4 I8. 1958 THE MICHIGAN DAILY PAf4V, TIMM .. I H GA A L r UP A. .r .. 'YVy .lIE q'UP8.' i t INHERITED THEATRICAL TRADITION: Met Soprano Gueden Operetta Favorite Met's Mezzo-Soprano Known for Versatility Featured in the May 5 May Fes- tival concert, soprano Hilde Gued- en came to the Metropolitan Opera from La Scala in Milan and the Vienna State Opera. Born in Vienna of Austrian, Italian and Hungarian ancestry, the blonde, blue-eyed singer in- herited a distinguished theatrical tradition from her mother's fam- ily. Her grandfather was a noted tragedian and her motner attend- ed the Vienna State Academy of Drama. Miss Gueden's musical education began with piano lessons at the age of seven, and when she was four- teen she commenced her vocal studies. The soprano was barely sixteen when she came to the at- tention of Robert Stolz, composer of a number of popular opei'ettas, who offered her a role in his pro- duction of "Goodbye, Goodbye." Studied Dramatics During the run of this produc- tion, the young singer began ser- ious preparation of her career. She studied dramatics at the Max Reinhardt School and ballet with thie first dancer of the Vienna Opera. In addition, she studied French and English, both of which she speaks fluently as well as her native German and Italian. After the final curtain fell on Miss Gueden's first operetta, she was engaged for a second, "Hearts in the Snow" with the Danish tenor Max Hansen. With the com- ing of Hitler and the Nazi perse- cution, the soporano, whose mother was of Jewish extraction, found it increasingly difficult to sing in Vienna. In 1939 she managed to make her way to Switzerland. Arriving in Zurich, she audit- ioned for Robert Denzler, director of the opera there who engaged her to sing Cherubino in "Le Nozze di Figaro," the role in which she made her debut in grand opera.. Returned to Austria In 1941, due to her mother and sister's troubles under the Nazi regime, Miss Gueden returned to Austria, and, unable to leave the country again, went to Munich, where she made her debut at the Staatoper as Zerlina in "Don May Festival artist, mezzo-so- prano Martha Lipton, is one of the most versatile and popular singers on the current concert scene. A star of opera, concert, radio and television, Miss Lipton is in constant demand for appearances with major orchestras and has won acclaim in Europe and South Am- erica as well as in the United States. Ever since her debut as Siebel in the Metropolitan's opening- night production of "Faust" in November, 1944, Miss Lipton has been a leading member of the company. She has sung over three dozen parts in four langu- ages. Her roles have run the gamut of dramatic characteriza- tion and musical style. Roles Differ They have ranged from the little boy Hansel in Humperdinck's fairy tale to the ribald Mother Goose in the American premiere of Stravin- sky's "Rake Progress," from the seductive Carmen to the faithful Brangaene in "Tristan and Isolde," from the dramatic Amneris in "Aida" to the rustic innkeeper of the recent revival of "Boris Godu- nov." Latin-American audiences have also applauded Miss Lipton in op- era, for she has brought her us- ual distinction to performances at the Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro and the Opera Nacional in Mexico. The Dutch were so im- pressed by her artistry when she made her first European concert appearance in the summer of 1950 that they invited her back in .1951 and 1952 to sing in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera" and Bartok's "Bluebeard's Castle" at the cele- brated Holland Festival and again this year. In September, 1951, Miss Lipton made her debut at the Edinburgh Festival, chosen by Bruno Walter as one of the soloists in the Beeth- oven Ninth Symphony with the New York Philharmonic Sympho- ny. Dr. Walter honored her a second time when he presented the work again in New York, in the spring of 1953, a performance which was later recorded. 'Gurrelieder' Appearance Long a favorite with Philhar- monic-Symphony audiences and conductors, she has appeared with that orchestra in Schoenberg's "Gurrelieder" and Mahler's Eighth Symphony under Stokowski and in Busoni's "Arlecchino" and Men- delssohn's "Elijah" under Mitro- poulos. HILDE GUEDEN she has sung each season, save one, since that time. In 1946 she was engaged by La Scala as the leading singer and, when possible, has spent part of each season with that company. In 1947 she went back to Vienna to sing with the State Opera and appeared with the Vienna organi- zation in its Mozart performance in London, Holland, Paris, Nice and Brussels.She was also heard at England's Glyndebourne Opera Festival and at the Edinburgh Festival in 1948. Divided Time During the past four seasons she has divided her time between the United .States, Austrian, and Italian operatic engagements as well as in North America. In Jan- uary, 1952, she went to Vienna for six weeks for performances of the Mozart operas and otherroles in her repertoire, returned to the Metropolitan in February and in May journeyed to Europe again for performances in Vienna, Milan and