On SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1997 at 2:30 P. M., a SPONTANEOUS MIKADO will occur at Emmanuel College in Boston, co-sponsored by The Emmanuel College Theatre Guild and NEGASS. Yes, We know We promised you a lecture by Ric Wilson for this month - but schedules conflicted, while the producers of the recent wildly successful Spontaneous PIRATES (see review later in this issue) asked NEGASSers for help in producing a second show - choosing the date we had already chosen for our meeting.
October 26 is an excellent date, being the end of Daylight Savings Time - that is, we all get an extra hour of sleep the night before. MIKADO is, as we all know, an excellent show. And a Spontaneous MIKADO will share the excellences of NEGASS's usual Last Minute Light Opera productions: Casting is spontaneous. Send email to <spontaneous-savoyards-request@mit.edu> or <wilkinj@emmanuel.edu>, or call Carl Weggel at (978) 474-0396 if you'd like a role. Rebecca Consentino and Jenna Wilkinson, who are coordinating from the ECTG end, say, "When requesting a role, just indicate your vocal range, any past roles you've had and groups you've been involved in. In order to be fair, casting will be done by the ECTG on a first-come, first-serve basis; we will do our best."
The recent PIRATES featured a spontaneous orchestra, and even spontaneous conductors; the upcoming MIKADO will only have a piano (pianist TBA), unless someone volunteers to coordinate an orchestra again. (We assume that instrumentalists with their own parts and lots of good sportsmanship would not be turned away at the door.)
In case you don't remember the roles:
| Nanki-Poo: Tenor | Yum-Yum: Soprano |
| Go-To: Bass | Pitti-Sing: Soprano |
| Pish-Tush: Baritone | Peep-Bo: Mezzo-Soprano |
| Pooh-Bah: Bass-Baritone | Katisha: Alto |
| Ko-Ko: Patter Baritone | |
| Mikado: Bass-Baritone |
Plus a large and fun chorus. Oh, yes - and NEGASS will provide the usual refreshments.
HOW TO GET THERE: We'll be meeting in a theatre located in the Administration Building of Emmanuel College, 400 The Fenway, Boston, at the intersection of The Fenway and Brookline Avenue. Unfortunately, this program has developed too quickly for Us to have elicited clear directions from the organizers - but the college should be easily T-accessible and easy to find on a map.. In addition, Emmanuel's off-street parking will be available free as long as visitors tell the guard that they're there for the Theatre Guild.
SEPTEMBER 28TH MEETING: Sears and Connors at the First Parish in Bedford. After a slightly delayed start, we started off the meeting with "Hail, Poetry", followed by Carl Weggel's reading of the Bab Ballad The Ghost to his Ladye Love, announcements, and the passing out of door-prize tickets.
It was then time for Ben Sears and Bradford Connors to take over the program. Ben appeared from the rear of the sanctuary, singing The house began to twitch, from the Wizard of Oz by "Yip" Harburg, as he proceeded to the front where Bradford accompanied him on the piano. I must admit, it sounds better in a non-Munchkin voice. We continued with the music of Ira and George Gershwin, who were great fans of G&S. In fact, many of the songs in the musical Strike up the Band are modeled on G&S's work. Next was the only piece that was read instead of sung: Dumont Carter and George Gershwin's 1924 comedic duo Isn't it Horrible What They Did to Mary, Queen of Scots. We continued with There's more to the kiss than the xxx by the Gershwins, Al Stillman's Sawing a Woman in Half (written for the Rockettes), and from George White's Scandals of 1922 - She hangs out in our Alley. The show Of Thee I Sing has lots of G&S take-offs, such as Who Cares? (so long as you care for me). Bradford helped out with the singing in various places, one being That Lost Barber Shop Chord, based on The Lost Chord by Sullivan. We heard more of Yarburg's music, Never Bedevil the Devil, Mine, and from the movie Damsel in Distress, there was Holding Hands at Midnight, (Nice Work If You Can Get It), and Put Me to the Test. Apparently "Yip" was always having censor trouble with his lyrics, as they were just a bit risqué for his times. InLydia (the tattooed lady), he had to add a last verse that married her off, so he could pass inspection.
