While the head musical director is engaged with the principals and the
orchestra, the Chorus-master spends his time training the chorus. If his
work is not efficiently done, the entire production is greatly impeded.
The assistant conductors undertake the work of rehearsing the soloists
prior to their appearance in connection with the orchestra. They must
know the Head Director's ideas perfectly, and see that the soloists do
not introduce interpretations which are too much at variance with his
ideas and the accepted traditions. In all about ten rehearsals are given
to a work in a room set aside for that purpose, then there are five
stage rehearsals, and finally four full ensemble rehearsals with
orchestra. In putting on an old work, such as those in the standard
repertoire, no rehearsals are demanded.
The musical forces of the Metropolitan Opera House, for instance, make a
company of at least two leading conductors, twelve assistant conductors,
about ninety soloists, a chorus numbering at least one hundred and
twenty-five singers, thirty musicians for stage music, about twenty
stage attendants and an orchestra of from eighty to one hundred
performers, to say nothing of the costume, scenic and business staff,
making a little industry all in itself.
The General Director, the Stage Manager, and often the Musical Director
make innumerable suggestions to the singers regarding the proper
histrionic presentation of their roles. As a rule singers give too
little attention to the dramatic side of their work and demand too much
of the stage manager. In recent years there has been a great improvement
in this. Prior to the time of Gluck, Weber and Wagner, acting in opera
was a matter of ridicule.