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(10/18/02 4:59am)
Wednesday's orchestra concert consisted of both the best and the worst in music. This time the featured ensemble was the Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Thomas Baldner. As usual, the quality of musicianship was excellent and spirited, although during the first piece it was quite difficult to tell if the orchestra made any mistakes because the entire piece sounded like one big mistake.\nThat piece was Symphony No. 4 by the German-born composer Lukas Foss. Foss, who was present at the concert, celebrated his 80th birthday here at IU. The program included a brief biography of Foss, who occupied some very distinguished positions at various universities and studied with legends like composer Paul Hindemith and conductor Serge Koussevitzky. It's too bad his music was almost painful to listen to. Each of the four movements of his symphony was less of a musical work than an excruciating blend of noise and tones. The first movement sounded like a machine, repeating over and over a constant barrage of staccato sounds and going nowhere with them. The second movement was an utter disaster. A lack of tonal quality and melody as well as an onslaught of random noise made this by one of the longest fifteen minutes I've ever spent at a concert. The third and fourth could boast no virtue either. Both were disjointed and atonal and led nowhere. The "fireworks" simulation in the fourth movement was only apparent after reading the description in the program. As is to be expected of such music, a horribly inflated orchestration and a profusion of percussive toys weighed upon the ears like an anvil.\nBut any musical disaster can be rectified by the other piece on the program: Beethoven's Third Symphony. The story is well-known that Beethoven originally dedicated the work to Napoleon, whom he admired. However, upon hearing that Napoleon declared himself emperor, Beethoven scratched out his name from the score, rededicated it to Prince von Lobkowitz, and simply called it the "Eroica" (heroic) symphony. This symphony is a monumental and revolutionary work, one of the milestones in music. It was the longest symphony of its day and began to usher in the highly emotional "romantic" style of composing. As with all Beethoven symphonies, not a note can be added or subtracted; it is simply perfect as it is. It flies gracefully in the first movement, mourns in the second, uplifts in the third and triumphs in the fourth. If one word could describe this piece of music, it would be breathtaking. Of course the orchestra did it justice. Special acknowledgement goes to the french horns, flutes and strings for superbly executing difficult parts. It is only a pity that not more college students enjoyed a free performance of some of the world's finest music.
(10/14/02 4:43am)
Ever walk into a modern art gallery, see a painting, and think, "I could do better myself?" Well, Yasmina Reza's play "ART" deals with exactly these sentiments over modern art. A character named Serge (played by Sam Wooten) has purchased a white-on-white painting for 200,000 Francs. His friend Marc (Jonathan Molitor) doesn't think very highly of the painting and criticizes his friend for spending a fortune for nothing more than an ostensibly blank canvas. Marc and Serge bring a third friend, Yvan (José Antonio García), into the quarrel by forcing him to take sides over the new painting, even though he could care less. Yvan, after all, is about to be married and has his own family difficulties to overcome. The three have a brawl and nearly lose their friendship. At the climactic moment, Serge offers Marc a marker. Marc draws a skier on the painting, and the three friends have dinner. The conflict is finally resolved when all three friends erase the drawing and retie their bonds of friendship, although on shakier grounds than before.\nThe IU performance, which opened this past Friday, had some extremely convincing acting. Wooten conveyed every bit of the elitism and self-congratulation characteristic of modern art lovers while remaining a rather bland professional, which is what Serge is. Molitor gave a wonderfully vivid portrayal of a fanatic who tries to impress his views on others without concern for their friendship. And lastly, but certainly not least, García's interpretation of Yvan, a spineless, easily controlled man with psychological problems, was delightfully realistic. His ranting and raving caught the true nature of Yvan's character and probably created the most pathos with the audience. As far as setting was concerned, the stage decoration was at a bare minimum. A white floor, three pieces of furniture, a doorframe, and an occasional painting were all that comprised the decorations. If this were a Shakespeare performance, minimalism would certainly be a detriment. In "ART," however, minimalism of decoration was required to complement the inherent minimalism of the play, only three characters, three scenes, and a white canvas. Lighting was just about as minimal as decoration, but just as effective in its simplicity. \nThe only slightly unpleasant attribute to the performance was the music used during scene changes. It sounded like Darth Vader breathing and trying to play rhythm sticks. Ugly, yes, but still, this is only a trifle compared to the successful manipulation of scenery.