Section B·Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
080-050
Thursday, October 15, 1998
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KU Opera to perform 'Xerxes' in Italian
10/30 Jason Bonham Band
10/31 Halloween Disc Ball
11/4 Street Wine
11/8 Marcy Playground
11/10 Less Than Jake
Visit Lawrence's hippest Lounge
By Mariana Paiva
"Serious Drinks for Drinking Seriously"
Kansan staff writer
The libretto for "Xerxes," one of Georg Frederic Handel's most popular operas, is written in Italian, which required students to spend extra time to learn the foreign script.
Students involved with the tonight's production of "Xerox" will showcase the results of extra hours of practice.
"It is hard because instead of singing in English it is all in Italian. The opera doesn't have subtitles, so it
Meet results
What: The University of Kansas Opera will perform "Xerxes" by Handel
■ Where: Swarthout Recital Hall
■ When: Tonight, Saturday, Sunday and Monday
What time: 7:30 p.m. all days,
except Sunday, which is at 2:30
p.m.
put a lot of responsibility on us," said Hugo Vera, El Paso, Texas, graduate student, who plays Arsamene, a
"Originally the play was written for a man, a castrate, so that is why they needed a woman to perform it," said Blackwood. "It was an interesting adventure to become a man, especially to learn how to behave as an Indian king in only four weeks."
"Xerex" will be performed by the University of Kansas Opera tonight at 7:30 in Murphy Hall's Swarthout Recital Hall.
main character.
Vera said some of the people in the cast were not familiar with the language so they had to stop the rehearsal several times to translate the opera and discuss it.
pute that ensues between the two royal brothers for a woman is fictitious.
Krista Blackwood, Lawrence graduate student, will plav Keson'te tomight.
"It was a big challenge for everybody. It was the first time they ever sang a complete opera in a foreign language," Vera said.
The opera tells the story of Xerxes, the king of Persia, who is in love with his brother's significant other, Romilda.
For the 14-member orchestra that
"Everything is exactly like Handel wrote, and the music is so transparent that you can hear every note that is played," said Brian Priestman, director of the orchestra, who also will play the harpsichord.
will accompany the opera, learning the score was no easier.
Priestman said that although Xerxes was a true historical figure, most of the story involving the dis-
Tickets cost $5 for students, $7 for the public and are on sale at the KU box offices.
Commentary
D.J. Spooky offers scary combos, while Hole runs itself into ground
By T.R. Miller
Kansan music fiend
Iy "Riddim Warfare"
D.J. Spooky "Riddim Warfare"
Paul Miller, a.k.a. D.J. Spooky, encapsulates this sterile modern world into fragments of goth and hip-hop on his new 21-track album called Riddim Warfare. The album would be more appropriately named Riddle Warfare for its twisted journey between musical genres.
Spooky's most dazzling element is his irreverence for category. He juxtaposes a lazy lounge guitar into a big-city tough rap track in Object Unknown. "Two people see me green and I need a lawyer," raps guest stars Kool Keith and Sir Menelik, as D. J. Spooky scratches away in the background.
Riddim Warfare
DJ. Spooky — "Riddim Warfare"
★★★ out of ★★★★
Spooky sees the world as a kind of arcade game, especially in Post-Human Sophisthe. The track leads in with a Bauhaus-like, gothic chorus and quickly turns mechanical with a riveting bass track layered with a one-dimensional drum machine beat. The result is a detached look at the contrast of ambition and apathy that depicts the Generation-X caricature.
Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and the Wu-Tang Clan's Killah Priest are just two of the many contributors on this album.
Expect to see Spoooky cook up something even weirder in the future. The rest of us just will have to sit back and watch in strange fascination.
Hole "Celebrity Skin"
Oh Hole, do you have to hate everything? I can't help but find it a little ironic that alterna-punk goddess Courtney Love wants to dedicate an album to slamming pop culture. I've lost track of how many celebrity appearances Love has made on magazine covers and at award shows.
