Page 6 University Daily Kansan, April 6, 1982
Spare time
'Rape' best of non-traditional operas
By ERLEEN J. CHRISTENSEN CONTRIBUTING Reviewer
Benjamin Britten's "The Rape of Lucretia"
An Opera in Two Acts
7 p.m. Friday and Saturday
University Theatre: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
people who think of operas as huge mobs of performers singing in languages the audience doesn't understand might do well to broaden their definition of opera by attending the University Theatre's production of Benjamin Britten's "The Rape of Lacraetia."
The Opera is short, less than two hours, has a cast of eight and is sung in English, the language of England.
The story is one that has often been treated in literature, the tale of the chaste wife who commits suicide after being raped. Because Lucretia is the wife of a Roman general and the man who raped her is a member of the Estruscan family then ruling Rome, Lucretia's rape also becomes a metaphor for the Etruscan domination of Rome.
The opening scene of the second act heavily underscores this. A group of masked, black-shrouded figures sings, "Down with the Etruscans" and makes a pact in the darkness. The first act closes with Prince Tarquinius arriving at Lucretia's home late at night.
TO THE AUDIENCE, Tarquinius is obviously intenate on rape; to Lucetrina and her two female servants the arrival is an ominous reminder of the absence of the absence of Colatinus, Lucetrina's husband.
We expect the second act to open with the rape; when it opens with the spectral reminder of the political situation, we are acutely aware of the union as raper of Rome, as well as of Lucretia.
Layers upon layers of cultural interpretations have been placed upon the story of Lucetia's rape, and Britten seems almost more interested in the richness of their styles than in retelling the tale.
THE STYLIZED ACTIONS of opera, the "speeches" in song, the recurring refrains and modifs, the juxtaposition of radically different musical forms, the variationally varying instrumental solos all serve to
Review
emphasize that the actual rape is the stuff of which a work of art has been woven. The rape is not an incident which the illusion of drama tricks us into thinking we are actually observing.
Britten uses two courses to frame the action, to comment on the rape. The choruses, actually one man and one woman, are Christian in viewpoint. The rape becomes, for them, illustrative matter, a tale that proves a point about what life was like before Christ. The choruses, too, are styled and removed from the audience, performing a ritual done many times before.
GREGORY'S HILL'S SETS visually reinforce our cultural distance from that which goes on on
the stage. The stage is framed by huge columns, ruins of ancient Rome—at their bases sit the two singers who are the choruses, like statues in a sculpture gallery on which a stylized swan and serpent entwine.
The curtain rises on an Etruscan Rome which is not merely a ruin—it is a ruined reconstruction. The arch that serves as doorway and the chipped bask-ress that hangs to its left, the bit of fresco that hangs to its right, are roped together on metal frames.
The set reminds us that what we know of this incident is fragmented and liable to distortion. We are building our perception of the rape of Lucretia like archaeologists trying to reconstruct a civilization with a few shards of pottery, a decaying bit of timber.
THE ORCHESTRA, like the cast, is small. Britten takes advantage of the distinctive sounds and capabilities of each instrument in a score that also work and sharply contrasting musical moods.
The same kind of contrast takes place visually. The rape scene is followed by a scene in which Lucetia's two servants, ignorant of what has happened to their mistress, delight in a spring morning as they arrange flowers in anticipation of their master's arrival.
THERE ARE TWO SUPPORTING CASTS—one group of singers for the Friday performance and another for Saturday. In all the performances, however, guest artist Brian Steele of the Kansas City Lyric Opera plays the part of Prince Taquinius, Jayne Casselman sings the part of Lucretia and Wayne Kemppeil sings the part of Collatinus.
Chhau dances include exercise, creativity
By LISA GUTIERREZ Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
Andrew T. Tsubai, professor of theater,
has brought a little bit of India to Lawrence.
The fully staged production of this little-known and unusual dance form will be performed tonight and tomorrow night at 8 p.m.
Taubiki knows the dance well.
Tonight, for the first time in the United States, Tsubaki will share the gracefulness of Sesame Groove folk dance by directing a presentation of it in Swarthout Recital Hall in Murphy Hall.
He spent three months studying Chau dance at the Government Chau Dance Center in Seraikella, Bibar, in 1981. While in India, Tsubai baked the authentic costumes, headgear and original Chau music used in the dance presentation.
THE GRACEFUL MOVES of the Chauna dance form are grounded in the vigorous exercise of the body.
“There are three forms of Chauh practiced in India,” Tsubaki said, “and all are based on the martial exercise developed by warriors who kept themselves fit through this art.”
TOMORROW
Tsaubaki said that each form of China has its own culture, and that identify the region in which it is practiced.
"Chhau originated in the area of India where three states meet, and each of the regions has developed its own form of Chhau," he said.
The Serakella style of Chauu is known for its graceful movements. Tsaukii said,
*Seraikella has developed a hauntingly refined style of its own, reflecting the devoted
coaching given by generations of maharajas there." he said.
Elaborate masks are also a distinctive characteristic of the Sarakiae Chau dance.
But because of the restrictions on breathing caused by the tightly fitting masks, Tsubaki said, each Chhau dance lasts only seven minutes.
THE DANCES ARE DEMANDING and
from lack of oxygen
and exhaustion, headache.
on campus
The KU production of the Chaua dance will open with an introduction and slides Tusaki shod in India. After devotional music, the entire company of seven dancers will participate in Parkikhanda, a series of basic exercises.
Each of the Prakhanda moves is based on a household chore performed by Indian women. The performance also will include five other dances.
Sandha is a solo female dance; a light offering, Tsubaki said. Radha is a female dance with an accompanying song, based on local folk dance tradition and not requiring masks. Ekhanya is a male solo dance about a tribal dance, is determined to be the best archer.
Barski and Garuda is a duet telling the story of a fight between a serpent and the monster Garuda. Hara Paravati is a male-female between the god, Siva, and his consort, Paravati.
TODAY
There is a 5 P.M. ENTRY DEADLINE for the Recreation Services TENNIS DOUBLES TOURNAMENT. Sign up in 208 Robinson.
"Images of Woman as Misreader."
THE WOMEN'S STUDIES DEPARTMENT
will sponsor a Sandwich Seminar at 11:45 a.m. in
the Women's Study Center.
AFTER THE KU PRODUCTION, Tsubaki and his company of seven KU students will present the program for the Association of Kansas Theater conference in Kansas City, at South Junior High School in Lawrence and a Babcock学院 in Lindsborough.
THE KU SYMPHONIC BAND will perform its Spring Concert at 8 p.m. in the University Theatre.
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