SUNDAY, MARCH 20,1955
TSE MICHIGAN DAILY
PAGE THREE
SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 19~5 THE MICHIGAN DAILY PAGE THREE
APPEARED ON BROADWAY:
Meredith Called 'Canadian Nelson Eddy'
Hailed as "the Canadian Nelson
.4Eddy" when he began his musical
career, Morley Meredith will sing
in The Carmina Burana and the
Missa Solemnis at the May Festi-
val.
Tenor Chabay Schedules
Two May Appearances
Orff's'Carmina Burana'
Set for May Performance
Meredith began his musical ca-
reer while in high school in Win-
nipeg, Canada. Active in all high
school sports he excelled in foot-
ball, baseball and hockey, and
almost followed a professional
sports career.
Glee Club
Because of a shortage of male
participants in the annual oper-
etta productions, the 'school re-
sorted to compulsory glee club
auditions.
Ordered two weeks later to re-
port to the school music director,
Meredith was offered the lead in
a Gilbert and Sullivan production,
the "Gondoliers."
His friends dared him to take
the role, and the success he had
in the part proved to be an in-
centive to formal voice training.
While studying at the Univer-
sity of Manitoba, Meredith was
active in Gilbert and Sullivan pro-
ductions. His pre-medical studies
were interrupted by World War II,
when he enlisted in the Royal
Canadian Navy and served two
and a half years.
Organizes Show
While he was stationed aboard
one of the four ships anchored
near Halifax, Nova Scotia, for a
South Pacific refitting, he gath-
ered talent together and organ-
ized a musical variety show.
Awaiting the completion of the
refitting, Meredith was given a
10 day furlough. While on fur-
lough, he went to New York City
for the first time and stopped at
a service men's club where he re-
ceived an invitation to a party at
the Waldorf-Astoria given by a
major film company.
During the evening he sang, and
a Metropolitan Opera coach who
was present encouraged him to
come to New York for further
study after the war.
Returns to Manitoba
After his separation from the
service, Meredith returned to the
University of Manitoba where he
finished his pre-med course and
obtained his Bachelor of Arts de-
gree.
At the Winnipeg Music Festival,
the largest of its kind in the Brit-
ish Empire, young Meredith was
the winner of the Rose Bowl, the
highest vocal award.
Meredith had already appeared
Tenor Leslie Chabay will singv
in the Missa Solemnis and the
Carmina Burona in the May Fes-
tival series.
Selected as soloist by Eric Leins-
dorf, Charles Munch, Dimitri Mi-
tropoulos, and Arturo Toscanini,
critics have uniformly praised the
tenor singer.
Varied Performances
With orchestra he has perform-
ed in Mozart's "Idomeneo," Ber-
lioz' "L'Enfance du Christ," Brit-
ten's "Les Illuminations," the
Ninth Symphony of Beethoven
and also in Britten's "Serenade
for Tenor, Horn and Strings."
After a concert with Dimitri
Mitropoulos and the Minneapolis
Symphony critics said that he
has "A voice and vocal intelligence
that provided delight and satis-
faction from first to last. He is
a singer of fine musical gifts who
uses them in a manner authorita-
tive and ingratiating."
Concert appearances with the
Metropolitan and San Francisco
Opera Companies, the Boston and
NBC Symphonies, the Aspen and
Bethlehem Festivals, and the Min-
neapolis, Pittsburgh, and Roches-
ter Orchestras, have helped to
establish Chabay as a concert
artist.
Recital Pieces
Included among his recital
pieces are the Songs of Dowland,
Purcell, Caccini, the sacred songs
of Schuetz, Da Viadana, and
Bach, Lieder and song cycles by
Schubert, Beethoven, Schumann,
Brahms, and the folk music of
Hungary, Italy, and of Vienna.
After a performance at the As-
pen Festival, the magazine Musi-
cal Ame'rica stated that "Mr. Cha-
bay provided the high moment of
this occasion with such exquisite
singing of Schubert that the aud-
ience was hushed for moments
after he had finished each song."
Chabay, acclaimed by many as
a musician's musician, began his
musical career in the opera houses
of Europe, and which has contin-
ued in North America. f
Operatic Roles
His operatic roles are many,
and the versatile singer has sung
among many other roles that
of Tamino, in Mozart's "Magic
Flute," Ferrando, in Mozart's
"Cosi Fan Tutte," Count Almaviva,
Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana"
which will be performed in the
May Festival, "should be of par-
ticular interest to modernists."
Charles A. Sink, president of the
University Musical Society, made
this comment recently regarding
Orff's newest choral work.
Performers Listed
The work, written for soprano,
baritone, tenor, chorus, and or-
chestra will be performed by Lois
Marshall, Morley Meredith, Leslie
Chabay and the University Choral
Union.
