PAGE- TWO
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
FRIDAY, NOVEME
?AOE-TWO THE MICHIGAN DAILY FRIDAY, NOVEiWI
'LOHENGRIN':
Orchestra, Chorus Lack Stage Presence
DAILY OFFICIAL BULLETIN
3ER 12, 1965
LOVE
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By LINDA SIEGRIST
The Music School's production
of Richard Wagner's "Lohengrin"
now at Hill Aud. is a disappoint-
ment. The current "rendition" of
the romantic opera fails mainly
in the orchestration and chorus.
Last minute cramming in the pit
had its usual results. Josef Blatt,
musical director, could not crys-
tallize the muddy tones. Nor could
he synchronize entrances between
the brass and the woodwinds. And,
at the tempo he set for the pre-
lude to the third act, the strings
could not handle the scale pass-I
ages. The climax to such slop-s
piness occurred in the second actI
when the organ and orchestra un-
fortunately collided at least one
tone off from each other.
The male chorus, was a sore-
spot. Like the principals, the boys
were brilliantly garbed in cos-
tumes, authentic of tenth century
attire. But outer appearances
could not, hide the princetons or
crew-cuts. The boys so lacked
sufficient stage presence that they
either failed to stay with the ac-
tion or over-reacted to each event.
Results were -either distracting
movements of the banners or what
looked like spasmodic coffee-claq-
ing sessions. The chorus was defi-
cent numerically and consequent-
ly vocally. It was also deficient in
attention to vocal and stage en-
trances.
The girls' chorus was accurate
in its vocal entrances and ade-
quate in vocal dimension. But,
again, many of the girls were too
concerned in-reaching block 45 in
six measures and kneeling than
they were in Elsa's plight.
Success of the production was
staked on the talents of the prin-
cipals. Four people-John Henkel
as King Henry, Lee Davis as Count
Telramund, Marilyn Krimm as Or-
trud, and Noel Rogers as Elsa-
were outstanding not only vocally
but in character portrayal. Hen-
kel's rich bass lent great feeling
of wisdom and austere benev-
olence to the role of Henry.
Krimm's stable and powerful
voice, though lacking in an even
flow from lower to middle regis-
ters, was exceptional in that it
enhanced and colored every nu-
ance in Ortrud's character; lust,
revenge, hatred, love. Rogers' voice
is not Wagnerian by any means.
But in interpreting the score more
lyrically, Blatt enabled Mrs. Rog-
ers' coloratura voice to soar not
only forte but pianissimo through
the auditorium.
Kenneth Scheffel as Lohengrin
was a disappointment. Scheffel's
voice is very clear and large
enough to reach the whole audi-
ence. But he lacked stage pres-
ence and assurance in his role, and
he failed to identify with the
grandeur and austerity of Loh-
engrin. He seemed to isolate him-
self so much from the action that
in certain scenes such as his dia-
logues with Elsa, he showed about
as much love for her as Ortrud
would have.
Aside from individual efforts,
a successful "Lohengrin" demands
collective dedication and work
from musicians and chorus mem-
bers too. The opera, save for its
German background and a lack
of a ballet, is grand opera; but
the current production approach-
es neither the orchestral brilliance,
the magnificent choral tone or vol-
ume, nor the emotion and verve of
the processionals (that must be
a part of Wagner's operas). In
short, "Lohengrin" misses the
swan.
The Daily Official Bulletin is an
official publication of the Univer-
sity of Michigan, for which The
Michigan Daily assumesno editor-
ial responsibility. Notices should be
sent in TYPEWRITTEN form to
Room 3519 Administration Bldg. be-
fore 2 p.m. of the day preceding
publication, and by 2 p.m. Friday
for Saturday and Sunday. General
Notices may be published a maxi-
mum of two times on request; Day
Calendar items appear once only.
Student organization notices are not
accepted for publication.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12
Day'Calendar
Bureau of Industrial Relations Per-
sonnel Techniques Seminar - "How to
Train Supervisors in Cost Reduction":
Michigan Union, 8:30 am.
Cinema Guild-"Me and the Colonel":
Architecture Aud., 7 and 9 p.m.
Professional Theatre Program Per-
formance-APA Company in "You Can't
i
DIXIELAND
"The New Wolverine
Jass Band"
OLD HEIDELBERG
TON IGHT
Take It With You": tydia Mendels-
sohn Theatre, 8 pm.
International Center Gala Interna-
tional Ball-Michigan Union Ballroom,
8:30 p.m.
University Musical Society Concert
I-New York Pro Musica: Rackham
Aud., 8:30 p.m.
School of Music Opera-Joseph Blatt,
music director and conductor, Ralph
Herbert, stage director, Wagner's "Loh-
engrin": Hill Aud., 8 p.m.
Astronomical Colloquium: Fri., Nov.
12, 4 p.m., Rm. 807, Physics-Astronomy
Bldg. Dr. W. P. Bidelman,'Dept. of
(Continued on Page 8)
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