Salzburg during the summer. Miss Gueden made her Metro- politan Opera debut on November 15, 1951, as Gilda in "Rigoletto." On leaving America last April, the soprano flew to Milan to star in full-length productions of "The Merry Widow" and "Don Pas- quale" on the Italian television. Pasquale" on the Italian television network. She sang with The Vi- enna State Opera and recorded complete porfermances of "Don Giovanni," "The Magic Flute," and "The Marriage of ligaro." The rebuilt Vienna State Opera had its gala re-opening in Novem- ber, and Miss Gueden remained in Vienna to play a prominent part in the festivities. Prof. Haugh To Appear In Festival Appearing in the May 6 Festi- val concert, Prof. Harold Haugh of the music school has been in de- mand as a singer almost as long as he has had a voice to sing with. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Prof. Haugh did his undergraduate work at Hiram College where he received his A.B. At the conclu- sion of his college course he was ordained in the Church of Christ (Disciple). Continuing his theological stud- ies at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, he received his Bachelor of Divinity degree. He also received his Master of Sacred Music degree from the School of Sacred Music at the same institu- tion. In the interim between high school and college, he worked in a machine shop and sang in various churches. It was in these churches that he earned his way through college. Church Soloist Upon his arrival in New York Prof. Haugh became soloist at the West End Collegiate Church and moved from there to, the Brick Presbyterian Church where he re- mained for six years. For four years he was special soloist at the First Baptist Church in Montclair, New Jersey. For several years he did much work on the air singing in small groups on such programs as Fred Allen's, Rudy Vallee's and the Show Boat. He was also heard as soloist on Cesare Sodero's opera broadcasts. Lately Prof. Haugh's efforts have been concentrated in the concert and oratorio field though he was associated with several opera com- panies that were diss6lved by the war. He has sung with most of the important choral organizations of the country: The Handel and Haydn Society in Boston; The Oratorio Society of New York; Toronto Bach Society; Ottawa Choral Union; and others. Festival Appearances He has appeared in such Festi- vals as the Worcester Festival in Worcester, Mass., and the May Festival. He has also sung with the Philadelphia Symphony, Cin-) cinnati Symphony, National Sym- phony and the Indianapolis Sym- phony. In Cleveland Prof. Haugh studied voice with Warren Whitney for six years. In New York he studied with Frank LaForge and lately with Mrs. William Neidlinger. Glowing praise comes as no sur- prise to the followers of the sen- sational career of Byron Janis, whose exceptional talents are con- firmed season after season. The young artist who will appear in the May 6 "concert, was born in Pittsburgh and gave the first hint of his great gift while he was still in kindergarten. The five- year-old took a new toy, a shiny xylophone, v to school one day. When the teacher sat down at the EATON AWARD: Well-Known Canadian Soprano Marshall Winner of Canada's Highest Musical Prize Piano Soloist Byron Janis To Play in May 6 Concert Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Dr. Frank Black, Janis was invited to give a series of solo recitals on the nationwide network. Moving to Dallas, Tex., Janis performed with a string orchestra under the direction of Frederick Kitzinger, and then in 1943, made his second guest appearance with the NBC Symphony Orchestra, performing Rachmaninoff's Second Concerto. Appears With Orchestras From that time on his succes- sive concert seasons have included appearances as soloist with the great orchestras of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francis- co, Los Angeles, Toronto, Cleve- land, Minneapolis, Washington, and many others. Acclaim for his virtuosity and for the maturity of his interpretations rewards his playing wherever he appears. Not only does almost every engagement win a re-engagement, but many managers have insisted on three season contracts. In the summer of 1948, the young American virtuoso made his first tour of South America. He literally took South America by storm, with fan clubs soon spring- ing up in various countries. Again, in the summer of 1954, he return- ed to the southern continent for a two-month tour. Following his South American engagements, he went to Europe in the fall of 1954 for the third time to fill recital appearances and re-engagements with orchestras in Belgium, Holland and England. During his second European tour, one critic hailed him as having "the technique of a Liszt and the delicate touch of Chopin." Goodman Fan In music, Benny Goodman. and the late Glenn Miller are his fav- orite dance band leaders. In sports, it's tennis and horseback riding. A baseball enthusiast, he also likes quiet enjoyment; art, the theater and small social gatherings. Perhaps the most valuable coun- sel has come from. Vladimir Horo- witz, who took an interest in Jan- is after hearing his performance with the Pittsburgh Symphony. He decided to take on the young mu- sician, who then was sixteen, as a pupil. From all the priceless ad- vice that the master offered his protege in the years of their as- sociation Janis selects this as being the most valuable: "The most important thing in playing the piano is to listen to yourself at the very moment you're playing." 