THE MICHIGAN DAILY i VERDI, LAMBERT: Choral Union To Present Two Works at Festival Violin Artilst I Rise Stevens To Portray, Carmen in Third Concert 11 Swims for. I ., Relaxation (Continued from Page 2) The University Choral Union, which has always played an im- portant part in the May Festival, will perform two important works during the Festival. One of these will be Verdi's "Requiem" which was presented at Work Called Secret Of - Performance Runaway slaves and the Choral Union singers would seem to have little in common, but their con- necting link is Lester McCoy, As- sociate Conductor of the Univer- sity Musical Society. "One day before I left home for rehearsal with ,the Choral Union group, I went up into the attic. I was having it insulated and I discovered, quite by acci- dent, a hidden stairway. This gave ground to the rumor that my home was once a wayside house for underground slaves," McCoy explained. ** * BUT THERE IS nothing hidden about the fine reputation and dis- tinction that the Choral Union enjoys as being one of the top chor groups in the country. "All300 members work hard. and do it willingly. It's really not a difficult task to get re- suits when everyone cooperates without a quibble," McCoy add- ed. "It takes a lot of planning to whip up a vocal rendition on such a large scale. After choosing the musical work, the seating of such a large group must be considered. And this seating is based on the patricular work to be done." FOR EXAMPLE, in Verdi's "Requiem" the "Sanctus" chorus is sung by a double chorus. So the Choral Union group must be split into two equal parts to ob- tain the fullest effect and yet not draw attention to either one of the two sections," McCoy ex- plained. It's the precision rehearsals that results in the smooth deliv- ery of the Choral Union group, without any last-minute details disrupting the performance. - * - the first Festival in 1894. The oth- er performance will be the Ameri- can premiere of Lambert's "Sum- mer's Last Will and Testament." ** * THE VERDI WORK will be sung at the Friday concert with four distinguished soloists; Eileen Far- rell, soprano; Blanche Thebom, contralto; Coloman de Pataky, tenor; and O~~ar Natzka, bass. "Summer's Last Will and Tes- tament" by the contemporary British composer Lanbert, who has won recognition in America as the artistic director of the Sadler's, Wells Ballet, will be heard at the Sunday afternoon concert. Natzka will be fea- tured as the bass-baritone solo- ist. This 1951 presentation of the Choral Union is a far cry from the group's beginning in 1879. Then it was simply a union of singers from several of the local church choirs. During its first season it gave four concerts, in association with the women's societies of the churches. * * * THE CHORAL UNION'S devel- opment was stimulated by its early presentation of choruses from Handel's "Messiah." Increasing its repertoire the group invited other singers to its membership. From a small beginning of not more than two dozen voices the group expanded to 100, 200 and finally to more than 300 voices, to which it is limited because of the Hill Auditorium stage facili- ties. ' Early in its career the Choral Union undertook the public per- formance of Handel's "Messiah" in its entirety and other oratorios. Later it performed operas in con- cert form and through the years has presented practically all of the major choral works, operas adaptable to concert perfomance and many miscellaneous works of various nature. Frequently it has given American or world premieres. Calvin Cady was the first con- ductor of the Choral Union. He was followed by Albert A. Stanley, Earl V. Moore, Hardin Van Deur- sen, Thor Johnson and Lester Mc- Coy, the present incumbent who conducts the Christmas perform- ances of "Messiah" and prepares the chorus for the Festival offer- ing which are conducted by Thor Johnson, permanent conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orches- tra. I--- 1 '{ plays an excellent game of ten- nis and enjoys swimming and boating. He is joined in his athletic in- terests by his attractive, red-hair- ed wife and their 12 year old daughter, Ruth. * * * MRS. SPIVAKOVSKY takes no back seat to herhusband in ac- complishments -- holding a doc- tor's degree in philosophy and