CHALLENGE

VE ZIP

YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO
DOWNTOWN TO GET I

from page 73

"The best Pizza in Metro Detroit"

"

Opera Milestones

Michigan Opera Theatre will mark
two milestones during its 2000-
2001 season at the Detroit Opera
House: the 30th birthday of MOT
and the 100th anniversary of the
death of Giuseppe Verdi, the
famous Italian composer.
Two Verdi masterpieces, La
Traviata and Falstaff will be per-
formed in April and May, after MOT
jumps the gun on its spring season by
opening it in the winter, Jan. 27,
2001, with a non-subscription con-
cert by the Parma Opera Ensemble,
performing Verdi arias and chamber
music. That's 100 years to the day,
Jan. 27, 1901, that Verdi died at 87.
The season closes in June with
MOT's first-ever production of
Jacques Offenbach's The Tales of

John Tanasychuk Detroit Free Press
January 8th, 1999

Opening the new season in the
fall will be Puccini's La Boheme in
October and Mozart's Cosi fan tutte
in November. One of Mozart's
greatest operas, it hasn't been per-
formed by MOT since 1972.

• Pasta Specialties • Pizza
• Steaks• Chops • Poultry
• Seafood • Cocktails

The opera lineup:
La Boheme, Puccini, Oct. 14-22.
Cosi fin tutte, Mozart, Nov. 11-19.
Parma Opera Ensemble, Jan. 27.
La Traviata, Verdi, April 21-29.
Falstaff; Verdi, May 12-20.
The Tales of Hoffman, Offenbach,
June 2-10.

OPEN DAILY - LUNCH & DINNER

OPEN WEEKDAYS UNTIL 2:00 AM

WEEKENDS UNTIL 3:30 AM

A Ferndale Favorite Since 1961

OUTDOOR PATIO!!

Subscription packages range from
$32-$475; single tickets go on
sale in September. For more infor-
mation, call (313) 237-7464.

9, Italian-American
N Family Restaurant

Hoffman.

Woodward at 9 Mile • (248) 548-5005

\ • \

Jewish community as its members learn
the delights of opera, he said. On the
other hand, Detroit-area Jews have been
at the forefront as opera and symphony
contributors for many years.
With duties similar to Dr. David
DiChiera, MOT's general director, Uzan
has brought artistic fame and overall
financial success to LOpera de
Montreal. And Detroit Opera House
audiences will remember him as director
of MOT's production of Samson and
Delilah last year. Uzan is married and his
daughter just graduated from the Tisch
School of Film at New York University.
The director Uzan often becomes
Dr. Uzan of twin doctorate fame in
his directing tasks. "It's relatively easy
to learn the directing technique itself,
but a director must reflect culture in
his work," he explained. "You must
have knowledge of the human soul.
You have to get to know and under-
stand people, and often make compro-
mises with the actors.
"In dramas, the actors can be silent
for a few minutes to emphasize various
points of acting. But the actors/singers
can't do that in opera. Silence upsets
the timing and gets the actors out of
synch with the conductor."
Peter Grimes is an opera composed
in the 20th century, toward the end of
World War II, by Benjamin Britten,
who composed Billy Budd, Paul
Bunyan and The Rape of Lucretia. He
brought about a resurgence of English
opera, becoming Great Britain's top
classical composer after a dearth of
more than 200 years.
To be sung in English, but still
with English surtitles, Grimes is the

Tops on my list... Their Filet Mignon"

first Britten opera ever staged by
MOT. Opera scholars argue about the
many dark themes hidden in Grimes.
But they agree Britten, a homosexual
conscientious objector, was making a
plea to the world for more tolerance.
"This opera is very dramatic ... a
huge challenge for any director
because the actors/singers must per-
form 'straight' theater," explained
Uzan, who directs 13 operas a year
outside of his Montreal job. "I like it
because it's something different ... and
because of the controversial overtones.
Opera lovers have to get out and
attend some of these newer operas. A
show like Peter Grimes is very valuable
in today's opera repertoire."
Oklahoma-born tenor Mark Baker
(June 3, 7 and 10) and Canadian
tenor John MacMaster (June 4, 9 and
11) alternate their powerful voices in
the title role, and the cast includes
Sheri Greenawald and Jeffrey Black.
Maestro John Mauceri conducts the
MOT orchestra.

etroit's Finest

astern Restaurant

Grand Opening Coupon

•

IK14014:::::' •

01 with any other coupons er specials .,

I

it; .. 27295 SOUTHFIELD ROAD
Block North'of 12 Mile: Road

EZries 15.‘AL

IN TAE SOUTHFIELD COMMONS, 1

5 52

❑

Peter Grimes will conclude
Michigan Opera Theatre's
spring season at the Detroit
Opera House at 8 p.m.
Saturday, June; 2 p.m. Sunday,
June 4; 8 p.m. Wednesday,
Friday and Saturday, June 7, 9
and 10; and 2 p.m. Sunday,
June 11. Tickets range from
$18-$98 and can be purchased
by calling the MOT box office
at 313-237-7464, or
TicketMaster at 248-645-6666.

I

• CARRY-OU
.N.y. HOUR! 7 DAYS

52-7260

-

CATERING

I

I

WE CAN DO
SOMETHING
FABULOUS
FOR THAT
SPECIAL
EVENT
DELIVERY
SERVICE
AVAILABLE

S

A Little Bit Of New York
Right Here In Bloomfield Hills

LET US TAKE
CARE OF
THE FOOD!
HOME OR
OFFICE,
ANY
OCCASIONS,
SHIVAS,
NO
NOTICE
NEEDED!

6646 Telegraph at Maple • Bloomfield Plaza • 248-932-0800

6/2
2000