THE ITALIAN OPERA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2209, 2 July 1896, Page 50

THE ITALIAN OPERA.

A Glimpse Behind the Cuutain. Mr Lionel S. Mapleson, in an article in tbe Strand Musical Magazine entitled " Bsbind tbe Scenes, at ?he Italian Opera," cays:— The dressing rooms of the great artistes are a considerable sourceof anxiety to the stage manager. Each morning, duiing the opera season, it is his basiness tjo srrange in which rooms the artistes for that particular night's representation shall dress, and the names of the artistes are indicated upon the doors. The best rooms are always demanded by the prima donna and pritno tenore, and a3 , very few-opera bouses (if any) have two rooms- equally eligible either in point of ■position or appointments, it may be imagined that the dressing-room question is the Bource of no small heart- burnirg. In an ordinary theatre devoted to dramatic performances tbe rooms remain the property of the various members of the company for the entire run ot tbe piece, whereas in Italian opera tbe cast changeß every night, and on occasion twice in a day, therefore it required a fund of diplomacy on the. part of the hardvrorked stage miinager to make everyone at least passably contented. On occasions when such operas as " Don .Giovanni" or "Le Nczza di Figaro" are >v given, and.tbe delicate professional fetling6 of prime donne have to" be considered, - to say nothing of the principal baritone, who plays' the title l&le'ia each of these operas, and who considers himself of far more consequence than any number of prime donne, the poßt of stage manager is not an enviable one, and it requires all iJio experience of such a past master of operatic stage management as William Parry to accomplish the apparently Impossible t&ek of ' making everyone comfortable when only one really good room is available. AN EXACTING PBOPESSiON. •.These • difficulties are mostly met with when the company is on tour ; but oven tbe finest opera houses in the wcrld are remarkably deficient in the nnmber and size of dressing rooms for tbe artistes. Operatic stats have to pay great attention to the fixed rules necessary for the preservation of their vocal power?. On the days when they sing they do not usually have any substantial meal after 4 p.m. at the latest, and remain in their rooms resting until it ie time to proceed to tbe theatre. „ ' At 6 p.m. the brothers De Rerzke are always to be found seated peacefully in their dressing rooms at tbe Metropolitan Opera House, New Yt>rk, "makicg-up" for tb.9 night's performai.ee. Tbe?e great artistes have special dn s-^rs who always travel with them, and tbfcir attendants arrive at the theatre e^rly in the afternoon and srratga the costumes required for the occasion, also preparing the dressing tables in the most perfect manner. - • Tho members of the chorus, as well* as the ladies of the ballet,' leai a very hard life, daily rehearsals being held throughout tho ceason, and these frequently comtnesca at 11 a.m. and finish as late j-s fi p.m., when the hard-worked members of the company have scarcely sufficient time to hurry home to their meals and return in time to drees for the night's performance. * When tbe opera company visits a collegiate city, such as Boston, U.SA, the students apply for permission to act as supers in order to have the pleasure of attending all the performances and seeing the reverse side of the operatic picture. Occasionally an embryo millionaire may be seen marching to Gounod's stirring music, wearing the armcur lately tenanted by' a genuine super at 2s a night. ° < The chorus is instructed and daily rehearsed by the Maestro del Ooro ; the corps de ballet is in the charge of the Maitre de Ballet, whose duties comprise arranging suitable' dances to the composer's music, in addition to daily rehearsals with his ladies ; Che "property department," employing a large number of people, supplies all tbe stage mountings with the" exception of the actual scenery— all the interior sittings, chairs, tables, &c, in fact, everything movable, from Marguerite's spinning-wheel to the angel's wings in the Apotheoßis at the close of the opera. • A MEDLEY OF LANGUAGES. The " wardrobe department " supplies the Costumes for chorus, ballet, and supers, also foi the principals, if required; hut . the artistes 'usually prefer to use thtir own costumes, and many possess theatiical w&idrobes of great value. Troubles frequently arise when $be fair artistes are passing through the hands of the American customs officials, who find it difficult to believe that such expensive dresses are intended for stage wear. The euggeritore has a very responsible- post to fill, He is provided with a complete Vocal score of the opera performed, properly marked with all

tha "cuts" or omissions, and he reads the entire work a few words ahead of the artistes .throughout the- representation, not waiting, as is the case of the dramatic prompter, until there is evidence of the actor's memory failing. Several of the operas have been published with different librettos, especially tbe works of Meyerbeer, and it is quite a usual matter for tne snggeritore to have three different editions, of " The Huguenots," for instance, open before him, and to be obligsd to' read from them all in turn, in order to accomodate the artistes who have been in the habit of singing the various editions. Not only does.the suggerifcore have to contend with this trouble, but there is also tbe difference of language to provide for. It is quite an ordinary matter to hear Faust, Marguerite, and Mephistopheles sing the French vertion, while Valentine and Siebel are only acquainted with the Italian libretto. On occasions Faust will sing his passionate addresses to Marguerite in Italian, while she will reply in French. The language of the chorus is distinctly cosmopolitan ; Freccb, Italian, G-erraaD, and Eoglish in all their varying dialects mingle together with truly international cordiality. There is no remedy for this when an opera company is recruiiei from the best available talent irrespective of nationality, ,