Evening star., 1940-12-29

charm, modernity and beauty. The
believes, however, 1T has contribute
innovations tried out at its presenta-
ton of "pagliacci' in Carnegie Hall
on December 9.
Since the objective was confined
to the stage design. the costumes
and the lighting, the idea of what
was attempted is explained by How
ard Bay, the first to win a Guggen-
helm fellowship for scenic designing,
who was in charge of the produc-
ton.
THE most important new idea
was to place the singers downstage
somewhere near the audience and
back them with the orchestra. In
this way the singers do not have to
hurdle a pit wriggling with mu-
sicians and instruments to estab-
lish contact with their listeners.
The singers are no longer stars for
whom artificial stage business must
be invented to keep them busy on
vast empty stage. The presence of
the orchestra on the stage behind
re-establishes the Journalism of the
concert, and the singers become,
prominent solo instruments, al
though linked to the orchestra,
thus creating a common unit be-
tween singers and orchestra.
Composite Picture.
THE visual mood was maintained
with semi-transparent gauZe drop
hung on the curtain line between
the apron and stage on which was
mounted vignetted opaque scenic
design. The frank presence of or
chestra behind the drop eliminated
the need of detailed fidelity to To-
Gale and permitted the drop to be
primarily a composite picturiza-
ton of the theme and atmosphere
of the opera. The play within the
play was directed at the audience,
so there was no cluster of Supers re-
acting violently to the little drama.
The National Orchestral Associa-
ton is particular to stress the fact
that the production of "Pagliacci"
was a laboratory test" and that
1t was not intended to reach the per-
fection of professional company.
By trying out new ideas it was the
hope of the association to make
music plays fit into the ordinary
sized stage to be found in theaters
throughout the country and that
when American composers see a
new and modern setting and less
stilted action in the standard operas
they will be stimulated to compose
so as to increase the repertory of
works by native composers. The
association has operated as a train
ing school, so to speak. for orches-
tral players and now turns its at
tention to training for and better
ing the production of grand opera.
eve broke with the traditional
presentation of opera because we
felt it was being uncritically wor-
SHIPPED by narrowing circle in
America, and we want to widen
that circle" explained Leon Barzin,
musical director of the association,
in a discussion of their objectives.
we 1lOpc W uefSlOp oil OptId SIOQp
of singing actors who will know
large number of operas and who
will be able to step into existing
opera companies in the same way
that our instrumentalists graduate
into established symphony orches-
tras. 1t is proposed to train singers
who can sing important minor roles,
and by doing away with the star
system the singers who have the
principal roles in one production
will be choristers in others.
Views of Turnau.
Joseph Turnau, formerly OF the
Vienna State Opera, stage director
for the National Orchestral Asso-
citation, says:
THE time is ripe for a complete
modernization of opera presenta-
tion-in staging, scenery, costuming
and in the movements of singers
and chorus. We must depart from,
the customs that have been in eff
feet for the past so to 100 years.