Author Topic: Opera score: printing and binding  (Read 6581 times)

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TarytheA

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Opera score: printing and binding
« on: Sep 14, 2018, 10:22 am »
I found and fell in love with stage managing dance shows about 5 years ago and have have almost exclusively worked on (usually modern) dance since then. Next spring, however, I am contracted to do an opera project at a nearby university. Part of a Kurt Weill festival, the proscenium theatre will have Street Scenes and the black box will have Mahagonny: Songspiel and Zaubernacht with an intermission between the two. I'm only working on the two shows in the black box. Zaubernacht will have a fair amount of modern dance, which I'm comfortable with. But Mahagonny is making me a little nervous. I'm also REALLY excited to attempt a crossover and try something new!

I have lots of questions. But specifically right now, I'm wondering about printing and binding my scores. The PM has offered to get them to me now, even though rehearsals don't start until early February, so that I can start studying them. She asked if I wanted single-sided or double-sided. My instinct is double-sided, so I can see more at a time without flipping the page, but is there any reason single-sided might be better? Might I need the blank space across from a score page that I'll regret not having later? Do you put blocking right in your score or use separate pages? I also have read on here that sometimes people like to have their scores spiral-bound instead of hole-punched. I like the idea of being able to carry it around easily. Does that cause any issues with the flags/tabs sticking out, if they're not protected by a 3-ring binder?

I'm also open to other tips and suggestions. I have been reading threads here about opera to collect the scattered wisdom, and looking at uploaded paperwork. But I would love to hear more advice and would LOVE to see more paperwork examples, especially calling scores - I didn't see any in the uploaded forms.

Thank you!
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NJ.JerrySmith

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Re: Opera score: printing and binding
« Reply #1 on: Sep 14, 2018, 08:56 pm »
Hi TarytheA,
       I professionally live 100% in the opera world so I'll give my 2 cents here. As both a PSM and ASM I double side 3-hole punch all my scores. I like the flexibility and ability to add or remove pages that you don't get with the spiral binding.

       When I'm a PSM I'll double side my blocking pages and just insert them into the score and deal with the blocking page being on whatever side of the binder it ends up on. By the time calling comes, I'm not looking at the blocking much anyways and sometimes remove those pages for fast sections. If you have the pleasure of working with an AD, maintaining the artistic integrity is their task, so missing some blocking isn't the end of the world.

       As an ASM, no slip page. Blocking isn't their domain, and with all the traveling you have to do as an ASM, less weight is better.

       I've also seen an ARC notebook used which looks to provide a happy medium with being able to add pages but having the portability of comb binding. Haven't looked into this with any depth though.

       That's what I got, happy to answer any more quesitions.




MarcieA

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Re: Opera score: printing and binding
« Reply #2 on: Sep 25, 2018, 05:04 pm »
I think I'm the ARC notebook user that Jerry mentioned!  ;D

I also prefer double sided music and a double sided blocking page. I'll remove them if they're empty or for fast sections before I call the show for the first time. (I leave them in for tech in case staging needs to be clarified for spacing or a designer.)

As an ASM, I will use a full page GP to note chorus placement, and otherwise I use post it tape in my book for notes.


Hi TarytheA,
       I professionally live 100% in the opera world so I'll give my 2 cents here. As both a PSM and ASM I double side 3-hole punch all my scores. I like the flexibility and ability to add or remove pages that you don't get with the spiral binding.

       When I'm a PSM I'll double side my blocking pages and just insert them into the score and deal with the blocking page being on whatever side of the binder it ends up on. By the time calling comes, I'm not looking at the blocking much anyways and sometimes remove those pages for fast sections. If you have the pleasure of working with an AD, maintaining the artistic integrity is their task, so missing some blocking isn't the end of the world.

       As an ASM, no slip page. Blocking isn't their domain, and with all the traveling you have to do as an ASM, less weight is better.

       I've also seen an ARC notebook used which looks to provide a happy medium with being able to add pages but having the portability of comb binding. Haven't looked into this with any depth though.

       That's what I got, happy to answer any more quesitions.
Companions whom I loved and still love, tell them my song.

smejs

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Re: Opera score: printing and binding
« Reply #3 on: Oct 31, 2018, 02:29 pm »
I definitely use double-sided for being an opera ASM. I just finished trying double-sided as the calling SM for the first time. I still have some ways I want to finesse it by far, but I was glad to not have to have single-sided for the 400+ page Rossiniscore. I did slip sheets of half sheets (so the part I was turning was still opera score, not slip sheet), and not for every page. It worked enough that I'll continue to try this - and possibly remove slip sheets for fast-moving sections if needed. I had individualized minis at the top per each look, a cheat sheet of my color coding for each character and a line for each of them to take a note, a big blank space for blocking needs, a cheat sheet of the scenic elements used (matching the mini above), and then a space at the bottom for any tech notes (length of cue, what it did, etc, as well as any prop or costume needs could be put here). My biggest problem was my set kept getting redesigned at the beginning, so I ended up not using as many sheets because of the minis. So more than usual any blocking I took was just put right into the score.