We had examples of Patter Song influence, one being Move Over from Irving Berlins Watch Your Step, others being from Rogers and Hart's Mountain Greenery. Both Ben and Bradford sing their words very clearly, even at quick tempi, and I'm sure Gilbert would appreciate that.
From Kurt Weill's Lady in the Dark came The Saga of Jennie. One might compare that with many of Gilbert's Bab Ballads. Ben and Bradford finished up their program with George Gershwin's last song - The More I Read the Papers, The Less I Comprehend. For an encore, Ben and Bradford presented the piece they've chosen as their "theme song" - Our Love is Here to Stay.
After a break for refreshments and music purchases from Sears and Connors, we regrouped for Door-prize drawing, and the rest of our program. Our accompanist for the rest of the program was Eric Schwartz. He and Dick Freedman performed a couple of Flanders and Swann tunes, we all sang some choral finales (starting with IOLANTHE and ending with GONDOLIERS), and had a duet and several solos from those present. I can't remember them all, and I wouldn't like to miss anyone, so suffice to say, all were well done and enjoyable.
-- JANICE DALLAS
| Tentative Meeting Schedule, 1998-99: |
| We have dates and a place, but no programs, scheduled for the next two months. The First Parish Church of Watertown, a familiar space for NEGASSers, is available for November 22 and December 21, 1997. More details as they arise! |
~ NEXT BRAY COPY DEADLINE: ~
Once again this month, We find We cannot set a definite deadline for an indefinite occurrence. We beg those who care to reach Us personally in late October, at (617) 253-5810 during the day, at (781) 646-9115 evenings and weekends, or at mlcar@mit.edu at any time, for details.
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome We New Members Phoebe and Eoin Gaj, Laurence J. Gillis and Dan and Stacy Ratner. Phoebe and Eoin apparently borrowed a Bray from Bill Mahoney and were hooked; New Hampshire attorney Laurence met Janice Dallas over SavoyNet and became interested, and - Ah, some details about Dan and Stacy: They live in Brookline, are brother and sister, and, although Stacy declares herself simply an "Enthusiastic Audience", Dan is bold enough to describe himself an "enthusiastic - note, not 'Very fine' - Singer" as well. Hearty Greetings Offer We!
Have you renewed your membership? $15 will do it! Send your light insult to Bill Mahoney, c/o NEGASS, PO Box 367, Arlington, MA 02174, with what dispatch ye may! --- mlc
Ronald Broude, President of Broude Brothers Limited and publisher of the edition, will give a presentation at 3:30 in the afternoon, prior to the concert, also in the Brooks Concert Hall. His talk will give an overview of the project. Both the lecture at 3:30 p.m. and the concert at 8:00 p.m. are free and open to the public.
At the evening concert, the 45 minute operetta will be preceded by examples of earlier works which exhibit the kinds of music Sullivan parodied in TRIAL, including the ensemble "D'un pensiero" from La Sonnambula by Bellini and music by Offenbach and Handel.
The Broude Brothers critical edition of the TRIAL BY JURY full orchestral score and libretto, edited by Steven Ledbetter, was published in 1994, and the company has decided to issue performance materials for it as well as the rest of the operas which be published eventually in the series. The orchestral parts for TRIAL are also in preparation. Steven Ledbetter is the editor for all of these materials.
-- BRUCE I. MILLER
True, his definition of conic and parabolus are a bit sketchy, but this old professor's ramblings on the subject would be out of place when face-to-face with Ward's intended audience. Nevertheless, "geometrical terms" is the understatement of the century in describing the occurrence of conic and parabolus (a word Gilbert made up, by the way) in the same line, which underscores Gilbert's apparently considerable grasp of mathematical physics. Conics (that is, the study of the conic sections) considers the curves obtained by slicing a cone and looking at the boundary of the resulting section. If you slice at right angles to the cone's axis, you get a circle, if you slice at a slight angle, you get an ellipse, if you increase the angle until you are slicing parallel to an element of the cone's surface so that your knife goes through the base, you get a parabola, and if you increase the angle still further, you get an hyperbola.
