FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS OF THIS CENTURY • 1966 Sponsored by THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC DEPARTMENT OF ART DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA & THEATRE EAST-WEST CENTER CONFERENCE PROGRAM Assisted by THE INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN STUDIES OF THE UNIVERSITY SUSANNAH Presented by the University Theatre and the Deportment 01 Music March 11, 12; 17, 18, 19, 1966 John Fitzgerald Kennedy Theatre Text and Music by Carlisle Floyd CAST Susannah Polk Geraldine Grayson (March 11, 17, 19) Claire Hamamoto (March 12, 18) Sam Polk, her brother William Bauer (March 11, 17, 19) Edward Marr (March 12, 18) little Bat Richard Abel Olin Blitch Roger Olsen Elder McLean Walbert Ahin Elder Hayes Edward Marr (March 11, 17, 19) William Bauer (March 12, 18) Elder Gleaton Gary Nevinger Elder Ott David Stathopulo Mrs. McLean Elizabeth Anderson Mrs. Hayes Margaret Beed Mrs. Gleaton Annette Moss Mrs. Ott Loyal Garner People of New Hope Valley Caroline Asano, Cathy Barnett, Ollie Brilhante, Marvin Char, Edgardo Dela Cruz, Pam Ferreira, Joseph Halpin, Judith Kahoano, Edward Kalahiki, Brian larsen, Ned Leavitt, Davidson Lloyd, Shelley London, Adrienne McPherson, Juan Quindara, Ed Seymour, Charlotte Souder, Natalie Taylor, Barbara Wong Children Charlotte Brapford, K. D. longknife, Q. D. longknife ORCHESTRA Violins: John Merrill, Elizabeth Yee, lynn Ching, Arlene Hong, Darlene Higa, lynette Inouye, Peggy Ogawa, Naomi Kami, Glenn Kageyama Violas: Stella Kuwaye, Christine Welborn, Alan Rosenberg Cellos: Alice Hawksworth, Noreen Naughton Bass: Byron Yasu Flutes: Margaret Katoda, Elizabeth Taiima Oboe: Valerie Mau Clarinets: Warren Okazaki, Martin Suzuki Bassoons: Judy Koga, Jim Owens Horns: Chris Bagley, Roy Oshima Trumpets: Richard Berg, Donald Cowan Trombones: Noel Jaderstrom, Ray Miyahara Tuba: Alan Ing Tympani: Wilfred Kusaka Percussion: Sharon Nakashima Piano: Zoe Merrill Music Director Allen Trubitt Stage Director Robert A. Soller Designer Richard Mason Choreographer Carl Wolz Opera Workshop Director ftichard Vine Setting-New Hope Valley, Tennesse·e Time-the present ACT I Scene 1 The churchyard, a hot summer evening Scene 2 The Polk farmhouse, later Scene 3 A woods, the next morning Scene 4 The churchyard, that evening Scene 5 The farmhouse, later INTERMISSION ACT II Scene 1 The farmhouse, several days later Scene 2 The church, that evening Scene 3 The farmhouse, later Scene 4 The church, the next morning Scene 5 The farmhouse, sundown that day Produce·d by special arrangement with Boosey and Hawkes, publisher and copyright owner TONIGHT'S OPERA The opera Susannah had its world premiere at Florida State University on February 24, 1955. The following year, it was produced by the New York City Opera Company and won the 1956 New York Music Critics' Circle Award. As a form of lyric theatre, Susannah is interesting in a number of ways. Com­ poser Carlisle Floyd, in creating the libretto, has used the short-scene technique (he calls it "cinematic") in order to bring dramatic focus to the situations, thereby making the plot-line credible instead of relying on magnificent music to obscure glaring flaws in the dramatic action. The chorus in Susannah, unlike most choruses in operas, performs an integral and organic part of the drama. As Floyd explains it, the chorus is the antagonist in the conflict-not a faceless, homogeneous mob, but more of a "community of individuals for whom the discovery of Susannah's bathing brings explosively to the surface for each one his or her private capacity for fear and hostility." Musically, Susannah is a particularly happy blending of Puccini's melodic and harmonic style, Verdi's formal organization, and even Wagner's "leitmotiv" prin­ ciple-the whole bound together into a work that is definitely of this century. All of the "folk" elements apparent in the opera have been composed. Despite the genuineness of the American flavor, Floyd has used no actual folk tunes. Of the 20th-century compositional devices most strikingly employed in this opera, "bi­ tonality" (the use of two different keys simultaneously) is outstanding. In the setting of vocal lines, Floyd has followed the procedure of other modern British and American composers in shaping the melodic lines to the natural rise and fall of English speech-the belief that English is a "singable" language is never doubted. The musical drama Susannah is based on the apocryphal story of Susannah and the Elders, with the lecale transferred to a present-day Tennessee mountain valley, a credible setting for the primitive religion with which it deals. Within the valley, ironically called New Hope, a traveling preacher appears and fans the flames of religious fanaticism which are soon to sweep over the innocent and bewildered Susannah. DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA AND THEATR.E Faculty and Staff: Earle Ernst, Joel Trapido, Lucie Bentley, Edward Langhans, Richard Mason, Robert Soller, Arthur Caldeira, Nancy Takei, Carl Wolz, Takeo Miji, Alfred W. Wheeler Student Assistants: Richard Abel, James Bertino, Robin