In the
| flies" The ''hies" are two galleries
erected on both sides of the stage for
1 convenience in the shifting Of scenery
/ From this point n complete view OF the
stage below may be had The oppr-
| tunity OF listening 20 the opera instead
OF acting Is always welcome after a
| long hour OF standing, The supers
1 clamb TO the upper galleries up maze
OF steps They are told 10 report again
at certain scene. All want she best
\ places on the iron framework From
/ here one can see the staging from
which the ropes are pulled that raise
and lower the scenic background. and
/ from which the limollehts Hash down
upon the stage, From his lofty perch.
seated on a pile of ropes, tile super
looks hetwe u Theron beams down
along the vertical picture Nefeene and
sces tho action going on below With the
| privacy of a box holder thAnsh per-
haps Ia a little less euylaole sllua-
/ tinn,
our Hupets," explained Mr. caalcl-
nert, lho stage superintendent. have
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