It can be shown (and I love to do this, but not here!) that any object moving under the influence of an inverse square-law force must follow a conic section as its path, and since gravity is such a force, all our planetary and satellite orbits are perforce conic sections. The rate of this rotation has been studied in some detail, as it is one of the few tests we have of Einstein's general relativity theory. The point of this sudden ebullition of unmitigated physics is that, with the exception of Einstein, who hadn't happened yet, Gilbert knew all this. The world may think of him as merely a talented lyricist, but we know better. The points that really drove me to write are two other definitions in Mr. Botsford's glossary. One is that the editor is quite correct in objecting that there really is a croaking chorus in the Frogs of Aristophanes, and, if I remember correctly, they go "Brackety brax, coax, coax!" [Yes, that's approximately the version We've heard - and used, too, as an interpolation in that song! - mlc]
The other point is Ward's correctly defining mauser as a German rifle. The original text, however, reads chassepot rifle, and so my question to the resident aficionados: What is a chassepot rifle, how does it differ from a mauser rifle, and when and why was the original altered? In view of current ethnic predilections, I understand why "blacked like a nigger" has been changed to "blackened with vigor (and, incidentally, how is "the nigger serenader and
With which moral I drop my theorbo. (I know it's not Gilbert-and -Sullivan! A bottle of Pommery seventy-four or equivalent to the first to get it correctly.)
-- DEAN S. EDMONDS, JR (ed., S. Malionek)
A MEMORIAL TO W. S. GILBERT IN POET'S CORNER, WESTMINSTER ABBEY? Steve Malionek gleaned this from a recent issue of THE Gilbert & Sullivan Society's newsletter:
A letter has been received from a member, proposing that W. S. Gilbert be commemorated with a plaque in Poet's Corner, Westminster Abbey. The letter suggested that this was long overdue. The Executive Committee agreed that an approach should be made to the Dean of Westminster, The Very Reverend Dr. Wesley Carr, and so, a letter was sent.
The reply was that the process is long and complex and he required "the names of six persons of distinction whom I could approach to give me an unbiased view on W. S. Gilbert". A further letter from the Dean stated that the cost of such a memorial would "be in the region of £5,000". He then went on to say "I have been reading up about W. S. Gilbert over and above his association with Arthur Sullivan. In the light of that, I have to tell you that for my part so long as I am Dean I would not be able to give permission for some memorializing of him in Westminster Abbey. This is not to say that his work, especially that with Sir Arthur Sullivan was not distinguished: it is simply my judgement that he could not be considered as someone who has made a major contribution to the development of English literature" . . . "my advice would be at this stage to set the idea aside." Another approach was made to the Dean to inquire the sources of this reading. He has replied that "It is not, as you will appreciate, my practice or that of my predecessors to disclose the sources of advice…" [We are surprised, to say the least, at this obstruction, and hope something further will come of this! -- mlc]
MIKADO at Purchase Over the past few years the Performing Arts Center at SUNY Purchase has become a repository for traditional (in the best sense) Gilbert and Sullivan. The weekend of September 28 and 29 brought forth their latest effort: MIKADO. There was, therefore, some consternation on the part of the audience when, part way through the overture, the curtain rose to reveal the garden of an English Country House decorated with Japanese lanterns. Indeed, the opening chorus revealed the gentlemen in formal dress. There was strong singing both from the chorus and from Nanki-Poo (Eric van Hoven) and by Pish-Tush (Steven Condy) in their first scenes. Yet, there was some tentativeness and rushing of dialog as if the performers were not sure of how well the concept of a "Garden Party Mikado" would be accepted.
The entrance of Michael Rayner as Pooh-Bah, with his resonant bass voice, perfect timing and pointing of lines (a credit to his long-time D'Oyly Carte experience), brought reassurance to cast and audience alike that here was a traditional performance, despite the unfamiliar staging. From then on, the performance tightened up and went without a hitch. The singing was uniformly superb as the soloists are trained opera singers, yet all were dramatically convincing as well.
Indeed, the unusual setting gave the director the opportunity to 'clean up' one aspect of stage productions which has always been an annoyance. How often have you seen some character 'sneak' off- or on-stage in order to pick up or get rid of a prop? However unobtrusive the action may be, it tends to be much more noticeable from the audience side of the footlights than it is up close. In this production the director had a maid and footman who performed the prop delivery and removal service naturally and as part of the action.
