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News and Events

Volume 24

Number 1 topical Weill Spring 2006

A supplement to the Kurt Weill Newsletter

Everything You Always Wanted to Know Rises and Falls events news & about The Threepenny ! www.threepennyopera.org—The Kurt McDonald, LuPone, and Griffey To Star in Los Weill Foundation for Music is pleased to Angeles Opera’s Mahagonny announce an entirely new website devot- ed exclusively to one of the most famous Incoming Music Director James shows in the history of musical theater, Conlon will conduct The Rise and . Two major Fall of the City of Mahagonny as part revivals in 2006—on Broadway (Round- of his inaugural 2006-2007 season at about Theatre, premiere 20 April) and in the Los Angeles Opera. Premiering (, premiere 11 on 10 February 2007, the production August)—provide a perfect opportunity will star musical theater greats Audra to highlight this legendary musical on the McDonald (Jenny Hill) and Patti web. The site includes galleries of historic LuPone (Leokadja Begbick), along posters and famous Macheaths, audio with Anthony Dean Griffey, files from interviews with Lotte Lenya and Jerry Orbach, information on acclaimed for his portrayal of the title major productions, an in-depth look at the music for the show, a calendar of character in Peter Grimes, as Jim performances, great quotes, two quizzes, a detailed synopsis, and more. Mahoney. John Doyle, LuPone’s director in the current Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd, will stage the Spotlight on Weill at the 2006 Lucerne Festival work in Michael Feingold’s English The Swiss Alps and Lake Lucerne will provide translation. The cast also includes a backdrop for three Weill evenings at this sum- Robert Wörle, the Protagonist in the mer’s international Lucerne Festival. On 26 Capriccio recording of Weill’s opera August, Ensemble Modern plays a gala survey of the same name, as Fatty. Seven of music by Weill, Eisler, and HK Gruber; the performances are scheduled, 10 Concerto for Violin and Wind Instruments February–4 March 2007. (Jagdish Mistry, violin), Öl-Musik, Suite And in Boston, Berlin, and Bern: panaméenne, and Vom Tod im Wald are among the Weill selections. The versatile Gruber will Joyce Castle, a seasoned performer of conduct, sing several Weill songs, and narrate. Weill’s catalog who has also served as On 29 August, the premiere of David Drew’s a judge in several recent Lotte Lenya reconstructed alternative version of Das Berliner Competitions, has signed on to per- Angelika Kirchschlager Requiem will take place in a concert of the form the role of Leokadja Begbick in Luzerner Sinfonierorchester; John Axelrod conducts. Die sieben Todsünden, Opera Boston’s 2007 production of with Angelika Kirchschlager as Anna I, is featured on 8 September, in a The Rise and Fall of the City of concert of the Vienna Philharmonic led by Gruber. Mahagonny. Three performances, conducted by Gil Rose and directed Opéra de Lyon Tours Weill to Edinburgh Festival by Sam Hilfrich with Amy Burton in the role of Jenny, will take place on The 2006 Edinburgh Festival has announced 23, 25, and 27 February 2007. From top: Audra McDonald, three performances of Opéra de Lyon’s double Another new production of Aufstieg Patti LuPone, Anthony Dean bill, Der Lindberghflug and Die sieben Todsünden, Griffey, and Joyce Castle und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny will on 14–16 August. The tour performances, fea- premiere at Komische Oper Berlin on 24 September 2006, turing conductor Roberto Minczuk, Kurt Streit directed by the Komische Oper’s Intendant, Andreas as Lindbergh, and Gun-Brit Barkmin as Anna I, Homoki, and conducted by . Stadttheater follow Opéra de Lyon’s June 2006 focus on Bern opens its Mahagonny, a co-production with Sächsische Weill: the French premiere of Signé Vénus (One Staatsoper Dresden, on 30 September 2006; conducted by Touch of Venus), playing 1–11 June, the Daniel Inbal and directed by , with Noemi Lindbergh/Sins double bill (24 June–4 July), and Nadelmann (Jenny), Marjana Lipovsek (Begbick), and student performances of Celui qui dit oui (Der Hendrik Vonk (Jimmy). Jasager) on 7 and 10 June. Kurt Streit 2a Volume 24, Number 1 Topical Weill 2006 Grants Awarded Happy End, American Conservatory Theater (8 June – 9 July 2006) Professional Performances Following upon the success of its 1999 Animas Music Festival at Durango Arts Center, Zaubernacht Threepenny Opera, San Francisco’s Auckland Opera Studio, The Seven Deadly Sins American Conservatory Theater revisits the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Street Scene Weill repertoire this spring with Happy Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Concerto for Violin and Winds End. Director Carey Perloff, also responsi- American Conservatory Theater, Happy End ble for Threepenny, takes ACT’s cast Opera North, Arms and the Cow (Der Kuhhandel) through a month-long (8 June–9 July) run of Weill and Brecht’s third collaboration at College/University Performances San Francisco’s Geary Theater. New Bulgarian University, Die Dreigroschenoper Constantine Charlotte Cohn University of Indianapolis, Lady in the Dark Kitosopolus, Royal Northern College of Music, The Threepenny Opera conductor of Baz Luhrmann’s Susquehanna University, Street Scene Broadway Bohème, has been brought in University of Central Arkansas, The Threepenny Opera as Musical Director. The cast is led by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Mahagonny Songspiel Charlotte Cohn as Lilian, Peter Macon Rutgers University, Street Scene as Bill Cracker, and Linda Mugleston as Civic Opera Theater of Kansas City, Street Scene the Fly. Playing Dr. Nakamura is veter- an character actor Sab Shimono, who Symposia was on hand for both the 1976 premiere University of Bristol, “The American and British Musical: of Sondheim’s Pacific Overtures and its An International Colloquium on Preserving the Heritage and 2004 Broadway revival. Peter Macon Exploiting the Sources,” with a session on the Kurt Weill Edition Street Scene, Opera Theatre of St. Louis Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Kurt Weill symposium entitled “How (premiere 15 June 2006) Can You Tell an American?” Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Weill for the first time since 1980 when Street Scene opens on 15 June, conducted by Stephen The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music funds research and perform- Lord and directed by James Robinson. ance projects related to Kurt Weill and his wife, actress-singer, Lotte Carolyn Betty, who sang Anna Maurrant in Lenya. For each funding period, the Foundation accepts proposals in Wolf Trap Opera’s 2002 production of the the following categories: research and travel, symposia, publication work, will repeat her role in St. Louis, joined assistance, dissertation fellowships, college/university performance by Jennifer Aylmer (Rose Maurrant), Garrett and production, recording projects, broadcasts, and professional Sorenson (Sam Kaplan), and Jeffrey Wells

