Rage Two THE MICHIGAN DAILY Wednes~dav. Ap'ril lA10 96 Page Two THE MICHIGAN DAILY * u* cau yt . v St w a ---ssrecords Mleet Miss Grace Bumbry, Twice Over 1 _ .- Canterbury Benefit For HalfwayHH s Shows at 1 -3-5-7-9p.m. F ~ You'l1 - By R. A. PERRY Opera singers never had it so good. The abundance of sum- mer festivals here and abroad,, the yearly rising of new Cul- ture Centers in smaller towns, and, of course, the lively state of opera in major cities all have provided even today's large number of 'good singers with a full schedule. Nothing seems to please a singer more than to relate how he had to catch a jet flight immediately after the final curtain in Paris, learn a new role while in flight, and sing the next day in New York. One can only be thankful for the health' of, an 'art form, yet' one wonders if some requisite quieter pacing is not lost in all thus exuberance, if the singers really have time not only to develop a role, but also to de- velop their own character to the .depth that it can truly know and render profundity and pathos when it is required. A case in point is Grace Bumbry, a thirty-one year old handsome Negro mezzo-soprano from St. Louis. Miss Bumbry's fame has soared since her first appearance in 1961 in Bay- reuth; she has sung in Salz- burg, Vienna, and Paris, at Covent Garden and at La Scala. This month Angel fea- titres the singer on two records which give some cause for pause. In a new recording of Gluck'3 beautiful and historically im- portant opera, Orfeo ed Euri- dice, Grace Bumbry takes on the role of the grieving lover Orfeo. This casting presents its own problems. Originally the role of Orfeo was to be sung by a male contralto; today it may be sung by baritone, tenor, or alto. Miss Bumbry's voice is of full and rounded timbre,+ expertlyI controlled and shaped, but it is of a much lighter weight than, desired, certainly lighter than that' of Kathleen Ferrier cr Maureen Forrester. It is diffi- cult then to feel the appropriate male sobriety and even to fully perceive the separation of voices when she . sings with Anneliese Rothenberger, the fine Euridice, of this recording. If, however, Miss Bumbry' were able to truly make us feel her involvement and grief, a certain suspension of disbelief could have been effected. Su h is not the case. Seldom does the singer convince the listener that her grief, is anything but °an artful sham; seldom does one feel in. her expressiveness any depth which touches a truth in the singer's own heart. nrShe is better in the sunnier, mnore lyrical passages, such as "Che puro ciel," but her "Che Faro," in which Kathleen Fer- rier moved one so greatly, is perfunctory, and thus ineffec- tual. Though the original 1762 Vi- enna version is used, deleting the later 1774 Paris additions, Vaclav Neumann's direction is very Romantic, lush, and easy. The whole set is most lovely to listen to, and superbly record- ed, but by no means does it convey the passion, grief, and style of the work completely. Grace Bumbry's recital of songs by Schubert, Schumann,, and 'Brahms, on another new Angel disc, suffers some of the same flaws. Again, ner voice is gorgeous, but she needs Amore years and slower mellowing to meet those singers to whom ,he must be compared. She takes "Die Taubenpost," for instance, at half the speed of Fischer- Dieskau, thoroughly vitiating the lilt and accent of this rus- tic dance tune. "Gretchen am Spinrade" does not convey the psychological involvement that either Christa Ludwig or Elis- abeth Schumann bring to it. The climax of the song - "the pressure of his 4ands, and, ah, his kiss"-has not the poignant halt and start that it should. In general, the more declama- tory Schumann songs fare the best. Grace Bumbry possesses a gorgeously rich voice of much power, but one which also oc- casionally lacks