PRODUCING AN OPERA

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2853, 18 August 1916, Page 6

PRODUCING AN OPERA

AN ELABORATE BUSINESS

WHAT MR, TOM POLLARD SAYS

For some fifteen years Mr. lom Pollard was the sole director and proprietor of tho Pollard Opera Company, juvenile and adult, which played "stock" in Now Zealand and. Australia; that is to say, the same company practically dodged round all tlic year, for tho most part securing their operas under arrangement with J. C. Williamson. In this manner the Now Zealand public adopted the company as its own, and "Pollard's" was a household word all over the Dominion. Tli.e niembors of the company thai used to frolic through tho operas of Gilbert and Sullivan, Audran, Planquettc, YonSuppe, and Offenbach, are scattered to the four winds of heaven. Some have departed lfeiice, some have married and settled down in this city or that town, and some have stuck to their last, and won out to big positions on tho stage. But all are more or less pleasantly remembered for the pleasure they £avo in the days before tho stage was given over to frivolous nonsense, banal songs, and business that does not savour of a clean and healthy springtime. Mr. Tom Pollard himself, now in Wellington, tired of the travelling as he grew on in years, and some ten years ago settled in Now Zealand, latterly at Greymouth, where he caters for the "Coasters" who loe the "movies" just as much as wo do here. Still "Tom," as they all call him, hankers after the legitimate. He likes to bo concerncd in productions where somo, brain work is concerned; he. loves to build up stage pictures, think out "business'* that he knows will win laughter or applause, or both —in short, lie loves tho smell of the grease paint, and is never happier than when it is assailing his nostrils in the prompt entrance. His talent as a producer has been eagerly sought after by_ amateurs from Auckland to Dunedin, and the coining production of "San Toy". will make his fourth appcarance in Wellington as stage director fpr the Wellington Amateur Operatic Society. "It's hot all child's play," said Mn Pollard, "to produce an opera; and it is, of course, a little more difficult with amateurs than professionals, because tho lattcr's experience is a helpful factor. Still there.is.a certain interest, in coaching the amateur, the intelligent amateur, , and to see your ideas working out through their performance. There is a wide range between the peoplo I have to handle. Some will show themselves to be smart and alert at picking ,up an idea, and giving expression to it almost at once, and will return to the next rehearsal and repeal it correctly. These aro usually-the ones with a gift for mimicry—they see what I want them to do, and imitate it. Others will do it fairly well, and will come to the next rehearsal and havo, to be taught tbo same thing all over again.

"As a rule the Now Zealand amateur people are a pretty sjnart lot, and the performances they give from time to time in light opera and musical comedy would not disgrace any amateur body in the world. I've got a really good lot to handle in 'San Toy,' and blilievo thoy will all do themselves and the society credit."

The spado work in connectipu with a production—the work t-o be done before. he ever attends a rehearsal—is equally interesting. Given a vocal scoro "of the opera and a 'script of the dialogue, he has to sit.down and worry out the situations and- business for every miriiite of time that the curtain is up. ''That is the real work of producing as apart from stage management," said' Mr. Pollard. "Of course a producer out here may have handed to liim a liberally-marked prompt-book, containing full instructions, and a set of models and photographs of the Home or American production (which he lias ■usually seen),, so that he is not' a producer in the real sense of the word. Given a score and 'script, produce an opera—that's tie real test. That finds a man out, and tests his inventive ability. That is my case with. 'San Toy,' " said Mr. Pollard. "Strange to say, I never produced 'Sail Toy' with my own show, and have never 6een it performed either professionally or otherwise, so I have had to work it all out 'on my own.' I've bad to sit down and plan tho whole thing out from tho first-to the last chorus, arrange every entrance and exit, place the chorus and beep it busy with picturesque business, move it about so that it will not be in the way of the principals, figure out the business and dances for them —in fact, raise the whole superstructure on. the foundation of tho 'script and the score —the sort of thing that cannot be done without a thorough knowledge of the resources', of the stage, and the capacity of those one lias ,to deal with. But it is all interesting work to me. It's in my blood and bone, I suppose, just like the artist and his colours, -.and the potter and his clay, and there are compensations sometimes in the really good performances these amateurs put up!"