\nAlthough the performance was for the most part top-notch, the play itself was slightly less than enjoyable. The dialogue was extremely nonsensical and abstruse (and definitely not for people with a small vocabulary). It is true one character is a drug addict and another psychologically troubled, but if this is the case, why not choose some characters with substance? \nIn addition to the disjunctive dialogue, the play boasted a profusion of profanities. Yes, they add to the "realism" of the play, but they certainly take a great deal of class out of it as well. The monologues which are supposed to convey the characters' inner thoughts are almost completely unnecessary because the characters reveal everything in them to the other characters anyway. No dramatic progression was made. The "issue" of the painting just sat and festered for most of the play then the climax just springs up suddenly like a mushroom out of nowhere. The resolution also was disheartening. No character came to a deeper understanding of his friends; they just kissed and made up but on unstable terms. It's almost as if the ending were stuck on to wrap up loose ends.\n"The play is less about art than about friendship," director Murray McGibbon said. And that's definitely true. Throughout the play, the audience grew less and less concerned about the artistic issues than about the relationships being broken. The dynamics of the friendships in the play were exactly the ones found in most friendships, which caused any viewer to take particular interest in the action. Regardless of the muddled dialogue and stagnant action, the viewer sees himself and all the stupid things he does to jeopardize his own friendships on that stage. In this respect, the play is a real eye-opener, if nothing else. But make your own conclusions: the play will also be showing this weekend.\n"ART" will be performed at the Wells-Metz theater from Oct. 14 to 19. Tickets cost $15 ($13 for seniors and students with a valid ID) and can be purchased at the IU Auditorium Box Office. For more information call 333-9955.
(10/04/02 4:21am)
This Wednesday's orchestral performance was of the University Orchestra conducted by Paul Biss. As is customary, the first piece on the program was an overture. But this was not just any run-of-the-mill overture: this was Felix Mendelssohn's "Fingal's Cave" (also known as the "Hebrides Overture") a brooding, picturesque view of the Scottish isles. \nAs any string player will testify, playing Mendelssohn is a rigorous exercise for the fingers and the eyes. Yet the string section, which consisted mostly of freshmen, performed the piece with a tremendous degree of precision without losing any feeling. In fact, the orchestra used such a degree of feeling that the listener was virtually swept into the mystifying atmosphere created by such a skillful performance of the overture.\nThe second piece was the world-famous Symphony No. 8 by Franz Schubert, "Unfinished Symphony." (Although it originally was finished, two of the four movements were lost on the way to the publishers.) The orchestra executed this piece on a level with many professional orchestras. The dynamics in particular were impressive. The softs were heartfelt and the louds were fiery. And the woodwind section deserves much recognition. Solos on the flute, oboe, and bassoon were particularly admirable.\nAnd the final piece was an interesting one, "Howard Hanson's Symphony No. 2." This piece was devoid of most of the cacophony present in other twentieth-century music, but lacked structure and organization. It was nevertheless pleasant listening, almost Mahlerian in character, with traces of Brahms and Rimsky-Korsakov. The string section again made a name for itself, but not in the flying, speedy manner of the Mendelssohn. The strings here ebbed and flowed with a beauty that can only be described as "touching." Also, the brass section, pushed into the background in the first two pieces, finally shone. The French horns and trumpets in particular showed that they too could move an audience with their talent.\nAlthough slight disturbance was caused by the whining of an infant (fortunately no cell phones, though), another successful concert can be lauded to IU's orchestras. Listeners are encouraged to attend these free weekly performances of some of the nation's finest musicians.
