kAGE TWO i'Hlb MICHIGAN DAiLV - --- - v--ax4. awlaaa L U CH ABER MUSIC FESTIVAL Three Concerts in Rackham Auditorium February 15, 16, 17, 1957 "WORLD'S FINEST" -- The Quartetto Italiano which is called one of the world's finest string quartets will perform in Ann Arbor in the annual Chamber Music .Festival. Quartetto Italiano Formed In FriendlyJam Session' QU RTETTO IT~ LI 0 9® . Elisa Pegre ff1 Violin Franco Rossi, Cello SEASON TICKETS: $3.50 and $2.50 Paolo Borciani, Vio1in Pierro Farull, Viola .};E^ .S. . ..EA. . . . . {?; {.g'SR:^rs::; :; . r.. One of the world's finest string- quartets, the Quartetto Italiano was formed through a friendly, impromptu "jam session" in a musician's home. The chamber music ensemble is a post-war product which began in the home of violinist Paolo Bor- ciani. Borciani and his three visi- tors Elisa Pegreffi, violinist, Fran- co Rossi, cellist and Pierro Farulli, violinist sat down and began to play quartets. Their unity of style and execu- tion made them decide to organize a permanent quartet. New Standard Their success was instantaneous. There are, of course, very sound and musical reasons for such an overwhelming public acceptance. The Quartetto Italiano introduced a new standard of perfection to quartet playing which includes the performance of complete programs entirely from memory. The four young Italians think, understand and execute their scores as one, achieving a unity of chamber music. The Quartet naturally began by taking minor engagements. They gave their first concert in the village of Capri, in the province of Modena, and were immediately re- engaged. They accepted engage- ments, regardless of the size of the fees, finally reaching Milan, where their debut won an ovation, a return engagement and started them on the road to recognition. Conquered Italy First they conquered Italy, then in rapid succession Spain, Portu- gal, Switzerland, France, Holland, Scandinavia, Austria and Ger- many, finally came to England where their popularity is such that they have made fourteen tours. The Quartetto' Italian returns f or its fourth American tour in Janury 1957. Since its first Ameri- can tour in 1951, the Quartetto because of its purity of tone, its perfect ensemble and its flawless intonation have enjoyed a fantas- tic success. Music Critics Muiccrtis ftn indidfi music ensemble plays its programs entirely from memory. The music, instead of being printed on a score on a music stand before the musician, lies in the artists' head and heart and fingers. The members of the Quartetto Italiano do not find it necessary to concentrate on notes before them but express the emotion and in- spiration of the moment. Each interpretation is fresh and reveals a spontaneity that is exciting in its intensity and feeling. The musicians making up the quartet are first of all, very serious and very intent when it comes to music ,and. perfecting their per- formances. Yet true to artistic tradition they love life, relaxation and culture. Program Features Among the selections which will be performed in the Ann Arbor series of concerts are Vitali's Cap- riccio, Neri's Sonata and Quartet No. 2 in F major by Prokofieff. Also to be performed in the first cocert of the Chamber Music Festival is Beethoven's Quartet in E-flat major. The second concert of the Cham- ber Music series to be held Febru- ary 16 will feature Quartet in D minor by Haydn, Valentino Buc- chi's Quartet and Quartet in G minor by Debussy. The concluding Sunday after-' noon concert will feature Giar- dini's Quartet in C minor, the' Quartet in D minor by Mozart and" Schubert's Quartet in C major. Note Claimed By Orchestra Two members of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, which will give a concert on February 26, are related to famous musicians of the last century. A command performance at the Russian royal court-at the behest of theCzar, was given by another member of the Symphony Orches- tra while concertizing in Europe. These highlights pin-point the colorful background which con- stitutes the composite of the Sym-, Phony. Kurt Baum Called; Marathon Singer Kurt Baum, Metropolitan Opera tenor who will appear here Octo- ber 4 is a marathon singer. It isn't usual for a star to appear in two operas the same day, but Baum, did it. The works were the favorite1 twins of opera, "Cavalleria Rusti- cana" and "Pagliacci". The tenor sang both taxing roles brilliantly in the