The original documents are located in Box 4, folder “9/12/75 - Treemonisha Company Reception” of the Betty Ford White House Papers, 1973-1977 at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Betty Ford donated to the United States of America her copyrights in all of her unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. - THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON
September 12, 1975
Dear Mrs. Ford,
Attached is the scenario for the Treemonisha Company Reception/Tour this afternoon at 4: 00.
I will be in contact with Nancy or Carolyn just before it is time for you to come downstairs for the event and I will escort you to the Blue Room.
If you would like to have any changes on the scenario, please let me know and I will take care of them.
Thank you. Qat~
.. THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
September 12, 1975
MRS. FORD:
Event: Reception/Tour for the Treemonisha Company
Date/Time: September 12, 1975 4:00 p. m.
Place: State Floor and Second Floor
Number of Attendees: 60 guests
Principals: Congresswoman Barbara Jordan (Texas) Mr. David Gockley, Director of Houston Grand Opera Mr. Chris Nance, Conductor of Houston Grand Opera
Schedule of Events: 4:00 p. m. Your guests will arrive through the East Gate and will be escorted to the Blue Room where refreshments will be served to your guests.
4:10 p. m. You will be escorted via elevator to .the Blue Room where you will join your guests for refreshments and mingle informally.
4:20 p. m. You will invite your guests to have a tour of the Yell ow Oval Room, Queen 1 s Room, Lincoln Room and Treaty Room.
You will then escort your guests up the Grand Stairway to the Center Hall.
4:25 p. m. You will bid farewell to your guests in the Center Hall and return to the Family Quarters.
NOTES:
A String Ensemble will be positioned in the Grand Hall.
There will be open press coverage .
. . -2- Reception/Tour for the Treemonisha Company
A White House photographer will be present.
See attached newspaper clipping.
Guest list is attached.
Pat Howard
..
. . '· 1 I .I ... ·' J . ...• .. ,_... ,..._.,,. - ·==== A Dazzling, M.agic 'Tfl. • .1 1~ee1non1s ha '· ·
By Joseph ltlcl,ellan It is approximately contemporary with Stravinsky's "Petrushka" and Take two known ingredients-Scott "Rite of Spring," but in terms of mu· Joplin's opera, ''Trcemonisha," and \\ ashington soprano Carmen Balthrop sic and structure it belongs to the pre· - and put them together and wllat ceding century. It was not mainly an do you have? Last night in the Ken· attempt by Joplin to intcgra,te black 1wdy Ceutcr Opera House, we had musical usages into the classical tradi· sc 111cthing new and very splendid: a .d1.ulin;! perspective on an opera we tion, except in the very beautiful n1ay have thought we already knew. "Real Slow .Drag.'' which is its last It took more than this magic com· number. Rather, it represented a ~asis . bluation. of course, including a superb for his own claim to recognition as an c;;st, a beautifully ddlled chorus, a indivi::lual composer skilled in the clas prnduction ;hat exploits the opera's sical style. fl:ll theatrical impact and particu· It docs justify that claim, in fact, as lrirly a new orchestration that is his piano rags had already done from faithful to Joplin's idiorn and de· the other direction, taking a folk form lli~ht ful to hear. and giving it a polish like that of Cho· 'l'he result is an ope!·a ·th:it should pin's 111azurkas. But when Joplin was making this music, no one capable of Ci nu a lar0e and cnthuslaslic audt· cnce-a SL' bst1111tial advance beyond · assuring his proper recognition was tho lmpres:iive "Trci!monisha" shown ready to listen. 111 \Villi Trap fhr"e yeurs ago. ln spite· of its classical emphnses, however, some of the most rnemor· II is n mistake to think of able moments in "1'reemonisha" come "'.!'1 cemonisha" :.s a ''ragtime opcra" when Joplin do'es allow some folk· somo.? sort o! p1·cdccessor to "Jesu3 Idiom (not quite the same as ragtime) Chri:;t Superstar'' or even to "Porgy to find its way into his music: the· and Bess," which . uses jazz idioms choral number "We're Goin' Around" mueh mo!'e lavishly than Joplin docs. and the finale of Act I, "Aunt Dinah · .The subject of '"l'rcemonisha" draws Has Dlowcd do Horn," which was en· oo hla,·k history und folklore, but its cored at the end of Inst night's per· · 11.u:.kul l FORM OF CORRESPONDENTS OR TITLE DATE RESTRICTION DOCUMENT List Memo from Mike Farrell to Appointments Center, Jane Dannenhauer, 9/12/1975 c Susan Porter, Pat Howard, Officer in Charge regarding "Treemonisha" Company to meet with Betty Ford on September 12, 1975. 6 pages. Attached to note from Pat to Betty Ford, 9/12/1976. File Location: Betty Ford White House Papers, Box 4, Folder: "9/12175 - Treemonisha Company Reception" SMD - 6/28/2018 RESTRICTION CODES {A) Closed by applicable Executive order governing access to national security information. {B) Closed by statute or by the agency which originated the document. {C) Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in the donor's deed of gift. NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION NA FORM 1429 (1-98) .. . . THE WHITE HOUSE WASH.JNGTON S ptember 12; io75 MRS. FORD: Event: Reception/Tour for the Treemonisha Company . ~ Date/Time: September 12, 1975 4:00 p. m. Place: State Floor and Second Floor Number of Attendees: 60 guests Principals: Congresswoman Barbara Jordan (Texas) Mr. David Gockley, Director of Houston Grand Opera Mr. Chris Nance, Conductor of Housto_n Grand Opera Schedule of Events: 4:00 p. m. Your guests will arrive through the East Gate and will be es carted to the Blue Room where refreshments will be served to your guests. 4:10 p. m. You will be escorted via elevator to the Blue Room where you will join your guests for refreshments and mingle informally. 4:20 p. m. You will invite your guests to have a tour of the Yell ow Oval _Room, Queen 1 s Room, Lincoln Room and Treaty Ro~m. You will then escort your guests up the Grand Stairway to the Center Hall. 4:25 p. m. You will bid farewell to your guests in the Center Hall and return to the Family Quarters. NOTES: A String Ensemble will be positioned in the Grand Hall. There will be open press coverage . . . •. , . .. : A White House photographer will be present. See attached new::ipaper clip~ g . . __.I e " s \... , ~ ( Pat.Howard .. . .