ro- mance languages. Both she and her husband enjoy reading and point with pride to their valuable library. Ruth shares their interest in serious books, but, in the best United States tradition, prefers comics. Ruth has received a good deal of instruction in the art of "'fid- dling" from her father. But, as for a prospective concert career, her father says, "No--too stren- uous for a woman, at least our little woman." Regardless of his athletic and lit- erary interests, Spivakovsky spends a large portion of his free time in developing his own musical talents. He likes to play for an audience of two-his wife and his daughter. And when it comes to limiting his activities, he never indulges in anything which he thinks might injure his hands. This is why he never dared to realize his life-long ambition, to become a gentleman farmer. Carmen, in the person of titian- haired Rise Stevens, will step onto the stage of Hill Auditorium, when she will be featured in the third concert of the May Festi- val. Included on her program will be the Habanera and Seguidilla from "Carmen." * * * MISS STEVENS, star of the Metropolitan O p e r a Company, holds the honor of having sung the greatest number of starring roles at the Metropolitan in one season in its entire history. Acclaimed the hardest work- ink and most valuable mezzo- soprano of today, Miss Stevens' talent has been heralded in six fields-opera, concert, screen, radio, television, and records. The glamorous star of the Me- tropolitan Opera was born in New York of Norwegian and American parents. She made her singing debut when she was ten years old. Later while leading lady with the Opera Comique at the Heckscher Theatre in New York, she received a scholarship to the Juilliard School of Music. * * * SHORTLY AFTERWARDS she astonished Metropolitan Opera of- ficials by refusing a contract so that she could go to Europe to continue her studies. She made her operatic debut in Prague in the title role of "Mignon." While in Europe, Miss Stevens studied with Richard Strauss who coached her in the title role of his "Der Rosenkavalier." Miss Stevens returned to America where she made opera- tic history. The Met revived RISE STEVENS * * * operas for her which became immediate successes. At first it seemed that the sing- er would be type-cast into boy parts after her success in such roles as "Der Rosenkavalier" and "Hansel." However, Miss Stevens proved to everyone that she was able to become a femme fatale just as easily in her portrayals of "Carmen" and "Delilah." Miss Stevens has starred in sev- eral motion pictures and has had several of her own radio programs. Her motion pictures include such hits as "Carnegie Hall," the prize- winner, "Going My Way," with Bing Crosby, and "The Chocolate Soldier " with Nelson Eddy. And her classical and popular albums have literally been bought by mil- lions of admirers. In private life she is Mrs. Wal- ter Surovy and considers her greatest production her six year old son, Nicky. A ristocratic Tenor Will Be Soloist A note of European aristocracy1 will be injected into the May Fes- tival performance of Verdi's "Re- quiem Mass" by tenor Coloman de Pataky of Hungary. De Pataky will be one of four outstanding soloists combining with the University Choral Union under the baton of Thor Johnson Fi-iday, May 4, at 8:30 p.m. THE TENOR IS of aristocratic descent, and was educated in the Hungarian Royal Military Acade- my for a career as an officer. How- ever, after receiving his commis- sion, he presented himself at the Hungarian Royal'Opera House in Budapest and was awarded a five year contract. De Pataky came to the United States just one year ago, after leaving his native land to escape the spread of Communism. Be- fore his arrival, he had made an extensive singing tour of Eur- ope and South America, always drawing avid praise from music- lovers. The Communist regime did not provide de Pataky's first experi- ence with oppression. In 1939 when the Nazis invaded Austria, he left the world famous Vienna Opera House as a sign of protest to the aggressors. He returned to Buda- pest after the war, but left per- manently in 1945 when the Com- munists arrived. Since then the world has been his theatre. His high tenor voice has been heard in Milan, Paris, London, Berlin, Munich, Amster- dam, Stockholm, and in numerous other cities of Europe. Hill Auditorium will resound to the volcanic pianism of the King of Pianists, Artur Rubinstein, at the first concert of the May Festi- val. The pianist will be soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra in the performance of .the Chopin Con- certo No. 2. S* * RUBINSTEIN, WHO is on his 14th tour of the United States, has * * * , een. ~ra rd by m or;:4r":.