The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-10-23
Pre-conceiued Ideas of Conduct
of Grand Opera Folk Behind the
Scenes Proves to Be All Wrong

extreme northwestern end Of the seat,
of the livestock pavilion. Next to II was
the smaller dressing room occupied by
Cleofonte Campanini-"the big boss
Mrs. Campanni and friends.
Melba Has "Hut"
Closest to the steps leading TO the
stage was Nellie Meiba's quarters, like
all the rest an improvised shelter OF
pine boards with rough floor. II was
little more than hut Occasionally when
Madame Melba's maid, who followed
her everywhere except upon the stage,
for all the world like an anxiou, moth
er hen following a chicken---when Mad
am Melba's maid opened the dressing
room door one could see within a re-
Hector ga, heater, a small dressing
table covered with toilet accessories,
and the star herself seated before the
stove. Apparently she was turning over
in her mind the action OF the play, for
occasionally there would come from the
cracks in the boards the sound OF her
golden voice. II void rise and fall and
sweep along in little playful spurts as
though something alive. One almost
felt that Melbas body and Melba's
voice are separate things.
Adjoining the Australian sopranos
dressing room was that OF Lucien MI
ratore, French tenor, who played the
title role OF Faust" last night. With
him was Alfred Maguenat, who played
the role OF Valentine. Muratore, too,
was warming up his wonderful voice.
When Madame Melbas notes sank into
whispering, Muratore's tenor would
issue from his dressing room, sweep
along for a minute, and die down.
sl Note for Melba.
In the space between the dressing
rooms and stage the orchestra members
were changing their street costumes for
the formal black OF the orchestra pit,
and some OF the musicians were cud.
ding violins to their cheeks and
warming" them up, just as the singers
were putting their voices through their
PAGES few feet away Altogether, II
was a mad sort OF harmony-but dread
fully high-priced had one been called
upon to pay for II. For instance,
Mclba could have asked for 81 per
note. She got 5000 for her appear
ance last night
1t was getting late, and the musicians
filed singly and in pairs to the little
door that led from the behind-the-
scenes to the huge auditorium in front.
Campanini hoped from his door and
knocked on that of Murtore TO ascer-
tain il he and Maguenat we're ready
for the performance. Then he knocked
on the door Of Melba and Bsklanof,
the Russian "Mephistophelcs" who sub
stituted last night for Huberdeau.
Baklanof and. Muratore were to play
the first scene, so they more or less
leisurely took their stations, Muratorc
on the stage and Baklanoi in the wings
ready for his entrance--and Oklahoma
Citys first grand opera had been
launched.
Csvslieri 4 Visitor.
One OF the most enlivening features
OF the evening, in so far as the man
behind the scenes was concerned, was
the frequent visits OF Madame Lima
Cavalieri TO her husband, Lueien Mu-
ratorc. II ever a man and woman
were in love, these two are Previous
to the opening of the performance and
between every act II was necessary for
madame to leave her box in front and
visit her cher husband. She would
trip. laughingly up TO his rough dress
ing room. tap lightly with her jeweled
fingers upon the door and be admitted
She would only leave just few sec
onds before time for the next scene to
begin.
While one cannot follow the action
Of the opera behind the scenes as well
as II he were in front, the man In the
wings has the satisfaction Of gratifying
that very human instinct 10 find out
what makes the thing go"
Ono is surprised to learn that the