depth of ex- pression. It is hoped that the artist will not let the hurly- burly of concertizing block her ever slowly finding this reeved quality. + ! Letters to Our Reviewers Because of the highly con- bustible possibilities of any aes- thetic view, reviewers-for any publication - manage to get more venom (and, sometimes, praise) thrown at them than any other type of writer. So we give you a chance. This is the first installment in a reg- ular Page 2 letters column, specifically created to allow the reader to add his flame to the fire. All views are welcome. -Ed. Browbeating To the Editor: HOSE of us who still lave openenough minds to appre- ciate a movie review even though we are not in complete concur- rence with it object to the brow- beating of Daniel Okrent. I, for one, read all The Daily's movie reviews. And if the opin- ions' expressed happen to differ from mine, I find it refreshing and enlightening, not disgusting. We here have recently had the opportunity of viewing some ex- ceptionally fine movies. And I congratulate The Daily for its fine reviews of movies such as The Graduate, Closely Watched Trains and Elvira Madigan. I sincerely hope that Mr. Ok- rent will not discontinue the fine work he has been doing simply because certain persons do not enjoy reading reviews which com- pliment a movie when compli- ments are deserved. -Kathleen Kohn ' Had Enough To the Editor: YOUR THEATRE critics have got to go!!! With each review of the shows of the Professional Theatre Pro- gram I've become more and more outraged. It seems that the open- ing night performance which the critic reviews isterrible and the second night when I go to see the show, it and most of the actors are fabulous. For instance, "The Fantastiks"' was "fair" opening. night and, in my opinion, marvelous the next evening. John Raitt and "On a Clear Day" were boring and plot- less to your critic, but the next night when I saw the show it was enchanting, delightful, and more more than adequate talent- wise. And just recently, "Roar of the Greasepaint" suffered at the hands of Mr. Simon, your crit- ic, when he stated that "only the music was entertaining." Tonight it was one of the best all-around musicals I have ever seen. This is an outrage. It is next to impossible that a company of professionals can fluctuate that gr'eatly from night to night. Mr. Simon also says in his review of "Roar . . ." that David C. Jones "can't act and he can't sing." Any- one who saw the show and knows good acting and singing will dis- agree. Even Edward Earle who directed, choreographed, and star- red in the show was "limited" ac- cording to Mr. Simon. Anyone capable of performing those three jobs with the perfection that they were done is not limited. IT IS FOR these reasons, and for the purpose of a more sophis- ticated, qualified, and educated review by which one can truly judge a production before seeing it, that I ask for the release of these horrible critics and a replace- ment who is qualified and will post those qualifications after each of his reviews. In this way perhaps some degree of professionalism will be brought into the rather un- witty and distasteful theatre re- view section of The Daily. --RonaldJ. Duradon, '71 Precious? To the Editor: T WONDER if you will grant me a few lines to comment on Jim Peters' review of the "New Music for Orchestra" concert of Wed- nesday, March 27. I felt this re- view to be highly unfair for the following reasons. First of all, Peters feels that because the actual time of the musical number same to about 35 minutes and that new music is "seldom heard," the concert was "precious." Obviously, Peters has not kept his eyes and ears open for new music this year. With four Con- posers' Forums, two concerts at Ark, the "Contemporary Direct- ions" series, the recent concert of