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University Daily Kansan Thursday, Oct. 24.1957
'La Traviata' Is A Success
By JERRY THOMAS (Of The Daily Kansan Staff)
—(Daily Kansan photo)
KU's entertainment season could not have started on a more perfect note than the one sounded last night by the NBC Opera Company in its presentation of Verdi's "La Traviata."
READY FOR ENTRANCE—Wardrobe Mistress Sally Gordon helps Dolores Wilson, soprano, prepare for her entrance.
The production, as expected, was excellent.
Many road companies, especially those performing operas, offer contrived performances highly susceptible to numerous minor errors. To save expenses these companies bring sets, orchestra and players for the lead roles. Minor roles are handed out to local or area talent, many having never sung the particular opera except, possibly, in a practice room. Error is unavoidable.
This is not the case with the NBC Company. Their operas are polished and harmonized in every respect before the company goes on the road.
Every production has its stand-outs. Last night was no exception. John Alexander was excellent as Alfredo, the male lead in the opera, as was Philip Maero, who played Giorgio. Alfred's father.
Dolores Wilson Was Superb
Dolores Wilson was. But both men were overshadowed by the leading lady of this very popular bittersweet opera. Dolores Wilson, as the doomed Violetta, was superb. Her gestures and her stage presence were near perfect. But it was her vocal artistry that made her stand above the rest of a very fine group.
That artistry was made up of range, ease and complete mastery of a very difficult element—technique. Credit, too, must be given George Schick, the conductor, for his counterpart in the execution of that very excellent technique.
The NBC Company does not even try to deny that it wishes to popularize opera as an art form among the American public. It wants, first, to present opera and it wants, second, to present it in such a way that appreciation of that art will grow in this country. The whole production is geared to that desire. NBC opera is modernized.
To conform to taste, the sets and costumes are more simplified than the period pieces normally presented. And this, of course, fits in well with a company that must carry props hundreds of miles and set up five nights a week.
New Libretto
But the simplification has not taken the grand out of grand opera. The swirl is still in dress and back-drop. The whole appearance of the production takes on the feeling of a de-emphasized Rococo.
There is one element that threatens grand opera, however. It is the new libretto. Last night's opera was taken out of its native Italian tongue and was given in English. The experiment was interesting. The results were not good.
40 Homecoming Ideas Received
The House Decorations committee for Homecoming has received about 40 ideas for Homecoming house decorations since the committee started accepting ideas at 8 a.m. Tuesday
In a meeting held Tuesday night the committee looked over the ideas to see that there was no duplication and that all ideas adhered to the theme of comic strips.
No closing date for ideas has been set yet. At the next meeting, Nov. 5, judges for the decorations will be decided upon.
It is true one can follow an opera better in English. But if he must follow an opera word for word he can carry his own libretto and a pocket flashlight. There is as much use in following the words in grand opera as there is in following the music.
And if all librettos are as bad as the one heard last night it is better to have no libretto at all.
An art opera is much less concerned with what is said than it is with how the voice sounds in harmony with the instrument. If one is straining to understand the words he is losing half the beauty of the music.
When one is translating from Italian to English, phonetically speaking, he is going from the sublime to the ridiculous. To the ear, Italian is probably the most beautiful popular language in the world. English is certainly not among the top. And when a translation is made there is a sacrifice either to sound or to
Cast Chosen For Children's Play
The cast for the Children's Theater production of the "Tailor of Gloucester" to be presented Nov. 21-23 has been chosen, according to Miss Sally Six, instructor of speech and drama and director of Children's Theater.
KU students in the cast are Bob Moberly, Excelsior Springs, Mo., and Paul Arabia, Pittsburg, freshmen.
American Opera Trends
meaning. Something must be lost It is for a very good reason that opera producers want to interest more Americans in opera. In not too many years the country will have an abundance of its own work. There must be a market for it.
Menotti is a composer of dramatic operas. The trend in American opera is toward that form. Here an understanding of the libretto is very important. This form not only harmonizes the voice and the instrument but also carries a meaning the author wishes to convey to the audience. With few exceptions the story in grand opera isn't important except in outline form.
Ober's Jr. Miss
Broadway musicals are slowly evolving into operatic productions. The best examples of this are probably "Porgy and Bess," "The Most Happy Fellow" and "My Fair Lady." The last two appeared on Broadway only last season.
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But opera, through translations of its librettos, should not meet Broadway half-way becoming less than the art form it is. Opera should not be turned into musicals. Musicals should develop into opera.
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Few Attend Peace Dinner
The annual peace-pact dinner between the All Student Council and the Kansas State Student Governing Assn. was held Tuesday at Manhattan. Due to illness, only seven members of the ASC attended the dinner, said Creta Carter, Jennings junior and vice president of ASC.
At the dinner a revision of the pact was made, calling for the peace-pact award to be given the winner of the football game. It is to be presented at the winner's first home basketball game. Previously the award was given at the end of the football game.
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