Divided into five parts, "Car-
mina Burana" opens with The
Prologue. The prologue bemoans
man's ever-changing fate, as the
ruthless wheel of Fortuna, the
Goddess of Destiny, evolves.
The first part sings of the de-
lights of Spring, followed by pleas-
ures in a tavern, the gaming tables
and general revelry.
Love Poems Follow
A series of love poems follows
in a movement called "The Court
of Love." The Postlude repeats the
plaintive bemoaning of the ruth-
less wheel of Fortuna.
Since its performance under
Thor Johnson a year ago in Cin-
cinnati, the work has created a
great deal of interest among musi-
cians.
"Carmina Burana" is conceived
for three varied kinds of perform-
ances. It can be sung in concert
form purely as abstract music.
Or the words and music can be of
equal importance. Still , another
version is by using a stage set,
adding a dancing group, and fram-
ing the chorus and orchestra
around the dancers.
Stokowski Comments
Leopold Stokowski, the noted
conductor, has said that "Carl
Orff is an arresting phenomenon
in the world of music. He is a
daring modernist and master of
all rich musical resources from the
past."
Orff was born in Munchen, Ger-
many in 1895 where he received
his education and started compos-
ing.
Later, he conducted the orch-
estras at Munchen's Opera and
Ballet Houses. He also managed
to find time to cooperate in the
formation of a dancing school.
Olympic Music
He composed music played dur-
ing the Berlin Olympic Games in
1936 and a few years later wrote
"Carmina Burana."
Other compositions written be-
tween 1941-1954 include: "Anti-
gonae" based on Sophocles' drama,
a Bavarian Historic Drama "Die
Bernauerin" and the "Triumph of
Afrodite."
Music Talks
Prof. Glen D. McGeoch of the
music school will give a series of
Wednesday night lectures begin-
ning Wedenesday on the May Fes-
tival concerts.
Offered through the University
Extension Service, the series will
be held at 7 p.m. in 206 Burton
Tower. Registration is $6.00, and
can be made in advance at 4501
Administration Bldg. or on the
opening lecture at the classroom.
Prof. McGeoch will analyze the
major works to be performed at
the May Festival concerts. Using
recordings to illustrate the lec-
tures, he will discuss works by
Brahms, Beethoven, Strauss, Rez-
nicek, Mozart, Prokofieff, Carl Off
as well as others in the concert
series.
.1.111A ts..v c ;::s;
LESLIE CHABAY
MORLEY MEREDITH
on the concert stage at the age
of 18, when he performed in re-
citals throughout Canada, in a
series sponsored by the Canadian
Federation of Music Teachers' As-
sociation.
Berkshire Invitation
In the summer of 1946, he was
invited by Boris Goldovsky to par-
ticipate in performances of the
Opera Department at the famous
Berkshire Music Festival at Tan-
glewood, Mass., where he was in
the premiere of Benjamin Brit-
ten's "Peter Grimes."
Singing the role of Henry Ash-
ton in "Lucia di Lammermoor,"
the following summer, he was the
Canadian representative at the
Milwaukee Opera Festival.
With the Masque and Iyre Light
Opera Company, as well as with
summer stock companies, he has
been featured in leading roles of
Gilbert and Sullivan.
Numerous Roles
As leading baritone with the
Modern Lyric Opera Company, he
has performed in "Pagliacci,"
"Rigoletto," "Don Giovanni," "La
Traviata," "Tosca," "Aida," and
"Carmen."
In 1949, he won the Singing
Stars of Tomorrow Auditions of
the Air award, which ranks with
the Metropolitan Opera Company
Auditions of the Air.
Last summer he sang starring
roles with the Music Circus at
Lambertsville, N.J., and sang "La
Boheme" with the Philadelphia
Symphony at the Robin Hood,
Dell. Meredith also starred with!
the Kansas City Light Opera Com-
pany.
Summer Stock
Another summer stock appear-
ance was as Washington Irving in
Knickerbocker Holiday, in which
he toured with the folk singer,
Burl Ives.
Starring on Broadway, the bari-
tone was seen opposite Carol
Channing in "Gentlemen Prefer
Blondes."
Now on his second American
concert tour, Meredith has been
a guest soloist with the Philadel-
phia, St. Louis, Rochester and
Toronto Symphony Orchestras.
from Rossini's "Barber of Se-
ville," the Duke, from "Rigoletto"
by Verdi and Mime from "Sieg-
fried" by Wagner.
Chabay has also sung the tenor
solo roles in Handel's "Messiah"
the "St. Matthew Passion" of
Bach, the Verdi "Requiem," and
in Beethoven's "Missa Solemnis."
His talents were summed up by
the New York Times in this fash-
ion, "It was one of the best song
recitals given here this season.
He sings with intense personal
conviction."
"And in these days when one
hears so many good interpreters
with no voices or fine voices with
no interpretation, it was a real
pleasure to listen to Chabay."
