Dietro la scena

As Printed on a Score

Printed above a part, or as a label on its staff, for players or singers placed offstage; Italian opera scores also use dietro le quinte or interno. It lasts until the performers return or the passage ends, usually with a dynamic and a note on where to place them.

Also spelled: dietro le quinte, dietro le scene

How Composers Use It

Offstage music gives true distance — a passing band, a hunting call, a voice from another room. Plan the coordination: offstage players often cannot see the conductor, so keep their rhythm simple or provide a second conductor or a video monitor. Print the offstage music in the score as well as the parts, and mark clearly where it ends.