The ladies had the advantage of appearing in evening gowns of various colors and cuts and showed off to much advantage. Marla Berg sang the perfect Yum-Yum and looked the part as well, always a pleasure to see. Julia Fischer as Pitti-Sing and Jennifer Lee as Peep-Bo were equally pleasing while Cristiane Young as Katisha was simply overwhelming, and not just because of her size. Just imagine the most powerful contralto you have ever heard before (unless you have heard her before) and magnify by several orders of magnitude. An absolutely incredible characterization.
Steven Page provided a competent Mikado who was unfortunately diminished by having to play opposite such a Katisha. Frederick Reeder was a spectacular Ko-Ko. He has an excellent voice which he used to much advantage - such a pleasure to hear the role actually sung instead of being rasped through. The characterization was somewhat different than what one is used to. Mr. Reeder is
In the words of one cynical friend, for whom the epitome of Gilbert and Sullivan performance was the D'Oyly Carte of about 35 years ago: "This is as good as it gets!" I have to agree.
--- J. DONALD SMITH
| Johanna Bobrow emailed the following URL to the MITG&SP list, for the amusement and edification of all: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~valkyrie/parody/ Look there for your favorite G&S parody! |
And - speaking of G&S parodies and SavoyNet:
If you give me your attention I will tell you what I am
I'm a G&S enthusiast who spouts ad nauseam,
I know the lib from every show and point out each defect
To the erring fellow actors I endeavour to correct
My thinking is traditional, some call me prejudiced
When I gasp in scorn and horror at a rehashed "Little List"
I love the Savoy Operas - I quote them where I can -
Yet everybody says I'm such a disagreeable man!
And I can't think why!
My walls at home are all adorned with every print from "Spy",
The Players' cigarette cards to impress the passer-by,
I bought a PC so I could subscribe to SavoyNet,
Of the G&S discography I'm sure I've got the set.
I know about the lozenge plot and carpet quarrel too,
How Arthur wrote "Come Mighty Must" when he was on
the brew,
I often entertain my peers with stories partisan,
Yet everybody says I'm such a disagreeable man!
And I can't think why!
My cerebral dexterity is something to behold,
I've written lengthy parodies, quite promising I'm told,
I read the "Precious Nonsense", "NODA News",
"The Trumpet Bray"
And I write them monthly letters 'cos I've always lots to say.
When Buxton comes around again you won't see me for dust,
To hob-nob with the D'Oyly Carte, it really is a must,
I've fraternised with Thomas Round and darling Peggy Ann,
Yet everybody says I'm such a disagreeable man!
And I can't think why!
---SHARON BRINDLE
(Of the West Norfolk Gilbert & Sullivan Society. Gleaned from SavoyNet by Dick Freedman)
And another by Sharon Brindle, gleaned from SavoyNet
by Janice Dallas:
Scene: Tower Green, London. Point, Fairfax and Elsie are discussing
their respective fates.
POINT:
My eyes are fully open to my awful situation,
Elsie's going to live with Fairfax and I'm left in desolation,
When I told her she could marry I believed he'd be beheaded,
But he fled as Leonard Merryl, and so Elsie still was wedded,
Though I tried to spin a story how I shot him in the noddle
He returned to claim his widow and so I was left with sod all,
Now I don't know whether suicide or fainting is the smarter
So I'll leave it to you to decide if I'm to be a martyr
ELSIE, FAIRFAX, POINT:
If he is (I am) to be a martyr, martyr, martyr, martyr, martyr
FAIRFAX:
If I had not been quite so bad and generally naughty,
I'd have granted a divorce and let the jester have his totty,
But the girl was quite a corker, in my loins I felt a stirring,
And then when I made a pass at her I found she was concurring
That I'm witty, rich and fascinating there is no denying,
Although when it comes to women I am not averse to lying,
Whilst I feel a trifle guilty I just cannot live withart 'er,
So I'll keep her for myself and Master Point can be a martyr
ALL: Master Point can be a martyr (etc.)
ELSIE:
I'm very well aware of all the failings of my suitor
He's a sneaky piece of work, but he is infinitely cuter
He pretended to be Leonard with deception cruel and shocking
Till I found out he was Fairfax in a different-coloured stocking
It's a sticky situation and I'm caught up in the middle
Should I wed the hunky charmer or the master of the riddle?
