FESTIVAL EDITION UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH Vol. 13 No. 14 April I, 1969 Guelph Spring Festival

BENJAMIN BRITTEN 1913— the Arts in Religion

Music - Theatre - Art

Although still a month away, the Guelph cently from a flying visit to London where the Edward Johnson Music Foundation. Spring Festival has already aroused lively he conferred with the composer and the The theme of the Festival this year is interest in Ontario music circles. Writing in Belgian stage director, Lode Verstraete. "The Arts in Religion". From Greek tragedy the Telegram, music citic Kenneth Music director Nicholas Goldschmidt is to Renaissance painting, much of the world's Winters spoke of "Ontario's most enter- completing arrangements for using a local great art has been inspired by Man's quest prising little Festival". He commented par- boy's choir in the which will also for a spiritual meaning in life. Artists and ticularly on the planned performance of feature several prominent Canadian soloists. craftsmen from the days of the caves of Benjamin Britten's new opera "The Prodi- Another "first" for this year's Festival Lascaiux have attempted to adorn their gal Son" which will be given its North Am- will be the performance of a new work by shrines, temples, mosques, churches in a erican premiere in the Church of Our Lady. the Hamilton composer Lorne Betts. The manner worthy of the Gods worshipped This event alone will project the Festival piece will be part of a final concert to be there. A small sample of that rich artistic into the international limelight. given by the GLOC Oratorio Chorus under heritage, from medieval drama,to early Preparations for the new production are the direction of Dr. Charles Wilson. It was Quebec Church art, to contemporary opera well under way. Designer William Lord of commissioned especially for the Festival by and choral works will be presented at the the returned re- the group with the assistance of a grant from Guelph Spring Festival. 2 THE PRODIGAL SON

Undoubtedly the most important event in Lode Verstraete, the distinguished Bel- About the Opera the '69 Spring Festival is the Canadian pre- gian director will stage the production and by Prof. Ralph Kidd miere of Benjamin Britten's latest Church Nicholas Goldschmidt, artistic director opera "The Prodigal Son". to the Edward Johnson Music Foundation The Prodigal Son (1968) is the most recent The opera, which will receive its United is responsible for the musical direction. of a trilogy of church which Benjam- States premiere about a month later, will William Lord, of the Canadian Opera Com- in Britten calls "Parables for Church Perform- be staged in the Church of Our Lady on pany, has designed the production and the ance". Here we find one of England's most May 3, 5 and 6. choral director is Lloyd Bradshaw. successful composers reaching out through ,Benjamin Britten was greatly influenced the medium of drama and music, not only by performances of the NO Theatre while to the opera devotees, but a wider circle — on a visit to Japan in 1955. On his return to all who are interested in a human story he began to see'‹. ways of transposing this portrayed with great finesse. We are fortun- highly formalized, ritualistic art form, mak- ate to be able to present this work in one of ing it significant in terms of western exper- our most beautiful churches. ience and art. In the N -6 Theatre the audience John Arab Britten has supported his four soloists, hears the play in a dedicated silence and