Fowler, Kenneth Frankel, Katharine Hartzell, Carole Hodgson, Chris Longo, Diana Martin, Bonnie Miller, Karl Wylie Technical Trainees: Chi-pin Chao, Sadao Hirobe, Isao Hirowatari, Pen-hsien Li, Atsuo Nakamura, Alexander Lei Yun PRODUCTION STAFF Assistant to the Director and Technical Director Richard Abel Stage Manager Alfred W. Wheeler Assistant Stage Manager Jean King Floor Manager Katharine Hartzell Stage Crew Ellsworth London, Ed Mollan, Sy Cromwell Fly Crew Jon Maybell, Kerry Jenkins, John Putnam Properties Ann Longknife Lighting Bonnie Miller, assisted by Sandi Fleischl, Brenda Leona Koon, Mike King, Brenda Jong Makeup Pamela Brown, Joe Oros Scene Construction Arthur Caldeira, assisted by Katherine Hartzell, Kenneth Frankel, Cathy Barnett, Ray Butterowe, Marvin Char, Sandra Fleischl, Warren Fuiimoto, Margaret Fung, Fay Ito, Glenn Izawa, Mike King, Jenna Koscinski, Albert Lagunero, Brian Larsen, Ellsworth London, Clarence Lopez, Arthur MacArthur, Barry Masuo, Jon Maybell, Healani Minn, Mary Oxley, Charles Putnam, Carter Reed, Lewis Stout, Gary Toyama, Andy Uchiyama, Gloria Ursal, Sherman Warner Costume Construction Alfred W. Wheeler, Diana Martin, assisted by Sharon Ching, Ellen Deep, Elissa Dulce, Karen Fujimoto, Boon-Fang Han, Susan Min, Valerie Neves, Kazuko Otani, Janice Pate, Mariorie Prudden, Marilyn Smith, Lovett Tanaka, Fung Ching Yang, Haruko Yasuda Costume Maintenance Susan Min Rehearsal Accompanists Zoe Merrill, Raynette lng, Dennis Kam House Manager Fred Lee Gallegos, assisted by Henry Hart, Alfred Choy, Dave McCauley, Ray Sasaki, Herb Rosenbush, Chris Barden, Marcia Aquino, Wilma Bal, Mike King, Mike Dowd, Dale Gormley, Gwen Fuiimoto, Gary Toyama, Joanne Kimm, Charles Bourne, Sandra Jim, Winona Zane Ushers Alpha Phi Omega, Farrington High School Reception Committee, Hui Pookela, Hale Kahawai, St. Francis High School Box Office Marvin Char, Sylvia Cabanayan, Carole Hodgson, Brenda Jong, Sheila Loo, Clarence Lopez, Christine Kato, Gerri Minn, Mary Oxley, Fay Hendricks, Gary Toyama Publicity Carole Hodgson and Karen Bidgood, assisted by Ray Butterowe, Frank Chong, Fay Hendricks, Takeo Miii, Jim Welch Programs Jean Roth FILM SERIES I Sunday, March 13, 1966, 8 p.m., John F. Kennedy Theatre Lionel Rogosin /IOn the Bowery/l (1955) Sunday, March 20, 1966, 8 p.m., John F. Kennedy Theatre Susumu Hani /lBad Boys/l Intermission Lionel Rogosi n "Good Times Wonderful Times/l (1965) Sunday, March 27, 1966, 8 p.m., John F. Kenne·dy Theatre Lionel Rogosin Lecture /ntermission Lionel Rogosin /leome Back Africa" (1960) Tuesday, April 5, 1966, 8 p.m., Varsity Theatre Susumu Hani Lecture Susumu Hani /lHoryu ii ,Temple/l Intermission Susumu Hani /lShe and He" L;onel Rogos;n Susumu Han; Program Notes With the exception of a few theatrical purists intellectually and emotionally bound to the restricting confines of their stages, most persons interested in the dramatic; presentation of sight and sound recognize the twentieth century as the Age of the Film. It represents the first significant attempt at the IIdemocratization of art,1I the creation of legitimate works of art for a mass public. Equally significant, as a break with the past, are the international aspects of this new age of film. London, Rome, Tokyo, New York-all are recognized centers of the film art. As such, it is perfectly appropriate that Susumu Hani and Lionel Rogosin have been brought together in Kennedy Theatre of the East-West Center. Both Rogosin and Hani are representative of cinema stylists who utilize few, if any, trained actors, low budgets, natural settings, and a minimum of technical equip­ ment. Yet between them, there are significant differences. Rogosin aims "to show 1I what people try to avoid seeing. He is the master of the angry documentary and his art is the brutality of things as they are. Hani, on the other hand, achieves the effect of the quasi-documentary through his use of the non-professional' cast and his interest in ordinary appearances only for what they reveal about hidden meaning. The films of both have won numerous honors. Rogosin's On The Bowery, finished in 1955, won the Grand Prize at Venice the following year and an Academy Award in Britain in 19S7. Richard Griffith of New York's Museum of Modern Art has selected it as one of the ten best films of the decade. Come Back Africa, lIa com­ passionate portrayal of Negro despair and rage under apartheid,1I was filmed surreptitiously in South Africa and was included in Time magazine's list of the ten best films of 1960. Rogosin's most recent work, Good Times Wonderful Times, which he frankly calls lIan anti-war film," has already won several competition awards. Hani, too, is a frequent participant in the European film festivals with Bad 'Boys and She and He having been honored in London and Berlin, respectively. His remarkab.le short, Horyuji Temple, with only limited distribution in the United States, is well known in Japan. Life recently termed him lIone of the most brilliant young movie­ 1I makers in Japan. Here together to be artistically appreciated and critically evaluated, Susumu Hani and Lionel Rogosin are distinctive craftsmen of their art.