Though the very thought of wedded bliss with either's a non-starter
I will listen to my hormones and desert my loyal martyr
POINT, FAIRFAX: She'll desert her loyal martyr (etc.)
ELSIE: I'll desert my loyal martyr, …
Though you may say "Che peccata", he will always be
a martyr
ALL: He will always be a martyr (etc.)
|
FAME (if not fortune) THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL G&S FESTIVAL: We long ago received lists of Festival prize winners - but have had no room/time to publish them. There were winners for each specific leg of this year's Festival (Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Buxton); We will print only the Overall Winners this time:
|
SAVOYNET MUSINGS: 1998 INTERNATIONAL G&S FESTIVAL IN PHILLY? Florrie Marks of SavoyNet wrote recently: Today's Philadelphia Inquirer has an article entitled Deal could bring G&S fete back a third time. Ian [Smith] is still looking for $100,000 so he can bring the Festival back, but apparently there's a deal in the works.
The article says, in part:
"The proposed deal might help him get it [the $100,000]. What it involves is a three-way partnership in which the Walnut Street Theater, dark in midsummer when the festival takes place, would provide the venue for the several productions staged by various G&S companies, and the Concerto Soloists would provide the musicians.
"Just as important, they both provide a conduit through which tax-deductible contributions could flow to the festival. The Walnut Street Theater and the Concerto Soloists are so-called 501(c)3 charitable corporations registered with the Internal Revenue Service; the festival is not so registered in the United States."
"…The 1,075-seat Walnut Street Theater, the oldest continuously operating theater in America, is 'the ideal size' and 'is the natural home for such a festival,' [Bernard] Havard [producing artistic director of the Walnut] said. Using the Walnut's list of 47,000 subscribers -- 'the largest subscription audience in the world' -- plus the nearly 3,000 people on the Concerto Soloists mailing list, it should be possible to make a successful venture, he said.
"'It's a call to arms,' Havard said. 'Does this community care enough to support this festival and are people willing to put their money where their mouth is?'
"Havard said contributions would be placed in a restricted fund at the Walnut Street Theater 'and if the festival doesn't go forward, we'll return the money.'"
The complete article can be found at:
http://www.phillynews.com/inquirer/97/Sep/16/entertainment/FEST16.htm
-- FLORRIE MARKS
fmarks@haverford.edu
There follows an exact transcript of the latest meeting of the Labour Government's Cabinet, with Tony Blair in charge as ever. To those skeptical creatures who argue that there aren't any Cabinet meetings at this time of year, I have nothing to say, except that the following is conclusive evidence to the contrary.
(Warning: I imagine none of this will mean anything to anyone from outside the UK.)
Blair:
The Government has quite forsaken all its wicked courses:
Our ministers don't have affairs or contemplate divorces!
Ministers:
There's no such thing as sleaze today in Britain!
Blair:
We've diligently cleaned up the political arena,
And none of us is guilty of financial misdemeanour!
Ministers:
The Government is squeaky clean in Britain!
Blair:
New Labour has been flawless in accomplishing its vision,
And never has to come to an unpopular decision:
In Ireland and in Montserrat support is firm and steady -
Ministers:
In short, this happy country is Utopianised already!
The country's reached perfection
Since the General Election,
And the secret of success is not a mystery,
For in Britain under Labour
Everybody loves his neighbour,
So all trouble and unhappiness are history!
Blair:
Our Peerage we've remodelled on an intellectual basis,
Which means that we shall elevate the Spice Girls and Oasis!
Ministers:
We're highly hip and groovy here in Britain!
Blair:
We've made the best provision for the rising generation,
For calculating student fees is quite an education!
Ministers:
We're fostering the future here in Britain!
Blair:
In four short months Great Britain has regained its former glories,
Because we are so diff'rent from those very beastly Tories:
The people get confused because the contrast is so heady -
Ministers:
In short, this happy country is Utopianised already!
The country's reached perfection, etc.
--ANDREW CROWTHER
A.J.Crowther@bradford.ac.uk
The Connecticut G&S Soc. will perform IOLANTHE at the Middletown High School on October 24 & 25 at 8 PM, and on Oct. 26 at 2 PM. Call 1-800-866-1606 for tix & info.
