The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-11
Reaard,ne Opera Companies


 in the new legislature who are pulling for
 his election to that position
 Regarding Opera Companies ..I have just been reading an interview in The Age-Herald about opera troupes, past and present. in which representa- tive of the Bessie Abott company tells of the notable grand opera organizations that made tours in the eighties. said an old music lover. "I was much interest ed in his "reminiscences. but my recollec- tions go back to the early seventies.
 "The first grand opera I ever attended was presented by Clara Louise Kellogg s excellent company in 1871. Miss Kellogg WAS a great prima donna, and like Miss Bessie Abott had a South Carolina rela- tionship, with this difference: Miss Abott was born in New York of South Carolina parents, while Miss Kellogg was born in South Carolina of northern parents.
 Clara Louise Kellogg received her musical education in New York She made her American debut in 1861, as Glda in sRigoletto,' and her English debut in 1867 at her majesty's theatre, London, in the role of Margherlta in
 Faust She had brilliant success in Lon don. She was engaged for Drury Lane theatre in 1S6S After a four-year's tour in the United States she returned to Lon don for two years. Her great company for presenting grand opera in English was organized in 1874. and after that l heard the distinguished cantatrice sev- ell, at tnh of her fame.
 '"rhe modern operas demand much larger orchestras than those heard in my younger days. In fact, the orchestra is now almost as important as the cast and chorus on the stage.
 Miss Kelloggs company carried on it's tours about a dozen orchestra players and supplemented that little band with the pick of the local theatre orchestra; and the theatres in towns of 5000 to 1Oo.- 600 employed in those days more musi- clans than now A theatre that did not maintain an orchestra of at least F men two first violins, a second, viola, cello, bass, a flute, two clarinets, cor net trombone and drums-was the eX- cepton to the rule. In cities like Louis vile and Cincinnati, larger orchestras were found-usually II to IS men. When the orchestra was made up of IA players, two French horns were added to the instrumentation used when only 12 men were employed. When the number was increased to 16 or IS an oboe and a bas- soon were heard. Thus it was that Clara Louise Kellogg, by having her own nu- cleus of an orchestra and utilizing local men, gave her performances with some thing like a concert orchestra of p to 25. But in the '7Os and sos any city large enough to be billed for grand opera was large enough for a three nights stand, and sometimes week. And there was always a large and exacting rehearsal of the orchestra on the forenoon of the first day. But in these times when opera companies jump from city to city, touring for one-night stands, there is little or no time for rehearsal and for this req son local orchestra players cannot be utilized to advantage; and should not be used at all. for the simple reason that without a good deal of rehearsing the supplemental musicians, even if they be real artists individually, make the en- semble rough.
 'The first company to carry en-tour an orchestra adequate for it's repertoire was the Boston Ideals. afterwards the Bos- tonions-in the eighties. f was a little band-16 men besides MT. Studley, the conductor; but it was strictly high class and was a delightful feature of the per- formances. How easily we old opera lovers recall that orchestra-two first vio- lins, one second, one viola, one vlolon- one aboe, one bassom, one cornet. two | horns, one trombone and a pair of kettle drums
 Tn recent years Birmingham has heard | the Metropolitan Opera House company, | once in Lohengrin' and once in 'Parsl- | fal' The first time it brought its splen- l did orchestra of AS men and the second time even larger orchestra-59 players | by actual count. Miss Bessie Abotts company brings formance of La Boheme' at the Orpheum Monday night-about 40 men. Pucclnfs operas do not require so big an orchestrs as Wagner's music dramas, and La
 Boheme' or Madame Butterfly would
 sound all right with an orchestra of be- | tween 35 and 40.
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