10B - The Michigan Daily Weekend Magazine - Thursday, January 15, 1998 .~lI V~~'t 9 The 0Mhigan:Daily Weekend Maga I Campus Arts 1997 'U' arts community strong i '97 State of the Arts 1997: THE YEAR OF THE PUFF CAMPUS Continued from Page 2B Ensemble and the Middle Eastern Tnuatron Dance Theater and "The Russian Village," which recreated "Gulanye," the fabled Russian Viallage Festival. Of course. 1997 did have its disap- pointments. The New York City Opera National Company's performance of Puccini's "La Boheme" was only so-so, and contralto Ewa Poodles was simply a letdown after Cecilia Bartoli canceled her March 29th recital. September saw the death -of Chicago Symphony Music Director Laureate Sir Georg Solti, who was scheduled to conduct the MET Orchestra in May 1998. In addition, illness forced violinist Nadja Solerno-Sonnenberg to cancel her performance with the Chicago Symphony in September. Nevertheless, Solemo-Sonnenberg's replacement, vio- linist Elmar Oliveira, gave a tremen- dous performance of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major. 1997 also marked a year of anniver- saries. The University of Michigan Bands celebrated 100 years on Feb. 22, 1997, with a centennial concert by the University Symphony Band. The con- cert kicked off the first of four com- missioned works for the ensemble. The Symphony Band tours also included Pennsylvania and Virginia, culminat- ing with a celebratory concert at Carnegie Hall on May 9th. Another important event of 1997 was the American premiere of Mendelssohn's recently discovered Third Piano Concerto, on Nov. 4, the 150th anniversary of Mendelssohn's death. The concert also celebrated composer John Adams' 50th birthday, as well as commemorating the 100th anniversary of Johannes Brahms' death. The University Chamber Choir's Oct. 17 concert, featuring Brahms' "Liebeslieder Waltzes," was another highlight in the anniversaries theme, and included faculty guest pianists Anton Nel and Martin Katz. The University Museum of Art turned 50 in 1997, and the museum celebrated with a number of events. The private art collections of Michigan alumni became a long- standing exhibit that brought many important works to Ann Arbor. Of course, the much-awaited Monet exhibit is on tap, setting the stage for another year of lectures, concerts and presentations at the Museum of Art. Another important 50 th anniversary was the celebration of organist Marilyn Mason's half-century stint as a professor at the School of Music, commemorated with an organ confer- ence and celebration in October. And the University's Gilbert and Sullivan Society celebrated 50 years with an April production of the operetta "The Pirates of Penzance" and a fall produc- tion of "Princess Ida." University Productions had a host of successes in 1997, ranging from the March opera production of Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" to the dance magic of "TanzMusik" in February. February also saw the department of theater and drama's presentation of the Irish drama "Dancing at Lughnasa." Of course, nothing could top the musical theater department's performance of "The Music Man" in April. The fall sea- son's lineup of lesser-known operas by Ravel and Stravinsky, as well as presen- The University's musical theater department brought terror with "Sweeney Todd." tations of "Ladyhouse Blues" and "The Marriage of Bette and Boo," was capped off with a modern interpretation of Shakespeare's "Henry V"- a pre- cursor to the African setting of Sophocles' "Antigone" scheduled for April. The University Activities Center (UAC) had a year of change as well as a year of tradition. Amazin' Blue, UAC's co-ed a cappella group, cele- brated its 10th anniversary. The Valentine's Day "Monsters of a Cappella" charity collaboration con- cert with Amazin' Blue, the Harmonettes, the Gentlemen and the Friars was also a success. The Michigan Pops Orchestra joined the ranks of UAC organiza- tions, and SophShow (renamed the Rude Mechanicals) presented "Zoo Story" in February and "A Few Good Men" in March. MUSKET is looking forward to its 1998 production of "Pippin," after 1997's "Jesus Christ Superstar." The Jazz Ensemble celebrated its first anniversary in 1997, and in 1998 will witness the creation of a second ensemble to complement the School of Music's expanding jazz department. In addition, the University Chamber Orchestra was formed in the fall and will present the Mozart Birthday Concert on Jan. 27th. Another first included the founding of the State Street Poetry Project in February. This event gives students another forum for expression in the University community, in addition to more established organizations such as Basement Arts. All in all, 1997 was a testimony to the commitment of a community that takes pride in the fine arts, and 1998 looks just as promising. Researching the Bah'? Faith? Refer to Internet http://www.rt66.com/-obfusa /council.htm for documentation proving incontestably that Shoghi Effendi appointed a successor. E-Mail: OBFUSA@RT66.COM 1-800-689-1842 "THE BEST COFFEEHOUSE IN TOWN" CoNTEMPoRARY ForK Duo FROM DAVE & JENNIFER BUEHRER FOLK DiA FROM BOBBIE PENNINGTON -: 04 wa S Q wa tr v iFf>&f 1998 started rather abruptly, just as I was beginning to understand the com- plicated, seven-based mystique that was 1997. 