male chorus, and boys' choir, with seven there is no applause. Britten saw immediate- carefully chosen orchestral instruments. A ly that the solution was to produce the group of percussive instruments has been es- work in Church. And so his "parables for pecially imported from England for this church performance" were created. production. "The Prodigal Son" is the third of Britten's The text has been clearly related to our own works in this genre. Like the previous two decade by the British poet, William Plomer. operas "Curlew River", and "The Fiery All who witness this Canadian premiere will Furnace", the work begins with a procession- Garnet Brooks be intrigued with the "Patriarch whose al in which the cast enters singing plain property and progeny are in order; with the chant. On the platform they shed their robes Tempter who brings current temptations and take on their parts in the drama. The alive; with the avowed attempt to break up Prodigal Son, best known and loved of New this happy family". The celebration in hon- Testament parables, seems to contain the our of the Prodigal's homecoming finds essence of Christianity with its rewarding Britten pulling out all the stops in a never- of and rejoicing for a forgiven sinner. to-be-forgotten setting of "0 show your- Each of the operas was first presented as selves joyful before the Lord, with trumpets part of the AlJeburgh Festival and "Curlew and the sound of shawms..." River" and "The Fiery Furnace" were high- Peter van Ginkel lights of Expo '67. Lode Verstraete John Arab, the Tempter, has been a lead- ing with the Canadian Opera Company Lode Verstraete, who directs the first for several years and sung at Stratford, Van- Canadian performance of "The Prodigal couver and Charlottetown Festivals. Son", has had an impressive career in his The cast is Canadian. Garnet Brooks, who native Belgium. sings the Prodigal Son, is a young tenor with He has been associated with many a rich warm voice and personality. An act- Opera houses and ive member of the Canadian Opera Company, theatres and has he is also in great demand across Canada as Maurice Brown been active 1.11 a soloist in Oratorio and as a recitalist. Belgian television. A native of the Netherlands, baritone Mr. Verstraete Peter van Ginkel has sung in many produc- was born in Antwerp tions since coming to Canada. He has signed in 1925 and began as leading baritone at Braunschweig, Germany his career as an ac- for the coming two years. He won rave re- tor in the Youth views from critics for his performance with Acknowledgements Theatre there. In the Metropolitan Opera Company and in Many generous grants, civic, provincial 1951 he began direct- 1967 was appointed affiliate artist at Water- and Canada Council have been allocated to ing and founded the loo Lutheran University. He performs the the Guelph Spring Festival. Included in Dutch Chamber role of the Father. these grants were generous amounts from Theatre of which he was Managing Director Singing the Elder Brother is Maurice students' Union Council and Witan. Many for ten years. He is currently first director Brown. Mr. Brown has the distinction of faculty, staff, students and interested citi- at the National Theatre in Antwerp. having created roles in six new Canadian zens of Guelph have contributed their time In addition to his activities as a director, operas, and is well known throughout the and support in furthering the Foundation's Mr. Verstraete also teaches acting and has country. work. written five plays.

