ABOUT THE STAGE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 480, 13 April 1909, Page 3

ABOUT THE STAGE.

ADVICE TO YOUNG ASPIRANTS. A CHAT WITH MISS FLORENCE YOUNG. If-there. aro_ any young girls in Wellington yearning for. that bespangled and rosetinted life which their immature imagination may picture as existing behind "that funny little row of lights" that divide the real from the make-boliove, they should lose no • time in writing to Jiiss Florence Young, the leading soprano wtih tho Royal Comic Opera Company. Miss Young, who has emphatic ideas, and direct methods, would probably reply with the laconicism of "Mr. , Punch" in his advice to" those about to marry— "Don't!" This-advice would not be given without due deliberation, for she has had nearly nineteen years of stage life to ponder over the question, arid therefore is excellently qualified to give the callow that serious and- well-intentioned word of warning which is invariably disregarded in toto. Miss Young was asked to' say something to tho point—to come-"to tho stern realities,' as-she says in "The Merry Widow," and pur representative, seeing her between tho matinee and evening performance yesterday afternoon,:found her politely'acquiescent, though he had to wake her from her ten minutes _ pre-dinner, nap. ... "Yes," said Miss Young, , "I suppose there are a lot of girls who.think this is an airv fairy sort of life,. I. used to thiiik so myself —a long time ago. Like'most things in this life.it is altogether different from what the uninitiated , suppose. They judge from what they see-when the lights are up. They don't

know the work,thai is necessary to achieve the result. A spall might come in 'cases where a piece runs a long-time, but in Australia operas don't run so very long, and there is ; seldom'-a. spell when rehearsals of some kind ..or other aro not going on. j The Day's Work. . . "As Eoon as one, opera is launched, the management must begin' to. get its "successor ready—it may "take, weeks, months, but it is always going on. Take, for.instance, the work, of a principal, or chorus/girl.--for that matter, who is in a piece that is'nearly run out and is rehearsing for the next. Here is the days work:— : . ■ Rehearsal.—lo or 10.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lunch.—l 'p.m. to 2 p.m. '■■ ' ;.Eehearsal.—2 -p.m. to 4.30 p.m. or 5 p.m., or' matinee. ' Dinner.—s p.m. to 7 p.m. Evening performance.—7 p.m. to li p.m. /'That's wiork—hard work—particularly with the temperature somewhere between 80 and 90 degrees jr. • tho shade day after day,,night after night—that's when you realise the glitter of the life. Tho ballet is just as hard worked—they are working away under a ballet-mistress in old ballot skirts. All work—real work/ "After such a day's work a girl : hasn't the inclination to live the gay life—the glamorous'suppers and'such-like that some' people givo us such credit for. All she wants is to get homo to bed. That sort of thing may, and I suppose does, take place in England, where there are long runs and little to do save' tho evening performance, 'but there's precious little of it in Australia." ' • .'■....■ Tho Australian Girt. How dees the Australian girl compare with the, English? '. . :. '. "What, chorus sirlP Oh, I think favourably. The Australian girl has more adapta-L-i y r~ t°t to sin E. dance, and act, whilst at Home there is more specialisation— the chorus is more'distinct from the ballet there than here. I think the Australian girl.;moro nearly resembles the American. English girls seem so, hemmed in by conventionality, and their outlook is narrower. Our girls are freer, ' brighter, .and more natural; Or course,' there rare ! hundreds of quite .charming girls on the ..London stage, and' mirio is put an impression from personal observation , , but-I think I am' pretty right'in/tho main.". '• ' '•■ ■ . . "I Don't Study." I am curious to''know'how .you study a part from the first when one-is handed you. Oh, I don't study. At. least, I'have no fixed method; I learn the lines hi a scrappy sort of way in the hotel, or wherever I happen to ,be, and the music-at rehearsals." Then you:don't thump away at the score at home—at tho hotel?. ■•'"'• '. '"' ; "No, !■ have some respect-for the landlord —and'myself. I rehearse-at the-theatre— at first with the; piano -and afterwards with the orchestra/then when , we havV'a good idea of the music, tho lines aro fitted in and 'business' is introduced; until finally the whole fabric: of' the ■ opera—orchestra, chorus, 'ballet, and principals aro rea'dy to lace tho limelight." • A Principal From the First. Miss Young admits that she has' beenlucky.' .They wanted someone'to play Casilda m the. first production of 'The Gondoliers ,in Melbourne in 1890: I happened to be, thoro and they. gave '1110 tho'' chance —bit of luck; wasn'tvitP In'that cast were Maggie Moore, as the Duchess, Howard Verxon as the Grand Inquisitor, Elton as the Duke, Uarloy Rigley and Henry. Bracey as the gondoliers, and Flora Graupner and Violet Varley. .as thoir sweethearts • After playing a lot of parts, I went to. England in 189 1, and alter playing there''accepted !i six months' engagement in South Africa* Then I went back Home and played ihpantomnno and opera,' and.aftor went to Paris for a year's study with.Marches!", Did .you find, that helpful? "Helpful!—l-should-'think : I did. ■ She wanted me tA go. into grand opera; and was very annoyed when i didn't." '. ■ :■;■ "Favourite .parts?. 1 liavea;dozen of them —Lodoislca in 'The Lady Dandies,'- 'Dorothy, 'Paul Jones',' Sans Gene lin 'The Duchess .of Dantzic'—all , the < Evie Green parts suit,mo well." ■ ; . •.''■', Konia? '. • ' ',■• ' ■ .• " "I think so. I haven't played-'her enough to bo quite sure, but the music-is delightful. Yes, I think'Sonia'will bo gathered in amongst my favourites!" ■ . •