(09/30/02 5:13am)
After months of anticipation and weeks of strenuous rehearsal, Mozart's world-renowned opera "Don Giovanni" had its opening performance at the Musical Arts Center this past Friday. Mozart set his music to the somewhat bawdy libretto written by Lorenzo da Ponte and first performed it in Prague in 1787. It tells the story of a character to whom many college students can relate. \nDon Giovanni is an insatiable womanizer, who causes women to fall in love with him only to get them into bed and throw them away when he's finished. One of his escapades eventually leads him to murder the luckless maiden's father. That maiden (Donna Anna), her betrothed (Don Ottavio) and an ex-lover of Don Giovanni (Donna Elvira) pledge themselves to avenge the murder. And to these are added a groom (Masetto) and a bride (Zerlina) whom Don Giovanni tries to seduce on her wedding day. But in the end, the murdered man's statue interrupts Don Giovanni's dinner and drags him to hell because he will not repent of his sexual misconduct.\nThe opera in itself is a very delightful and attention-getting work. Its music is light yet unforgettable, and the characters' lines are witty and suggestive. Far from keeping the audience weighted with sonorous tones and heavy monologue, the opera kept the audience entwined in the plot and caused the audience on more than one occasion to burst with laughter. \nThe charming nature of the work was enhanced in this specific production partly by the brilliant scenery and costume design. The scenery was very well assembled. It was symmetric, timeless in design and ornate without being gaudy -- perfect for a backdrop without commanding too much attention. The lighting had much to contribute to the overall emotional atmosphere of each scene. It used appropriate colors in the appropriate amounts, and the costumes were both true to the times as well as original. It is rare to find these two qualities together. Either accuracy is sacrificed for design or vice versa, but the designers managed to find a practical balance. Vincent Liotta, the stage director, and Max Röthlisberger, the designer, truly deserve a round of applause for their phenomenal achievement.\nAnd that still says nothing of the singers. Trent Casey as Don Giovanni, Gregory Brookes as Leporello, and Michelle Auslander as Donna Elvira had very demanding roles and all performed excellently. Not only did they sing with all the beauty and grace characteristic of Mozart, but they also gave clear portrayals of the emotions and passions of each of their characters. An opera is a musical drama, and that is exactly what the cast made it and that is why this performance commanded attention. And, as usual, the orchestra under Mark Gibson played with a level of skill matched only by the singers.\nA unique feature about this particular performance was that it was completely in English. This has both its good points and its drawbacks. Aside from the issue of accurate translation, an opera taken from Italian, one of the most beautiful languages, and translated into English, one of the ugliest, loses some of its grace and fluidity. But in English, the puns and suggestions struck home with the audience as it could not have in Italian. Also, the opera's moral "as you live so you shall die" is made clearer and more effective in the audience's own tongue.\nA night at the opera is a wonderful experience, especially with a performance of this caliber. "Don Giovanni" is still playing this upcoming weekend and tickets are still available. Great singing, wonderful music, laughter and a lesson all await one in three riveting hours of opera with a vengeance.\nDon Giovanni will be playing at the Musical Arts Center on Oct. 4 and 5. Show time is 8 p.m. ticket cost ranges from $28-$15 ($18-$10 for students with a valid IUB ID).
