The Daily Egyptian, February 06, 1965

Southern Illinois University Carbondale OpenSIUC February 1965 Daily Egyptian 1965 2-6-1965 The aiD ly Egyptian, February 06, 1965 Daily Egyptian Staff Follow this and additional works at: http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/de_February1965 Volume 46, Issue 84 Recommended Citation , . "The aiD ly Egyptian, February 06, 1965." (Feb 1965). This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Daily Egyptian 1965 at OpenSIUC. It has been accepted for inclusion in February 1965 by an authorized administrator of OpenSIUC. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ~"... ~t- t!i~~/i(::.:~: Dd, RGYPTlllN' S..el,,_ fttiMM4 1t..,t4iIf c.",.,•. III iI.. i. V.I.... Soturioy. F...... " 6. 1965 A.n Opera Director Pauses to Reflect By Marjorie Lawrence· Director, SIU Opera Workshop About once a week someone invariably asks me why anyone in his right mind would tackle the monumental task of staging Faust with non-professional singers and musicians, limited resources and meager facilities. And there are times, I must admit. when I wonder myself. I'm sure the same lhougbt occurs to all my colleagues in this venture. Usually those periods of self-doubt come on one of those days when nothing seems to go right-the weather's foul; the principal soprano calls up and reports. in ,a voice so weak you can hardly hear her, !hat she has a cold and can't possibly· sing; you arrive ·at the rehearsal hall only to find that another event has been scheduled in it for the same night you are to practice that aU important scene; or tragedy befalls us in the case of the death of Gene Horner. (Gene Horner had been double cast in the role of Faust with his brother. Douglas. however, he was killed in an auto mobile accident during the.Christmas holidays.) But thp.n when I hear Gounod's beautiful melodies tile waltzes. the Je·wel song-being sung with such feeling by the young singers. I know I would not have it any other way. In selecting this year's production we had several choices. Tentatively we were considering two shorr operas but then when it became known that we would have .the outs~anding services of Katherine Dunham to train the dancers and ·to assist with the choreography of our production. we narrowed the choice down to two Faust and Samson et Dalila. From that point it was simply a matter of determining what voices would be available to us. Samson et Dalila calls for a dramatic tenor and we had no one here this year within that range. At the same time, we had the good fortune to learn that Joel Thomas. who had appeared in our production of Aida could return [0 the United States from Austria. where he has been studying and performing, to sing the role (Contiau" on Pa,. 6) F.1:v:rr 6, IS KA'I1IERINE DUNHAM WI'I1I FILM DIRECTOR JOHN HUSTON Famed Dunham Touch Turns Opel Into a 'Life Situation' Production From Rome~ Italy. to Soutb mentary for me:- says Miss to feel tbat he was seri( "IT'S BEEN A COMMENTARY FOR lIE.'· em Winois University at Car Dunbam, "Tbat's what an about it. bondale. artist strives to do when the Nevenheless. she ad. From choreograpberforthe setting is propitious'" "The ballet in the past t According to a Champion: film "The Bible.'· directed by And ""Faust" as being not fit in with what is bei Jobn Huston. to choreograpber staged at SIU offers that said. We"ve tried to integr. for the University Opera setting by heing brought up to the ballet into tbe story Worksbop production of date. that it is not extraneous. We' Southern Has Talent "Faust." For instance. when Mephis- taken a life Situation ratt That's the most recent tophles escons Faust on a tban the traditional form itinerary for Katherine Dun tour of his kingdom to demon- As a result. the internatic To Excel in Fencing bam. world-renowned chore strate bis control over eVil ally recognized Dunbam tee "Faust" and fencing go She envisiOns the master as ographer and dancer. and over man, the DeVil's Rique of using the primiti together. being a retired Army officer Miss Dunham came to SIU realm is a German con- and the classic ballet In fact, SIU could field a from Europe. probably France as artist-in-residence to centration camp in the early utllized to give more meani championship intercollegiate or Belgium, Where fencing write and direct the ballet days of World War II. What to the performance. fencing team from among still is taugbt as an art. sequences for Gounod~s opera Faust sees makes bis blood This admittedly requir students appearing in the