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Mixed Media

News Reviews.

religious supplication. The Israelis per-
formed it with subtlety and sensitivity.
The serious mood didn't last long,
though. The party atmosphere contin-
ued in a frothy encore, Johann Strauss'
overture to Die Fledermaus. Mehta
and his forces romped through the
piece with an abundance of good
humor and champagne-fueled vitaliry.

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CURTAIN CALL

As a fledgling actor, Randy Barrett
Topper welcomes new roles, but he
recently had mixed emotions about
accepting a part at Wayne State's Stu-
dio Theatre.
That's because he was cast as a Nazi
in The Jewish Wife, one of three one-
act plays by Bertolt Brecht being per-
Zubin Mehta, shown here at a 60th anniversary gala with the Israel Philharmonic
Orchestra, conducted the IPO in a rousing concert at Hill Auditorium on Saturday.
formed Jan. 22- Feb. 1.
"It's a very difficult role because the
character,
a Nazi scientist working on
stressing phrasing and dynamics at the
HAIL! HAIL!
`the
master
race,' does not want to be
expense of the overall architecture of
The U-M Rose Bowl victory con-
married to a Jew and is sending her
the piece, Mehta pulled in the reins
tinued to be savored with a parade last
away," said Topper, a sophomore in
too tightly. This hulking, muscular
weekend in Ann Arbor, but the cele-
the university's theater program and
symphony never had a chance to
bratory spirit wasn't confined to foot-
the only Jewish actor in the cast. "I
breathe.
ball. In a more subtle but no less
was
a little nervous about going to
The first movement was precious
enthusiastic triumph, the Israel Phil-
rehearsal
because I didn't know what
and refined rather than gutsy and
harmonic celebrated the 50th anniver-
the
reaction
of the other cast members
explosive. "Eroica" means heroic, but
sary of the founding of the State of
would
be.
I
found
that the situation
this performance was too timid and
Israel in a concert Saturday at Hill
was
more
personal
for me but not
reserved. However, the second move-
Auditorium.
more horrifying."
ment was played with
The high spirits colminated in
Topper organized
admirable tragic nobili-
Richard Strauss' impish Till Eulen-
a visit to the Holo-
ty. The "Scherzo" was
spiegel's Merry Pranks, which is based
caust Memorial
bubbly but lacked the
on episodes from the life of the 14th-
Center so that cast
nervous energy that can
century German practical joker and
and crew could get
make it so intoxicating.
folk hero, Till Eulenspiegel.
more dramatic
The finale was more
Zubin Mehta, music director of the
insight into what
convincingly performed,
orchestra since 1969, coaxed the musi-
Brecht was trying to
with the strings playing
cians to play with larkish panache.
communicate.
with warmth and preci-
Despite the flamboyance of the score
They already had
sion, while Mehta
— brimming with wide leaps, intri-
begun studying the
injected more oomph
cate passages and volcanic climaxes —
playwright's unusual
into the interpretation.
Strauss' writing is far from a piece of
theatrical conven-
The program opened
cake. The musicians played with a dis-
tions such as having
with the German-born
arming blend of technical assurance
certain characters sit
Israeli composer Tzvi
and roguish verve, particularly the
in the audience and
Avni's "Communion,"
brass. Mehta charged the work with
keeping the house
which is the second
invigorating zest, and the orchestra
lights on as a
movement from his
Kelly Komlen poses for the last reminder of the arti-
rode high on the electric current.
1991 symphony Desert
portrait of "The Jewish Wife,"
But what was so arresting in the
ficial surroundings.
one of three Brecht one-act
Scenes. Contemplative
Strauss was absent in an elegant but
Topper also has a
plays showing at WSUs Studio
and brooding, the five-
lackluster performance of Beethoven's
part
in The Elephant
minute work resembles a Theatre.
Symphony No. 3 ("The Eroica"). In
Calf, which explores

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