(09/23/02 4:52am)
On Wednesday the Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Carl St. Clair gave a truly spectacular performance at the Musical Arts Center. The orchestra's skill at tackling the three pieces on the program was truly spellbinding. And the feat is even more astounding because the program was put together in just two weeks.\nThe first item on the program was, as usual, an overture. But not just any overture. The featured piece here was Hector Berlioz's "Roman Carnival," a very demanding piece. Its harrowing speed and lively melody forces the player to play as quickly and as accurately as possible. But the orchestra managed to overcome this barrier with apparent ease and with all the fire and fury that is characteristic of Berlioz. If this revolutionary composer were still with us today, he would certainly have been ecstatic about this performance.\nThe second piece in the concert was a double concerto written by IU's own, still-breathing, Don Freund. It featured IU staff members Ik-Hwan Bae on the violin and Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi on the cello. Although Mr. Bae and Mr. Tsutsumi captivated the audience with their talents and the Philharmonic matched the skill shown in the overture, the contemporary feel of this piece made it difficult for the audience to connect with the music. \nIt displayed the lack of organization, lack of melody and lack of tonality that is characteristic of this dreaded genre. Its horribly inflated orchestration also detracted from its effect. Although Mr. Freund is obviously a talented man, the contemporary style fails to strike a chord with an audience, much less any chord at all. And that is why the most popular composers are pre-twentieth century.\nThe third piece made up for any shortcomings of the second. It was Modest Mussorgsky's suite "Pictures at an Exhibition," which describes the composer's journey through an art gallery. Although originally written for piano, it was orchestrated in the 1920s by the French composer Maurice Ravel. This ponderous, half-hour-long suite is the perfect test for an orchestra's endurance, and the Philharmonic passed with flying colors. The personality of each part of the piece was so vividly portrayed that one could almost see the paintings Mussorgsky describes through music: the gnome, the old castle, the Polish oxcart, the catacombs and others. And then there is the "The Great Gate of Kiev," the piece's finale, performed with every bit of majesty and splendor that an exhausted orchestra can give it.\nWe have here at IU a world-class orchestra with some of the most talented musicians in existence. If the other musical ensembles are even anywhere nearly as talented as the Philharmonic, listeners are in for a real treat this year. Admission is free to all orchestra performances, so listeners are greatly encouraged to attend. Go and listen! It's an experience not to be forgotten.
(09/16/02 5:09am)
In wake of the anniversary of the Sept. 11 tragedies, Garson Kanin's play "Born Yesterday," running at the John Waldron Arts Center through Sept. 22, sends the audience a powerful message about the ideals upon which America is founded. \nThe play, set in Washington D.C. in 1947, focuses on the efforts of a horribly rich, self-absorbed, and avaricious tycoon named Harry Brock to refine his incredibly naive mistress, Billie Dawn, through education, but he gets more than he bargained for. His mistress' tutor, Paul Verral, instructs her not only in grammar and etiquette, but also in the ideas and beliefs of America's founding fathers. It is through these that Billie sees her lover's immoral business practices and personal cruelty, and so she frees herself from his oppressive grasp. \nThe sheer despicability of Harry Brock was wonderfully portrayed by senior Eduardo Torres, whose interpretation of the character left nothing likeable about the character. Steve Heise, who portrayed Brock's lackey lawyer, also conveyed a degree of despicability, as well as a very convincing drunken scene. \nThe highlight of this performance was Carrie Owen's incredibly versatile portrayal of an ignorant harlot who transforms into an intelligent lady. She performed both sides of Billie Dawn with such talent that it almost seemed as if she were playing two different parts. The rest of the cast is not wanting for compliments either. \nThe dialogue drew the audience into the world of the characters and always gave a sense of the plot moving forward. A drawback to the actual script itself is that the characters were obvious stereotypes of good and evil, which detracted a bit from its feasibility, and the theme of Billie's gaining independence through knowledge is hopelessly idealistic. \nThough the knowledge Billie gains is of truth and honesty learned from America's founders, and that says a lot for our country. It says we stand against selfish, amoral and unscrupulous men like Brock and his lackeys who will stop at nothing to gain more for themselves. And more importantly, it allows the audience to see if America actually lives up to those ideals. Since "Born Yesterday" is an affirmation of the righteous, honest and cooperative spirit that Sept. 11 brought out in us all, anybody with any degree of patriotism or any doubts about America's principles should see this play.