New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-02
Producing a New Opera
Is a Real Business Job
There's No Romance About the Preparations That Must
Cover Every Detail but Hard Work and
Sleepess Vigilance

Of plates showing the architecture,
furniture and costumes Of every age
IN the worlds history. The costumes
are made ready IN the same way under
the direction Of Nine. Musaeus. The
work OF painting and mounting the
scenery and designing and making the
costumes goes on IN the various work
shops belonging TO the Metropolitan.
Of which there are four. situated nca~
the Opera House. in West Forty-d 'st
I'd fortieth streets. At times
MIR Siedle has under his objection as
many as two hundred men and women.
all engaged IN preparing a new opera.
The cost Of the scenery and costumes
for new op>ra mounts into the tens
Of thousands Of dollars. spectacular
production such as Samson ct Dalila"
costing between $4,000 and $4,000.
The costumes arc none Of them chcaply
made. and often OF the most exper sivc
material. The costumes of the Boysrs
IN Doris Godounow" cost originally
500 suit, vet they were worn cr ly
by Supe-s.
When Siguor Gatt arrives from
Europe in October the scenery for the
new predictions must all be ready.
his scenery is az once set up for
SiCnor Gatti's inspection. necessary
changes are made. and then the produc-
tiou is packed away in the s:orehouse.
The various properties have meanwhile
been manufactured either in Europe or
In the Siedle Studios in New York,
ard for these also careful research
must be made go that they shall be
historically correct
The chief remaining work now lies
with the conductor who is to direct
IL talr aef
artist In hand and goes over with them
their parts Then with piano ne
lrings them together on the stage and
works over the ensemble. eliminating,
cutting and combining, for few operas
are presented just as they are written.
Before he begins the rehearsGls. how
ever. he must have saturated himself
with the spirit o. the score. FIRST )y
means o. the piano partition and then
BY "a careful study OF 'hC complete
orchestral score. The chorus. which
has been trained separately by the
chorus master. takes Is place on the
stage In these piano rcheGrSals snd IS
OF course placed under the direction Of
tie conductor.
The orchestral rehcarsals have been
begun some time before. also under the
direction Of the conductor. who con
lI' CTS lltli Ut tllNAe AsIt 20 eHfNtINN va N''N
artists or chorus. The final full re-
hea~sals sre given with orchestra, ar
fists a~d chorus. and % is during these
that the conductor and stage manager
give the final polishing touches. Mean
while a costume rehearsal without
music. has been held by he director,
Mr.. Gatti-Casazza. This rehearsal is
held with the scenery 90 as TO make
any changes in the costuming neces-
sary in order that the stage pictures
NAV blend. The foal rehearsal IS the
dress rehearsal. This is given for the
critics and a very few invited guests.
,he old policy Of hl'i..g the auditorium
Win an assemb!age Of persons. most %
whom had 10 connection whatever with
the Opera House. having been aban-
dorcr Tris final rehearsal is identi-
cal with the performance given on the
cperirg night. except that some Of the
singers. who do not feel in the best
vocal condition, often sing in half
voice.