Celebrity Skin
Hole — "Celebrity skin"
**★** out of **★★**
Nevertheless, Hole has made a name for itself by sarcastic criticism time and time again. The title track is a punkish little anthem: "You want a part of me/ Well, I'm not selling cheap." The typical Hole sound is there — kind of dirty, kind of sweet.
Reasons to be Beautiful has to be a personal anthem. "Love hangs hands/With the bed sheets in her cell/Throw myself on fires for you." That third person approach is pretty tricky,
but I think Courtney's talking about herself?
The typical Hole sound is there — dirty, crunchy and sweet. This album is a lot like cotton candy — it just kind of dissolves away and the only thing you have left is a sticky mess on your hands.
The biggest problem with this album is that I cannot get attached to the songs.
Dying and Boys on the Radio are lackluster lyrically, but Hole's quintessential rock sound comes out. Their latest effort lists several songwriting credits to Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan, a fellow everything hater. The influence is evident and enhances the album but if you ask me, Hole is a lot cooler to look at than to listen to.
Entertainment veterans criticize TV programs
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Who is happy with broadcast television these days?
Apparently not the oncefaithful viewers, who seem to be finding more intriguing viewing on cable.
Also not happy are the annoyed Lincoln scholars and insulted African Americans, who have aimed cannons at a TV gnat — the silly and undoubtedly soon-to-begone "The Secret Diaries of Desmond Puffer."
And not such TV veterans as entertainer-author Steve Allen, the original host of NBC's "The Tonight Show," and producer Norman Lear of "All in the Family" fame.
Ask these two 76-year-olds separately, about the state of the medium and they are blunt about what each sees as its short-changing of viewers. And they have something to say about how to fix what is broken.
Allen condemns TV for "steamy, unmarried sex situations, filthy jokes, perversion, vulgarity and violence," and asks parents to pressure advertisers to shun such programs.
Turning a distaste for current programming into activism, Allen has placed ads in about 50 newspapers nationwide. His photo
appears with this call to arms: "TV is Leading Children Down a Moral Sewer. How You and I Can Stop It."
The ad will run in at least 70 more newspapers as as part of a $500,000 campaign funded by the Parents Television Council, a nonprofit, conservative group based in Los Angeles.
The effort is intended to get advertisers to take responsibility for where they spend their dollars and to seek out more "family-friendly" programming, said the organization's executive director Mark Honig. Allen acknowledges that there are generational differences about popular culture but says it's about more than good taste.
He said companies that advertise should be held accountable for what their ad dollars are supporting.
Although Lear is unconnected with the Parents Television Council or its campaign, he echoes the theme of holding decision-makers responsible for their actions.
The arguments that other TV outlets are available besides the major broadcast networks don't impress Lear.
"It isn't so because there are only the same amount of funnels — the big companies own everything — through which all of the ideas can move to the public," Lear said.
Applications are now available for the eleventh year of the
Educational Opportunity Fund
All departments,units,and organizations of the University are eligible to apply. Applications and information may be picked up at the Student Senate Office,410 Kansas Union, or the Office of Student Financial Aid. 50 Strong Hall.
or the Office of Student Financial Aid, 50 Strong Hall.
Application Deadline: 5:00 PM, October 30, 1998 at the Student Senate Office, 410 Kansas Union
All grants are for the 1999-2000 academic year
Questions? Call 864-3710
STUDENT UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS SENATE
Kansas Soccer
FRIDAY
October 16th • 3:00 p.m.
Kansas vs. Nebraska
The first 250 get a FREE T-shirt!
KU Faculty and Staff get in FREE with your Smart Card!
SUNDAY
October 18th @ 1:00 p.m.
Kansas vs. Nebraska
SENIOR DAY
Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Women's Athletics at KU! Bring a girl to the game and YOU get in for half price and the girl gets in FREE!
Discin' Dope Frisbee Dog performs at halftime!
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