New-York tribune., 1922-12-15
Young Boswell
InterUieWS
Joseph Urban

BECAUSE ne s one Of tie foremost
scenic ariisis.
he becon a. an aYchitect.
he did ne settings for when Knight
hood Was in FlowcT.-
hs created many sets al TIE Metro
poliian Opera.
he has just done q nsp production Of
"Thais" for yeritsa.
IA late c0mers passed through the
doors Young Boswell stood NTH JO-
SEPH URBAN % inspect the new sets
for "Tkais." JOSEPH URBAN, ich0 is
perhaps a BIZ rofuHd. stood by a pillar,
little NERVOUS, erciicdiv tCatching the
curtain % up. A siandec craned her
meek, fret 10 one eide and then 70 ths
other. bat couldn't s6o thing. She
nudecd MR. URBAN giik a thin finger.
"Shh.' said an usher. That fs MR.
URBAN" "WeH ! cont sec through
him. iohoevcr he s.- icas her reply az
shc sought another door5gV. Mr.. UR-
BAN smiled and moved oHt into the cor
ridor
JOSEPH URBAN-T just wanted 10
see II that first shift to the scene In
the amphitheator was all right. Let's
80 where we can smoke.
Young Boswcll-How do you feel at
one Of your own openings7
JOSEPH URBAN am a little nerv-
Gus. There were some mistakes In the
lighting. Some stagohand is nervous,
too. But / never worry about these
little mistakes because the audience
doesn't notice them. There Is a charm
for me in this excitement II would
be boring 20 have great many OPEN
ings, and still more boring 90 have
everything 20 just right. To look back
stage it b. interesting 90 see all the
complication Of the scenes, stagehands
running here and there, pulling ropes
and waiting 10 change the scenes. And
Il Is very hattcring 20 know that ! am
the cause Of all the complication. that
all this company Of men Is working to-
gcthcr 20 produce my ideas.
He returned for a moment 70 peek ~
az fhc door olriains 20 rcasSurC himsoQ
that cgcrvthing was going tosL
JOSEPH URBAN "Thais" Is par
tieularly interesting 10 do, though the
music isn't much more than decorative,
because it is set in Alexandria, where,
in the midst OF Egyptian architecture
and Arabian atmosphere. the rich
Greeks bull Greek palaces. You see
the difficulty in the boudoir scene. I
have got around that diiieulty By using
an Egyptian wall In the background.
with huge Arabic figures on u, and
then have used a transparent silk tent
for the boudoir, 90 give the feminine
touch.
Young BourcH could hear Jcritza
singing from the rear doors Of the stage.
JOSEPH URBAN I do the sets
around the main singers. consider
their proportion, their temperament
and their general decorative quality.
Jerltza Is q Tremendously decorative
hgure and ! have taken advantage Of
that In the dream set in the first act.
Young BoFrcN recalled TIC scf, huge
blue columns. riih masks. ~ ihe fore
ground. and the GmphithCator in the
background. oad ne clouds floating
'dcross. revealing t.o radiant figure Of
That's
Young Boswell-Do you have to DO
much research FOR your sctsl
JOSEPH URBANE-No. Beginning
as an architect, have that training.
] know ny periods. I try to express
my feeling OF the period. because that
is the only thing one can say In a set.
II you go 90 books you either copy the
pictures or reconstruct it mentally.
which is wrong. / try 20 do my i'm
preston Of the period That is Why
/ used Tho silhouette Of tropical trees,
90 suggest the country in which the
opera is set Some people will prob
ably say they cannot see the singer.
But what does it matter what sort Of
a nose Air. So-and-So has7 An artist
who works FOR the stage should be
an architect. lie should know light
ing. and how 90 use IL. The painting
is secondary. / don't suppose 500 Of
the 5000 ncople out there agree with