Uni "You can use a coach in to be staged in Sbryock run cold. trained dancers but Mi versity Opera Workshop pro football or swimming:' sbe Auditorium next week end. In this ballet scene "we Dunham says th; students duction of "Faust."' says. "but if you engage a "It has provided a com- use elements that are shock- the corps de ballet "have do All they need is a fencing coacb for fencing he usually ing~ chilling to portray con- surprisingly well." master. teacbes how to figbt. Fencing duct tbat was the most That's the opinion of Mrs. is an art and you need a master elaborate form of evil that Edith l.utyens Bel Geddes, a of the art." we"ve known in our genera DAlLY ECYPTLfN champion fencer of Belgium Mrs. Bel Geddes compares tion:' says Miss Dunham. PublJabed in lbe Departmenr of Journal dally ellCeJll Sunday and Mo ....Y ...r .... I who represented that country fencing to dancing as an art "This has been jifficult to _inter. sprint. and ell,ht-weell: summer If. in the Olympics and is an form. She adds it also is an do and still retain a sense of eKepr clan .. Universiry vacation perk examlnalif)n weeks. and IepJ boUdays international fencing judge. academic sport based on grotesque satire, a fantasy of Southern IlUnois UnivenilY. Carbond academic rules. Ufe." 111""'18. Publl8hed on TUesday and Friel> Mrs. Bel Geddes is coach e2cb week for [he final three weets of ing eight male students in the According to her, fencing is Miss Dunham recalls tbat twelve-wet summer re1'tl1.. Second cl when originally performed posta.. paid at the Carbondale Poal Of art of fencing for a ballet scene not only a physical activity under lbe aet of Marcb 3. lSi!). in the opera. but a game of wits. Gounod"s opera did not have Polieles of the EUPtlan are the the ballet music now known sponslbUity of tile editors. Stiiltel"lM "These boys are extraor "It developes quickness of published here do not necessarily reflect dinary,,' sbe says. "If I could mind as well as of the body by the world. opinion 01 the admlntstntion or any dep. ment of tbe UniversitY• persuade ~he Univprsity ad in its action. It helps you make . I'lt was son of sneaked in" Editorial conference: Fred Beyer. A ministration to engage a real quick decisions and to evaluate she says. "The music must CanrJpr. Ric COx" loe Coot. John EPJ behner. Robert Reincke. Roben SRI fencing master. I would what your adversary intends to bave been written either when Roland Gill. Roy Fnnk... Pt'ank Mealler81t guarantee that you'd have a do and to prepare to prevent Gounod was bored or With EcUtorial and business offices locate( Bulldlns T-48. Phone 453-2354. Fit team of four which I think it. It teaches self-reliance." tongue in cheek. It's difficult offil;er. Howard R. Lon8- could win an intercollegiate championship for fencing." Mrs. Bel Geddes. a noted designer, theatrical producer and writer, came to the Uni versity "out of friendship" with KatheTine Dunham. in In Memory of T. S. Eliot ternationally-known choreog_ rapher and dancer. Miss Dunham is at the Uni versity also as an artist';in reSidence to direct the opera Soundlessly tbe star faded Was split ballet. Disappeared The· star appeared Besides coaching the pros Tbe flavour of the coffee became irrelevant (A cold coming we had of it~ yet it was (as you may say pective f~ncers. Mrs. Bel And the face of Thomas Stearns Eliot in the paper sig- satisfactory) Geddes is coordinating the nified the end. And soundlessly faded yesterday costuming for the century-old Not the end of an era We did not know until breakfast today French opera. (Was he an era?) Regard the sky But she is most excited He was the detached Prufrock. trousers rolled The star-shaped hole. black in the black sky about her work coaching the Measuring in coffee spoons It was there students to fence. The inner verities of this generation's poetic.. ·.,ranee. I could not see where it was, yet the sky was there Only two have had some Let it be dry only fencing experience. Toast without butter The diamond pin was not holding it up any more. "However:' says Mrs. Bel Crisp All day I walked softly Geddes, "they have the apti Burnt-bitter Stlll it did not fall tude for fencing-botb men But there must be the coffee-spoon of honest grain We had agreed to hold it up together, I discovereo tally and physically. And The pinch of live yeast. Then I knew what they've learned in a few This is the way the world ends weeks is absolutely as A generation of poets walked this academe tonishing.

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