SINGLE AND SERIES TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR ALL EVENTS 3

G LOC Finale to the Festival

CHARLES WILSON - founder Jon and director Charles Wilson, director of the Guelph Vickers Light Opera Company, received his musical education at the University of Toronto, ta- king his Bachelor's degree in Music Educa- The opening concert of the 1969 Spring tion in 1952 and his Doctorate two years Festival will feature in a recital later. of works by Handel, Bach, Beethoven and Upon taking residence in Guelph, Dr. others. The renowned Canadian tenor will A Tribute to Wilson founded the Guelph Light Opera appear May I in War Memorial Hall. Mr. Company, of which he is presently both Vickers' accompaniest for the occasion will musical and stage director. A few years after be Richard Woitach, pianist from the Met- its inception, the company enlarged the ropolitan Opera. the Spoken Word chorus and added oratorio performances to A native of , Jon Vickers its repertoire. Each season since then, it has was already recognized as one of Canada's programed at least one Broadway musical leading operatic singers before he made his and as an oratorio choir, has performed both triumphant European debut. Entitled "A Tribute to the Spoken Word" standard choral works and contemporary It was in 1956 that he made his debut the program presented on May 10th in War pieces, including commissioned works by at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Memorial Hall will feature the distinguished Canadian composers. This year, with the One outstanding success followed another Canadian actor William Hutt in an evening aid of the festival GLOC has commissioned as he appeared in "Carmen", "Aida", and of dramatic readings. Lorne Betts to compose a festival psalm "Don Carlos". The high point in Vickers' William Hutt was a founder member of for the oratorio choir. The program 'tieing career came when he was invited to sing the Stratford Festival Company. His appear- offered this year consists of two other works, Siegmund at the 1958 Bayreuth Festival. ances there this year in "The Alchemist", The Missa Brevis, by Kodaly and Look To- A year later he was an undoubted success "Measure for Measure" and a revival of wards the Sea by Hovhaness. Maurice Brown, with the San Francisco opera and in 1960 "Tartuffe", mark his fifteenth season as an bass-baritone is featured soloist and James his debut at the "Met" was the fantastic actor. Burchill will be the guest organist. success audiences and critics had come to Since his professional career began in expect from this artist. summer stock in 1949 Mr. Hutt has given LORNE BETTS - a commissioned work From that date Jon Vickers' career became many outstanding performances in Shakes- for the Festival a long list of continued successes, on the perian roles. In 1954 he was the first actor Mr. Betts divides his time at present among opera stage, in concert and in recordings. He to win the Tyrone Guthrie Award. His stage, his duties as an organist and choirmaster in has appeared in almost every major opera television, and cinema performances in many his native Hamilton, his writing as music house in Europe, North America, Mexico parts of the world have been numerous and critic for the Hamilton Spectator and his and South America. Mr. Vickers was one he has run the gamut of dramatic roles from work as a composer. of the artists chosen to participate in the classical Greek drama through Restoration The Festival Psalm, with text from various opening of the Lincoln Centre and in 1963 Comedy and Noel Coward to Edward Albee. sources including the Te Deum, is written he appeared at Place des Arts in the opening Of his interpretation of Moliere's "Tar- for chorus and organ, a medium obviously performance of Otello. His appearance at tuffe" at Stratford in 1968, one critic wrote, congenial to the composer. The work is Covent Garden becomes an annual event and "a man would have to be mad.to expect a cast in the structure of the traditional Eng- he is a favourite performer at the Salzburg better production in his life time." lish anthem and is written in a tonal harmon- Festival. Appearing withmadeam Hutt will be ic idiom, with opening and closing fanfares Among Jon Vickers' best-known roles are Amelia Hall. Miss Hall has the distinction of for organ giving it a distinct flavor character. Siegmund, Samson, Don Jose and Otello. being the first actress to step onto the stage It will be premiered at the G.L.O.C. concert The latter role has always been a very suc- of the Stratford Festival when its first thea- on May 15. cessful one for him and is obviously a fav- tre opened in 1953. She has also acted and ourite, being his choice for his Expo '67 directed in Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto. performance. Mr. Vickers is currently ap- Born in England, Amelia Hall graduated pearing in Benjamin Brittens' famous opera from McMaster University and studied act- Peter Grimes at the Metropolitan Lincoln ing in New York. She has made numerous Centre, New York. television appearances, was with the Festi- val Company for its Edinburgh Festival performance in 1956 and at Chichester with GALA FESTIVAL LUNCHEON them in 1964. Of her many roles Miss Hall Wednesday, April 2nd has had noted successes as Mistress Quickly, Anna Andreyvna in "The Government Inspector" and Polina in "The Seagull". SUPPORTING EVENT Together William Hutt and Miss Hall will A seven-day festival of films about the present readings from poets, playwrights, SUPPORTING EVENT arts in various world religions -111 be shown and novelists and will probably offer a dia- The Guelph Chamber Group, directed in Room 107 of the Arts Building, May 8 logue of their own. The theme, in Mr. Hutt's by Dorothy Hogan, will present a program —15. The films have been selected and co- words, "is an illumination of communica- of madrigals, Wednesday, April 2nd, in the ordinated by Mrs. Dorothy Macpherson of the tion (or lack of it) via the use and/or mis- Music Room 107, Arts Building at 8:30 p.m. National Film Board. use of the spoken word". 4