{ h a ': ..ir .. .. -r r. Y ". "Hs :..yff':. f' f He isRAVi4 rs ednga bu? . ..r. ARTUR RUBINSTEIN been heard by more people than any other living pianist. Besides on the concert stage,I music lovers have seen him inj two movies and listened to him on the sound-track of two more. He Is RCA Victor's leading al- bum seller. A native of Poland, Rubinstein first displayed his musical to at the age of three. When A was six years old, his father, considered the violin much n aristocratic than the piano, bo the young musician a violin. A promptly smashed it. * * * TODAY THE SOUNDS °R stein produces have been aptly scribed as sizzling. He has beer claimed as the pianist who pu corpuscles in Chopin, ele sparks in Stravinsky, and thu in Beethoven. One New York critic said al him, "About one pianist in 000 or more reaches a state perfection when critics can o sit back and admire. Artur I instein has reached that spar populated state." Rubinstein made his Ame debut in Philadelphia with Philadelphia Orchestra in Still in his teens, he had alr acquired a reputation throug Europe. RUBINSTEIN WAS the f of another great Pole, Pade ski. Nine leading composers dedicated works to him, an whom are Stravinsky, Prokc Milhaud and Poulenc. The famous "Fire Dance" arranged for piano by its com De Falla at the urging of R1 stein. Considered the most interna al of all living artists, Rubir became a U.S. citizen in 194 PERFECTION PLUS: Rubinstein Will Perfori Chopin's Concerto No.- Munsel Moves From Flutey Sibilation to Met Coloratura As the thirteen-year-old captain of Spokane, Washington's all-girl football team and possessing an intense interest in athletics, Pa- trice Munsel, now famed coloratura Toprano, at one time considered a career as a professional athlete. Artistic whistling was another of Miss Munsel's early ambitions and her aim in life was to develop this to the extent where she might be engaged for sound effects in a Walt Disney cartoon. THOUGH NOT immediately ap- parent, there was a link between flutey sibilation and coloratura singing. The brother of Miss Mun- sel's whistling teacher was a violin student at the University of Idaho and after hearing her sing, ar- ranged an audition before the mu- sical director there. After voice studies in Spokane, Miss Munsel continued to work with a voice teacher in New York, In 1943, at the age of 18, she appeared on the Metropolitan Au- ditions of the Air. A few months later, she made her Metropolitan debut, when she sang the role of Philine in "Mignon." Since her phenomenal debut she has appeared in many leading roles. She enjoys playing in light opera and- her rendition of PATRICE MUNSEL * * * "Naughty Marietta" was hailed by critics as "the successor to Fritzi Scheff." S* s MISS MUNSEL, the youngest singer ever to be awarded a con- tract by Metropolitan, made her first trip abroad in the summer of 1948. Miss Munsel will be the soloist at the concluding program of the May Festival, when she will sing selections including arias from "La Boheme" by Puccini and Donizet- ti's "Daughter of the Regiment." I f 1951 MAY FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS Six Concerts -Four Days - May 3,4,5,6,1951-Hill Auditorium THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA WILL PARTICIPATE IN ALL CONCERTS THREE SYMPHONIES BERLIOZ Fantastic Symphony; SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 1; and CRESTON Symphony No. 3. THREE CONCERTOS CHOPIN Piano concerto No. 2; PROKOFIEFF Piano Concerto No. 3; and SIBELIUS Violin Concerto ToS SooYSK TOSSY SPIVAKOVSKY / I f THREE CHORAL WORKS / VERDI "Manzoni" Requiem; LAMBERT "Summer's Last Will and Testament" can premiere); and American Folk Songs (Orchestrated by Dorothy James). ARIAS FROM 10 OPERAS (Ameri- including "Carmen", "Herod iade" "Marriage of Figaro" La Boheme", "Die Fleder- ,I IN r.i