The independent., 1907-01-31

TO settle the weekly account. They are
paid at the rate of 80 cents for each
performance and rs for each rehearsal,
But the fact that they are privileged
10 hear the opera is what attracts the
fine class OF men.
The dressing room below the stage
is given over entirely for the use OF
supers. They must be on hand prompt
ly at 1880, for considerable time Is
taken up in changing costumes. Here
the lawyer, who a minute before en-
tered with his long oyercoat and cane.
opens his locker. slips on his new
gown, and is quickly metamorphosed
into n courtier with roughed cheeks,
Spanish cavalier, a knight In steel
armor, an Egyptian sIav, waiter, OF
Il pilgrim returned from Rome.
The first night Is scene Of hilarious
laughter. The supers are not yet ac-
customed TO their new garb and sur
roundings. The thing IL so novel to
them that they all crowd around
small mirror and struggle to admire
themselves In the glass. Meanwhile a
few supers may be seen sketching
some Of their willing fellow workers
until the bell summons them to appear
on the stage.
What different appearance the
stage presents from that of rehearsal
Now everything presents picture Of
activity. Managers give directions;
stage hands move to and fro, ballet
girls group to the left OF the stage, The
chorus takes It's position. The lights
are turned on and the machinery OF
the opera Is In motion.
The supcrs await their cue and
proudly march upon the stage with as
a
q night. Each super throws forward his
chest and believes himself to be the
cynosure OF all eyes, as II he, too, were
making his debut.
This gives them the opportunity OF
observing the audience from the stage
From this point OF vantage, when the
lights are On the opera house presents
q dazzling and brilliant scene.
With the exception, perhaps, OF
"Iohengrin" and "rannhauser," Wag-
ner calls for a few supers In his
operas. "Alas!" said complaining
super VINO took the part OF an appren-
tice In die Meistcrsinger,' IL Wag-
ner had only known how anxious we
were 70 appear In The ring he certainly
would have had compassion and made
place for us" The Italian operas like
Carmen" Faust" and Aida offer
IuoIt OpPoihuiiiby 1VI hbt ohpIts
There are many interesting ancc-
dotcs Of the opera, which seldom reach
the public ear.
In the first act of the opera, Loheng-
din arrives In a skiff drawn by
magic swan, In response to Elsa's
prayer for champion. Knote, who
last season took the part OF LohengrIn
on the opening night was much morti-
fled to find that the machinery OF the
boat failed to work. He was left IN the
middle of the stream with no prospects
Of landing. Then the stagehands srew
desperate and strenuously tugged at
the ropes. The boat would not bulge
an inch. At last, by a combined effort,
a number of stage hands crawled TO
the boat and actually carried 1t to the
shore.
Though ten bars late, Knote before
he commenced the swan song, found
time TO whisper In German to the her
aid who stood near THAT was mar
row escape indeed"
Pol Plancon, who Is taller and more
robust than any Of the other singers,
when walking about the wings OF the
stage awaiting his cue, once spied a
super who was unusually tall Pancon
looked terrible In the role OF Mephis-
topheles. Two long feathers which
STUCK out OF MS SfNdIl cap maze MN
look perfectly monstrous In size.
Walking up to tho super. he meas
ured shoulders with him and said
'T thought | was the taliest man here
I discover my equal ! congratulate
you"
with that he sang out theme from
the opera and sauntered over to the
other side Of tho stage to find
whether there were any more his
equal,
while waiting for their cue the ar
lists are restless. One super found
satisfaction I'm watching Galeza walk
20 and fro twenty-three times on the
night when he appeared for the first
time In the character OF Lohengrin.
Mines Eamcs. Walker, Gadski and the
rest ~ the prima donnas seldom ap-
pear on the stage before their cues
when they come from their dressing
rooms
The surers OF the Metropolitan
opera house form large and import.
ant body without them much OF the
la af tIantl Ia