double bill - and with af cold too.I Metropolitan Opera Star To Perform The Metropolitan Opera Star Herva Nelli, will initiate the Uni- versity's Choral Union Music series Oct. 4 at Hill Auditorium. The Italian-American soprano holds a distinguished position among the singers of this day as "The Toscanini Soprano." For many years, Miss Nelli has been the personal choice of Arturo Tos- canini as leading soprano in his operatic performances with the NBC Symphony. The "unbeatable combination" is perpetuated on recordings, some of which are "Otello," "Falstaff," and Verdf's "Requiem." Born in Italy Born in Florence, Italy, the soprano came with her parents to this country at the age of twelve. Her native instinct for singing was refined and perfected at the Pitts- burgh Musical Institute In 1947 Miss Nelli was recom- mended to Toscanini as a possible Desdamona for his broadcastof "Otello." Miss Nelli was given the job after more than a score of noted sopranos had been rejected. The soprano joined the Metro- politan Opera Company in a debut as Aida which was called one of the outstanding first performances of the season. Since that time, the prima donna has been guest artist with the foremost American or- chestras such as the Boston Sym- phony, the New York Philhar- monic and the Philadelphia Or- chestra, Operatic Series Back in 1949 Miss Nelli was re- introduced to the land of her birth in an operatic series under the baton of Maestro Toscanini. Facing the acid test of acceptance at Milan's famed La Scala, Miss Nelli proved that an American can satis- fy the most sophisticated Italian public. Her success there was so unmistakable that her guest stint with La Scala was increased from four performances to eight and she was invited to return the fol- lowing season. To one who commends on the glamour of a singing career, Nelli answers, "Yes there is glamour and excitement of a performance, either on the operatic stage with the lights and the prompter stand- ing in his box at your feet and the conductor looming out of the gloom, and there is glamour and excitement in going out on a con- cert stage' with all those friendly faces and giving all those wonder- ful pleasure through a God-given gift that you happen to have. But it is mostly hard work. It doesn't have to be glass cutting! One will do any honest work to make it possible to sing." May Festival Concert Plans The 64th annual May Festival will be presented in Ann Arbor May 2, 3, 4 and 5 under the aus-. pices of the University Musical Society. Six concerts have been planned for the annual spring festival which is held at Hill Auditorium. Among scheduled performers in the spring series are Eugene Or- mandy conducting the Philadel- phia , Orchestra, the University Choral Union with Thor Johnson guest conducting and the Festival Youth Chores under the direction of Geneva Nelson. Soloists are to be announced at a later date. Orchestra has appeared in Ann Arbor in past years during the Festival season. Eighty-four concerts in Phila. delphia and 62 performances in 25 other American cities were per- formed by the orchestra in the 1954-55 concert series. 4 1, t e r SINGLE CONCERTS $1.75 and $1 .25 F: ! * .}yy A? "." r; vn" ; ".~ 1 *'A vrr."" . v.. .A. .."VS....iAV~W.M WW ...s' * " A... ..aii~r. ..V asa;..wAP": "a.. - cult to believe that the chambe r j " ! 1 1 =ESS -- N 1V 4 TS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 at 8:30; and SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2 at 2:30 a 1 Eunice Alberts Adele Addison Lester McCoy Howard Jarratt Kenneth Smith Tickets On Sale at Burton Tower Now! CHORAL UNION SERIES-SEASON TICKETS: $17.00-Block A. Few remaining UNCLAIMED seats in the three center sections on both Main Floor and in First Balcony, front and rear. $14.00-Block B. Two side sections on both Main Floor and in First Balcony, front to rear. $12.00-Block C. Top Balcony, first 8 rows. $10.00-Block D. Top Balcony, rear 13 rows. EXTRA CONCERT SERIES - SEASON TICKETS: $ 8.50-Block A. Three center sections on both Main Floor and in First Balcony, front to rear. $ 7.00-Block B. Two side sections on both Main Floor and in First Balcony, front to rear. $ 6.00-Block C. Top Balcony, first 8 rows. $ 5.00-Block D. Top Balcony, rear 13 rows. Performers: THE UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION ADELE ,ADDISON, Soprano EUNICE ALBERTS, Contralto KENNETH SMITH, Bass MUSICAL SOCIETY ORCHESTRA I F