1 say "abrupt" referring to the unfortunate and beguilingly stupid pair of skiing mishaps that befell Michael Kennedy and Sonny Bono. Nothing like a tree to stop a year's momentum. Just as blunt and perhaps even more stupid was OJ's recent Esquire magazine revelation that if he did kill his wife, "it would have been because I loved her very much, right?" Accidents and murder- ers' desperate pleas for sup- port aside, the seventh year of the '90s ended on a high note, and I'm not talking about just Robert Downey, Jr., without ever being fully explained. Carrying the number seven in its name, last year harbored an inher- ent mystery, a mystery that Bryan Lark has surrounded the prime Daily Arts number since the dawn of man. Seven: it's magical , it's lucky, it's .. Puffy. Think about it - the seventh year, seven days a week, seven McCaughey babies, seven top-10 hits featuring Puff Daddy. Coincidence? I think not. In fact, the year's entire calendar of events can be framed in terms of the sample-happy Sean Combs. Combs, a.k.a. Puff Daddy, a.k.a. Puffy, a.k.a. Stay Puff, scored his biggest success in 1997, with his eulogy to the Notorious BIG, slain in a drive-by shooting in March, "I'll Be Missing You," an inter- pretation of The Police's "Every Breath You Take." Though Biggie was the one directly being mourned, the song could have been in memory of many: Princess Diana, Jimmy Stewart, Mother Theresa, k sEl John Denver, Coleman Young, creativi- ty in pop music or even Sting's dignity. But I'm not complaining, even if it was a huge sellout. It had a good beat, I could dance to it. And besides, isn't it all about the benjamins, anyway? Hey, that's another Puffy milestone, the year-end chart-topper "It's All About the Benjamins." Being "in it for the money" seemed prevalent in the mystical nine-seven, whether you're talking about actress Hunter Tylo suing for millions for being terminated from "Melrose Place" when she should be cheering, or whether you're discussing what made Sigourney Weaver return for another "Alien"; or whether you're referring to the cast of "Seinfeld" demanding $1 million per episode, then churning out comedic crap and calling it quits after nine seasons. Editor As the great Puffy once said during the summer, and can also be said for all these cash-strapped newsmakers: "Mo' Money, Mo' Problems." This Puffy track could also be referring to the situation faced by the McCaughey septuplets and their par- ents. Upon passing these enormous cash cows into the world, Bobbie McCaughey and her nameless fertilizer are richer than ever with everyone from Pampers to Depends sponsoring their children's lives. But all the "mo' money" will eventually run out. What then, you ask? Bobbie could always have the kids star in an ad campaign for cloning: "We told seven friends and they told 14 friends and so on and so on If we learned something from the great '97 cloning debate, it's that you can't keep stories about Dolly or those who view cloning as ethically permissi- ble properly suppressed. Maybe they should adopt Puff Daddy's grammati- cally incorrect No. 1 hit "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" as a theme song. Ditto that for the record-breaking number of obese Americans, who in 1997 couldn't hold their weight down, even with the help of Phen-Fen. The same goes for the paparazzi who couldn't be held down, despite efforts by such heavyweights as George Clooney and Fran Drescher in the wake of Diana's death, allowing for a paparazzi-induced break in the com- pelling Frank Gifford story. Drawing its funky foundation from Gloria Estefan's "Bad Boys" and its '97 cultural significance from such bad boys as Gifford and the "good Samar Eddie Murphy, rapper Mase's "Fee Good," featuring a certain Puffy ch ter, could be the battle cry of severa ing social events - pun inter Fighting for a fair maiden's honor, lars or just a little sumthin' sumthin' boys Christian Slater, Mike Tyson Marv Albert all found '97 a year could really sink their teeth into, varying punishments. Slater got months, Tyson got a huge fine and A got a slap on the wrist and a Vict Secret gift certificate. Digressing from the Marv A put-downs for a moment, let me ex ine the relevance of Mariah Ca "Honey," produced by Puffy and 7 - I I On Main between William & Liberty Visit our website at www.a2ark.org All ages welcome at all shows *4r-k i I DARDEN SMITH WSG/ STUART DAVIS Tuesday, January 20 8pm Texas songwriter meets post-apocalyp- tic punk folk satirical composer COCO LOVE ALCORN & STEWART FRANCKE WSG/ SUSAN CALLO WAY Thursday, January 22 8pm Ani DiFranco's opening act & the next important voice out of Detroit share an evening Boyboirof~afmC SUNDAY, JANUARY 18,7 PM, HILL AUDITORIUM ..Rush Tickets on Sale! BRAVE OLD WORLD Sunday, January 25 8pm The Klezmer revival's first super group brings an evening in the Yiddish tradition! Thursday, January 15 11 a.m. -1:30 p.m. Pierpont Commons (Next to Little Caesar's) 1 Friday, January 16 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Michigan Union Ticket Office TICKETS ON SALE NOW at the Michigan Union Ticket Office, Schoolkid's Records, Herb David Guitar Studio, and all TicketMaster Centers or charge by pa The Ark hot n Bring your valid student ID. There is a two ticket limit per student. Tickets are subject to availability. 734,7642538 . -w.4 at _"