4 r 'I BYRON JANIS "Any descriptive comment one could make concerning tone, tech- nique, volume or grace would be mere hairsplitting ... She has to be heard to be believed," wrote a New York critic after May Fes- tival artist Lois Marshall's Naum- burg Award-winning Town Hall debut on December 2, 1952. The young Canadian soprano became a sensation of the music world and was engaged by Arturo Toscanini to ,sing and record Beethoven's Missa Solemis. Fol- lowing this she was chosen to sing at the traditional Christmas Eve radio broadcast. On her first full United States tour she sang with such orches- tras as the Boston Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and made three appearances with or- chestras in New York alone: in , a special concert of Canadian music in Carnegie Hall under the direction of Stokowski, and twice under the direction of Sir Ernest. MacMillan with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and orchestra, when that famous ensemble gave special New York performances of the St. Matthew Passion and the Messiah. Miss Marshall's second season in- cluded a re-engagement with the Philadelphia Orchestra to sing at the May Festival, her first appear- ance with the Chicago Symphony, and a second New York Town Hall recital which received stand- ing ovations. During the summer she siang two performances at the famous Stratford, Ont., Shake- speare Festival, and at the Holly- wood Bowl. For nine years Sir Ernest has chosen her to sing at the annual performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion with the Toronto Sympho- ny. She was the winner of Cana- da's highest musical prize, the Eaton Award, and of the "Singing Stars of Tomorrow" contest, and was honored as the outstanding graduate of Toronto's Royal Con- servatory. Canada sent her as emissary to the Sesquicentennial in Washing- ton, D.C., in 1950, when she sang with the National Symphony. Born in Toronto of Scotch-Irish parentage, Miss Marshall was one of seven children. She chose mus- ic as her one sure solace during a period of six years when she suffered the results of a polio at- tack. At eight she was allowed to go to school and at twelve she entered the Royal Conservatory, working with Weldon Kilburn, who is her piano accompanist on tour. Her operatic experience includes performances over the Canadian Broadcasting System of Peonora in Beethoven's "Fidelio," Donna An- na in Mozart's "Don Giovanni," and, the Queen of the Night in Mozart's "Magic Flute." This season she will sing her first opera in the United States in the Na- tional Symphony Orchestra's se- mi-staged production of "Don Gi- ovanni" in Washington, D.C. piano to play for the class singing hour, Janis brought forth his toy and played an impromptu duet with her. The teacher discovered that he had perfect pitch. Convinced that she had made a major musical discovery, she sent word home to his mother and fath- er. In almost no time at all, Janis was studying and practicing the piano. Pittsburgh Debut He gave his debut recital in Pittsburgh's Carnegie Hall when he was nine. Joseph Lhevinne was so impressed that he recommended that Janis study with Adele Mar- cus at the Chatham Square Music School in New York, where he soon became embarked on his musical career in earnest. Samuel Chotzinoff, director of the Chatham Square Music School, was also managing director of the National Broadcasting Company's music division. Excited by Janis' abilities, he became the boy's men- tor. After a remarkable performance at the age of 15 with the NBC In August, 1942, she went to Rome where she-sang for the dir- ectors of the Royal Opera, who engaged her as a leading singer. She made her debut there in "Rosenkavalier." With the German occupation of Italy in 1943, Miss ,Gueden sang no more until the end of the war. When peace came, the soprano received an invitation to appear at the. Salzburg Festival, where l 1 j 3 I i t i -------- - ---- -- --- --- -- ----- lif! FRIDAY, MAY 4, 8:30 P.M. Special Concert Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the birth of I "GRRE-LIEDER" by ARNOLD SCHONBERG "ONE OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR OF MODERN COMPOSERS" featuring WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART 1756 - A WORLD MASTER COMPOSER - 1956 III I , I'II ' 'I Overture to The Marriage of Figaro "Davidle Penitente" Concerto in F Major In r < t , 'a r THOR JOHNSON1 RUDOLF PETRAK University Choral Union and Soloists OIS MARSHALL, Soprano MARTHA LIPTON, Contralto RUDOLPH PETRAK, Tenor HAROLD HAUGH, Tenor LAWRENCE WINTERS, Baritone ERIKA VON WAGNER STIEDRY, Narrator -!j!K..: ; : " . 111--1HII IrfITrn r, uI r . I. . . .,+. I i i