Religious Art of Quebec The exhibition contains many superlative examples of the sculptors' and silversmiths' art. These are the most interesting forms of art which developed in Quebec from the seven teenth century onwards. All the works were, at the time of their creation, an integral Dart of the decoration of Quebec Churches. They Medieval Drama should not be viewed as isolated works of art, their full significance being as com- On May 13th and 14th Chalmers United plementary parts of the aesthetic whole. Church will be the setting for the dramatic Angels played a very important part in event of the Spring Festival. The Poculi church decoration. - trumpet angels stood on Ludique Societas from Toronto will present the upper part of the pulpit to sound the four Medieval plays which constitute a cycle last trump, on the organ chest to sound centering on the life and death of Herod, out the sacred music and in cemeteries where culminating in Herod's rapid descent into they would announce the resurrection.Many Hell. of the polychromatic statues are life-size. The Poculi Ludique Societas grew out of The statuette of Saint Mark dates from the a seminar given by Professor John Leyerle end of the nineteenth century and was at the University of Toronto in 1965. Med- probably carved by Louis Jobin. A taber- ieval and Tudor plays were read and pro- nacle door from the Church of Maskinonge duced. So much enthusiasm was generated and carved by Baillaingeat the end of the that in the next few years students, faculty eighteenth century is an exceptional exam- and members of the community were all ple of its kind. actively engaged in productions. Quebec silver work was modeled on im- The "Society" is now an independent ported French pieces and though strictly group and generally produces three or four From its extensive collection of religious utilitarian was beautifully decorated. The plays a year. They are usually performed art the Museum of Quebec has selected some imposing monstrance by Paul Morand is a on the University of Toronto campus but of the most representative pieces of the so- superb example of these vessels. special performances are requested. Preced- called traditional period to be exhibited at Though the exhibition, which will be ing their appearance at Guelph the group the Guelph Spring Festival. displayed in the Arts Building from May 4 - will.attend the annual conference of the It is rare for these superb examples of 30 offers only certain examples from the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Stu- the earliest period of French Canadian Art Quebec collection, the honour which it dies at Binuhampton, New York. Produc- to leave Quebec City. It must be considered bestows on Guelph and the Festiva tions range from morality plays to sixteenth a measure of the high regard which the Baillainge aturable. This exhibit has been made century humanist comedies, pre-Shakespear- Guelph Spring Festival commands that available to the festival through the generos- ian tragi-comedy to folk drama and miracle prompted the Ministry of Culture to loan ity of the Ministry of Culture of the Pro- plays. G. B. Shand, who directs the plays, gain- its treasures. vince of Quebec. ed degrees in English from United College, Winnipeg and Chicago and presents his Ph.D. thesis to the University of Toronto this SUPPORTING EVENTS CANADIAN ARTISTS SERIES spring. He has "acted, sung, produced and directed since high school", but his interest This year the Edward Johnson Music This year the Edward Johnson Music in medieval drama did not emerge until Foundation is lending its moral and public- Foundation sponsored a winter series to he came to Toronto. Now a professor at ity support to local groups who have main- maintain interest in music throughout the Glendon College, York University, where tained a high artistic level. These groups year. Canadian artists, well on their way to he tBinghamptonish and runs a theatre work- have agreed to program close to the festival national and international acclaim were shop. Mr. Shand says he has, "not been in- dates. featured, including Bernard Turgeon, volved in a modern dramatic production Guelph Little Theatre — The Making of Claude Savard, and Mary Morrison. In ac- for the last six years." Moo — a play in three acts by Nigel Dennis. cordance with the wishes: of the late Ed- The plays are taken from the Hegge This is a satirical history of a religion. ward Johnson, to promote local talent, cycle, sometimes referred to as the Ludus Guest director — Patricia Carroll Brown. Guelph University Choir - composed of Coventriae, a fifteenth century English (sponsored by the Provincial Council for faculty, students and staff and assisted by pageant and from the Townley or Wake- the Arts). student soloists were featured in the final field cycle. There are four sequences, the DATES: Thursday - April 24 , 25, 26th. concert under the baton of Nicholas Gold- Adoration of the Magi, the Flight into Friday — May 2nd and 3rd. schmidt. A similar series will be featured Egypt, the Slaughter of the Innocents and Box office number — 821-0270. next year. the Death of Herod.

********** ****** ********************* For further information: • Mrs. E. Kidd, Guelph Spring Festival The News Bulletin is published each 821-3210. week by the Department of Information The Guelph Academy of String Art will and edited by Mrs. Betty Keeling. Copy for this special edition was submitted by give its annual student recital on May 24 Downtown Box Office: Mrs. Barbara Wolfond and Mrs. Jo-Ann * at 8:00 p.m. in War Memorial Hall. The Guelph Co-Op Bookstore (formerly An- * Watkin. concert is directed by Miss Jennie Lamb. derson's) 24 Wyndham Street. * ********* *************************