Boston Academy of Music plans four performances of PIRATES at the Emerson Majestic Theater over the Thanksgiving weekend. For information on these and other BAM programs, call (617) 242-0055.
The Broude Brothers' definitive TRIAL piano-vocal score will be beta-tested at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester on Friday, November 21 - see article above for more details.
Valley Light Opera plays Friml's The Vagabond King [yes - We know it isn't!] on 11/7-8 and 14-15 at 8 PM, and 11/9 at 2 PM,. Tickets are $12 for adults; $9 for students or senior citizens - and We see no phone number to call for further info, so you'll have to send your money to The Town of Amherst, Leisure Services Department, 70 Boltwood Walk, Amherst, MA 01002 and hope they'll send you a map telling you how to get to the Amherst Regional High School on Triangle Street for the performance.
The Harvard-Radcliffe Gilbert & Sullivan Players plan MIKADO for 12/4-6 & 11-13 at 8 PM; and 12/6,7 & 13 at 2 PM at the Agassiz Theatre, Radcliffe Yard at Harvard. Production will be by John Cearley and Jennie Connery, with direction by Jose Zayas and music direction by Bradford Chase. For more info, reach HRG&SP via tmoore@fas.harvard.edu, or by phone at 617-496-4747.
MITG&SP's fall show, RUDDIGORE will be performed 11/14-15 and 21-22 at 8 PM; 11/16 and 23 at 2 PM) E-mail savoyards-request@mit.edu or call 253-0190 for directions or more info. Or sign up for a production staff role: Descriptions of most of these positions can be found on the MITG&SP Web site at: http://www.mit.edu/activities/gsp/prod_manual.html
PIRATES is planned as MITG&SP's spring '98 show, with a production of TRIAL planned for January. To schedule an interview to become Music Director of TRIAL, call 253-0190, or email savoyards-request@mit.edu. Auditions for leads and chorus roles will be held in early January. Production dates span the first three weeks in February.
The North Kingstown Players, a brand new group based in RI, will perform IOLANTHE Nov. 13 (dress/with audience) 14, 15 and possibly 16. Call 401-295-1907 or send e-mail to jch@ids.net for directions and info.
This winter The Sudbury Savoyards, who donate proceeds from their very professional productions to a fund for the relief of world hunger, plan a double bill of PINAFORE and TRIAL. Lead auditions will be held 12/1 and 3 (note: as usual, chorus is welcome without audition - just show up on 12/1 for an introduction to the company) and performances will be in mid-late March of '98. Kathy Lague, Sudbury's frequent Star Soprano, will be both Stage and Music Director for both productions, with assistance from frequent Star Tenor Bill Kuhlman. Visit Sudbury's (new) Web site at http://www.sudburysavoyards.org/ or call 978 443-8811 for more information.
Hancock County G&S Soc. plans IDA for February 6, 7, 13 and 14 at 8:00 PM and February 8 and 15 at 2:00 PM. Auditions are vaguely listed as "some time in mid-October." Directors are Kathleen Lake and Bob Bahr. For more info try calling Lee Patterson at (207) 244-4044. To reserve tickets, call the Grand Box Office [(207)667-9500] after Dec. 15, weekdays 10-4.
Contact David Mladinov, Producing Director, Jewish Theatre of New England, 33 Nahanton Street, Newton Centre, MA 02159, Tel. (617) 558-6480, Fax. (617) 527-3104 for news of the upcoming Boston production of Di Yam Gazlonim - a.k.a. The Yiddish PIRATES!
| You must stir it & stump it: Marion Leeds Carroll will perform a recital of French art songs, free!, featuring Les Nuits D'Eté by Berlioz, at MIT's Killian Hall at noon on November 4, under the auspices of MIT's Artists Behind the Desk series. Call Us for more info (see below). |
PO Box 367, Arlington, MA 02174-0004 Send electronic contributions to our new e-mail address: negass@iname.comPresident RICHARD FREEDMAN: (617) 630-9525; e-mail: rnf@null.net Vice-President PATRICIA BREWER: (617) 323-3480 (617) 983-1635; e-mail mark_woodruff@htrans.com Members at Large: NEGASS membership dues are $15 and up. Please send membership inquiries to Bill Mahoney C/O the above address. The NEGASS Web Page is located at |