Stockhausen and Boulez, the' Once Group's concerts a n d George Cassioppo's radio program on WUOM, anyone has a good chance to hear new music. The charge that the concert was too short (therefore prec- ious) damns anything in music that is succinct and to the point, as were all the pieces presented. Brevity, 'in fact, may be desirable in presenting a concert of this nature where the music may be unfamiliar. As for the rest of the review, it abounds in errors and mean- ingless rhetoric. For instance, anyone with two good ears and some training in music would' have been able to tell that Kurtz's piece was not a 12-tone eomposit- ion. (Peters was disappointed that he could not make an association between the 12 instruments and the 12-tone technique). IN DESCRIBING Hodkinson's "Interplay" as a "bit of ferocity," Peters ignores the long, soft deli- cate sections of the work. I fall to remember a flute solo at the end of the work, nor a "declara- tive sentence" within it. To describe Klausmeyer's or- chestral work as containing "a tired atonal section reminiscent of Ravel's 'La Valse' " is especially strange! This piece was the most tonal work on the program and bore no imagineable ressemblance to "La Valse." When describing the perform- ance of Kurtz's "Conversations,"j Peters. criticizes the conductor (Hodkinson) as being an "expres- sive metronome" rather than an, "interpretor," at the same time praising the musicians' plying under him for their "precision and control" - as if interpreta- tion and 'accuracy, are mutually exclusive! One also wonders what "neutral sounds" or "strings," "chroma- tics from various instruments,"I "the artful sound of new music" are. IN SHORT, Peters' review1 smacks of blatant ignorance of new music and thus one must place it, to use Peters' phrase, in the realm of "air instead of mus- ic." --Robert Morris, Grad SEE EUROPE FOR LESS! For a buck and a quarter, stu- board fees from both students and dents can buy an evening's enter- patients who can work. tainment tonight and tomorrow Project organizers Danny So- while helping to finance a halfway 'bel, '69, Sue Goss, '69, and Bob house for mental patients. Winshall, '69, are seeking Uni- The halfway house concept, or- versity accreditation for living in iginally conceived for resocial- the halfway house and hope for izing drug addicts and criminals, a psychology course to instruct aims at reintegrating mental pa- students to better aid the patients. tients isolated from society back An Outreach group will probably into the community. also work at the house. Tonight's program will feature~ -- the Charlie Chaplin classic, The Kid, several short films by Kee-M or .R o i Iw t n D w n y cl si a gutby Peter Griffith and blues by the S .L u sU i n i s , o i r Tomorrow, The Charging Rhi Rips Country noceros of Soul," will provide ; Continued from Page 1) "acid rock," in contrast with the For the first time, incidents of; more classical John Higgens arson were reported in Newark in Quintet, also on the bill. the Negro area where last sum- The benefit, at Canterbury mer's bitter riot claimed 26 lives. House, will help pay for the pur- Five major fires and 13 smaller; chase and operating expenses of blazes erupted {n the heavily Ne- the house next fall. This includes gro Central Ward. furnishing and running the house Authorities dispatched sound for about six male and female' utho tearedsn patients of varying ages and dia- trucks through the Newark streets, gnostic categories and an equal broadcasting recordings of Dr. number of students, as well as a salaried house manager or couple. Meanwhile, the American In- Modelled on the Harvard-Rad- surance Association estimated that cliffe Welmet project, the house in some 90 cities struck by fire will operate on the cooperative bombing and looting, the property system and will maintain a regu- loss in the past six days was more lar income based on room and than $30 million-and still rising. WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY FOLK MUSIC ASSOCIATION CONCERT featuring JIM & JEAN and THE MISTY WIZARDS SATURDAY, APRIL 13 8:30 P.M. COMMUNITY ARTS AUD. Adm.