Thank God there is no rehearsal this morning, so I was able to play the piano and write letters, and then went into the theatre for the chorus practice. The chorus director and I finally agreed on how the chorus is to be divided, and they went through the first act for me, singing very well but terribly ponderously, since when the chatter of the ten Eccentrics is being roared out by a chorus of forty-five people, it comes out like an elephant dancing on pointe. I also heard Pantalone rehearsing with Smallens. Pantalone is talented and very funny. It is a pity that Smallens has so far refused to let me vet any of the singers. I suspect that he wants them to learn the whole opera with him.