JI
THURSDAY, MAY 5--8:30
RUDOLPH SERKIN
PRELUDE AND FUGE IN C MINOR . . . . BACH
SYMPHONY No. 5 IN C MINOR OP. BEETHOVEN
CONCERTO No. 2 in B-FLAT MAJOR OP. 83 for
PIANO and ORCHESTRA . . . . . . BRAHMS
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PHILADELPHIA
ORCH ESTRA
WIND GROUP
Soprano Marshall To Sing in Orff,
Beethoven Choral Works in Festival,
r
Lois Marshall, the brilliant
young singing star, will perform
the soprano role in the May Fes-
tival presentation of the Beetho-
ven "Missa Solemnis."
Canadian born, Miss Marshall
made her debut in the United
States in a 1952 Town Hall Re-
cital awarded to her along with
the coveted Naumberg Award.
Sung in Canada
Previous to her debut, the gifted
soprano had already sung with
most of the major Canadian sym-
phony orchestras.
Even before her New York re-
cital, Miss Marshall had made a
deep impression on musicians in
her native city of Toronto. As a
prize winning student of the Royal
Conservatory of Music -she at-
tracted the attention of Sir Ernest
MacMillan, conductor of the Tor-
onto Symphony Orchestra,
He chose her to sing the soprano
role in his annual performance of
the Bach "St. Matthew Passion."
Learning the role in three days,
she made such a hit that she was
asked to sing again.
Annual Oratorio
For eight years she has been
chosen by MacMillan to sing in
the annual presentation of the
oratorio. Miss Marshall has also
beel engaged repeatedly by him
to sing in Handel's "Messiah."
Music became Miss Marshall's
solace during a period of six years
when she suffered the results of
a polio attack. For hours at a
time she played opera records and
sang with thep. When she was
able she returned to school and
at the age of 12 pnrolled in the
Toronto Conservatory.
Studied Under Kilborn
At the Conservatory she studied
under Weldon Kilborn who has
guided her career ever since, as
well as acting as her accompanist.
Canada's highest musical prize,
the Eaton Award, was bestowed
upon her, and she was also named
the outstanding graduate of Tor-
onto's Royal Conservatory.
Another award which she won
was the Singing Stars of Tomor-
row prize which gave her a chance
to sing with the Toronto Sym-
phony.
Sent by Canada
Sent by Canada as their repre-
sentative to the Sesquicentennial
in Washington, D.C., in 1950, Miss
Marshall became somewhat of a
singing sensation. Termed "An ex-
traordinarily gifted soprano" by
the New York Times, she was en-
gaged by Arturo Toscanini to sing
in the final NBC Symphony pre-
sentation of that season, the so-
and even to watch he is compel-
ling.'
Asked if she had felt any ner-
vousness during the performance,
the soprano admitted to no more
than the usual keyed-upness that
always attends a good performer
up to curtain time.
During the 1953-54 concert sea-
son she made three appearances
as soloist with orchestras in New
York alone, one under the direc-
tion of Stokowski in a Carnegie
Hall concert of Canadian music,
and two with the Toronto Sym-
phony and Mendelssohn Choir,
when the two groups, under the
direction of Sir Ernest MacMil-
lan, gave the New York perform-
ances of the Bach St. Matthew
Passion and the Handel Messiah.
Other Appearances
That season she also appeared
with orchestras at Chicago's
Grant Park, sang with the Bos-
ton Symphony and with the Phil-
adelphia Orchestra.
In addition to appearances with
the orchestras of Montreal, Tor-
onto, Vancouver, and Ottawa, Miss
Marshall sang at the Cincinnati
Music Festival.
Acclaimed by critics through-
out the country, one typical ap-
praisal was that of the Boston
Herald, which said "Yesterday I
heard one of the finest sopranos
in my experience give a sensa-
tional local debut recital.
"It is safe to predict that within
a short span she will be cjnsld-
ered among the greatest artists
of the day."
SOL SCHOENBACH
First Bassoon
MASON JONES
First Horn
LOIS MARSHALL
prano role in the "Missa Solem-
nis," the same role which she will
perform here.
Unique Experience
Terming her experience with the
world renowned Toscanini as
unique, she said that "His is such
a powerful personality that you
cannot help but be wholly under
his spell. He is almost hypnotic,
.1
TICKET INFORMATION
SEASON
TICKETS
SINGLE
CONCERTS
$13.00-Block A. Three Central Sections,
Main Floor and First Balcony
$10.00-Block B. Side Sections. Main Floor
and First Balcony.
$9.00-Block C. First 8 Rows Top Balcony.
$8.00-Block D. 13 Rear Top Balcony,
$3.00-Main Floor
$2.50-First Balcony
$2.00-Second Balcony, First 8 Rows
$1.50-Second Balcony, Rear 13 Rows
[
JOHN De LANCIE
Oboe
ANTHONY GIGLIOTTE
First Clarinet
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