$2.00 WSU CAMPUS at door As G to fL l "autgh all the way the ineral. 4#9 SUGGESTED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES GD IN COLOR FROM WARNER BROS.-SEVEN ARTS Friday: PAUL NEWMAN as HARRY FRIGG TONIGHT A PLAC" E IN ,THE SUN,. Directed by George Stevens, 1951 Based on Dreisbr's "An American Tragedy" MONTGOMERY CLI FT SHELLEY WINTERS ELIZABETH RAYMOND TAYLOR BURR AND TOP .HAT. American Studies film of the week "Musically divine""A swell flick!" SHOWINGS: "Sun" (7:00), "Hat" (9:05) Cal 662-8871 75c ARCH ITECTURE 2-87A 75C 'AUDITORIUM, ,i #I Al GREAT FX TVILLAGE WEEK 375 No. MAPLE RD."769.1300 Mo.-Thurs. 7:00-9 :20 Friday-7:00-9:20-1 1 :20; Sat.-3:00-5:00-7:10-9:20-11:20 Sundy-- :00-3:00-5:00-7:10-9:20 10 Academy Award Nominations * i COLUMBIA PICTURES present%0 Stanley Kramer productior Spencer Sidney TRACY POITER Katharine HEPBURN guess whops COmina :.: o ner TECHNI06LOa- Storts FRIDAYY 1 -'4 ALL STUDENT TRIPS! $397 to $1320 I i i Travel in a small, congenial group with other U.S. college students. Join tour in Europe or travel with the group by ship or via TWA'.jet. 21 to 62-day trips In Europe-prices include meals, hotels, sightseeing. travel in Europe . . . trans-Atlantic transportation is extra. Departures from June 5 to July 31. Sample trips: * 21 days-Western Europe plus Spain-$397 43 days--All of West. Europe- $601 47 days-West. Europe plus Scan- dinavia-$906 0 58 days-West. Europe plus Ber- ln, Poland, Russia, Czechosio- vakia, Spain--$1085 See your local travel agent or TWA or write for free folder: American Youth Abroad 1 University Station Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414 .*e"..v.:.".*..".. r.-:...": . .-:."r.. ..ss:.. . . . . . . . ..r.. ..-:. 5 ^j. ' 1:15-3:15-5:15 7:20-9:251 VINS DE FRANCE. DETROIT-PARIS Jet $306 July 31-Aug. 29 Phone 761-4146 or NO 3-3969 ; : ;; ?;t ii :ti":" i i ;y} ?ti ;;:h , v - <... 4,':ti(¢: I' C~ili'OUILI THIS WEEK THURSDAY and FRIDAY, April 11,12 TO HAVE' AND TO HAVE ,NOT,' Directed by Howard Hawkes, 1944 From the novel by Ernest Hemingway, adapted by William Faulkner HUMPHREY LAUREN BOGART BACALL SATURDAY and SUNDAY, April 13, 14 THE LAST MILLIONAIRE Directed by Rene Clair, 1935 Delightful satire on a mythical kingdom of human folly. : - M : i ,R f i s and avoid getting waylaid by a beautiful =mcountess! ' , 1I -4 NEWMAN. CC"$TARRrII# TOM -SERANDE - DA JONN -l4NEf I Sueenpiey by PETER STONE and FRANK TAUFF - Story by FRANK TALOFF"- Assooc e " P "d"c'PETER STONE . Produced by ALLECHESTER M Am AnCorp.Productios There were five Generals inside , and one Private outside The problem wastoget the five, Generals inie . outside.. Z aefl e iYTADS i I ,r T COLOR by DeLuxe . PANAVISION* Wednesday is LADIES' DAY! I Ellen didn'tknow Who she was or what shetwas.. LAST 3 DAYS TO SEE ACADEMY BONUS FEATURE AWARD Academy Award Nominee ROD STEGER FAVORITE in his finest role "BEST FOREIGN ' CAD'TAFFORDTO FILM" ' . IT!" -New orker "ONE OF THEMa YEAR'S 10 { BESTIFILMS"' Crowther, Times. Gelmis, Newsday Wolf, Cue , Winsten, Post SI Morgenstern, Newsweek Alpert & Knight, Saturday Review u A c's USKE IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE 68= 69 CENTRAL COMMITTEE KATE SIEGEL General Chairman ROB GORDON; Ass't. Chairman, ROGER WERTENBERGER Orchestra Director DOUG SPRIGG Director NANCIE FISHER Choral Director , 41 I', SANDY DENNIS - KEIR DULLEA ANNE HEYWOOD EMA CLOSELY WATCED 'TR AINSK'- THE PAWNBOKER "PAWNBROKER"-7 :00. el 1 /179"rlC.I ,nA.lI[ LAICVIMuIC Or-re, 7hAPPR AAAJ AWRDV A RRLErIGN I I