news &news performance events and production. Grant guidelines, application forms, Carolyn Betty (Frank Maurrant). The company is famed for and further information on the grant program are available on the its excellent Gerdine Young Artists program, and one of this year’s Kurt Weill Foundation website (www.kwf.org) or by telephone participants, Jendi Tarde (Jenny Hildebrand), is a 2005 special (212.505.5240). prize winner of the Lotte Lenya Competition.

Mackie Messer Bids Farewell to Germany’s Chancellor Threepenny Quiz What does Macheath eat for his last meal, before he is pardoned? A military band and 135 torch-carrying soldiers saluted Germany’s departing Chancellor Gerhard Schröder with a per- a. filet mignon b. asparagus formance of “Mack the Knife” at a 19 November 2005 Hanover c. knockwurst d. fish and chips parade: A descendent of which composer directed the U.S. premiere of Threepenny? “At Saturday’s Großer Zapfenstreich (grand tattoo), the Chancellor showed his typical Gerhard Schröder smile: compla- a. Arnold Schoenberg b. J.S. Bach cent, with a touch of irony around the eyes. The marching band c. Felix Mendelssohn d. Charles Ives of the Army’s Guards Battalion played Kurt Weill’s ‘Mack the Which Nobel laureate created a popular adaptation of Threepenny? Knife’ from Bertolt Brecht’s Dreigroschenoper. ‘Und der Haifisch, a. Kenzaburo Oe b. Günter Grass der hat Zähne,’ are the opening lines of the text which Schröder c. Wole Soyinka d. and his guests knew by heart, as they stood in front of Hanover’s City Hall.”—Peter Ehrlich, Financial Times Deutschland (21 Stumped for the answers? Visit the “Expert Quiz” on our web- November 2005) site—www.threepennyopera.org—to find out. Topical Weill Volume 24, Number 1 3a

Brandauer Stages Die Dreigroschenoper in Historic Admiralspalast, Berlin es&events news & Klaus Maria Brandauer, renowned for his screen appearances in films such as Out of Africa, Oberst Redl, and Mephisto, will direct a star-studded Berlin production of Die Dreigroschenoper, set to open on 11 August 2006, three days before the 50th anniversary of Brecht’s death. Die Dreigroschenoper will re-open Berlin’s newly renovated Admiralspalast, formerly known as the Metropoltheater during the time when it was Germany’s leading operetta house in the 1920s and 30s and home to the Staatsoper unter den Linden from 1945 to 1955.

Campino, lead singer of the punk rock band Die Toten Hosen, will play Macheath. Gottfried John, familiar to international movie audiences from his many Rainer Werner

Fassbinder films and more Campino and Klaus Maria Brandauer at a 21 March 2006 Berlin recently from the James Bond press conference announcing the Admiralspalast production thriller Golden Eye, will be Jonathan Jeremiah Peachum; Katrin Sass, star of the hit film Goodbye, Lenin, plays Mrs. Peachum, while Birgit Minichmayr (Polly), Maria Happel (Jenny), Jenny Deimling (Lucy), and Michael Kind (Tiger Brown) round out the cast. Music director Jan Müller-Wieland will lead the Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg. Contrary to the usual German theater practice, the producers have scheduled a straight run of performances, six or seven shows a week, through 24 September. The Admiralspalast

To publicize the production to young people, chief sponsor Deutsche Bank is holding two competitions. School groups ninth-grade and up Threepenny on Broadway may enter a program book contest, in which group members write five short texts on topics related to the work and the production. A poster contest has been established for art and graphic design students and young professionals up to the age of 30. Suhrkamp Verlag has announced a “making of ” book entitled Brandauer inszeniert [stages] Die Dreigroschenoper von Brecht & Weill, to be edited by Brecht scholar Joachim Lucchesi; the book will be available shortly after the production opens.

On 20 April 2006, a crowd of celebrity-seekers gathered at the entrance of famed 1970s disco Studio 54 in preparation for the opening night of the Roundabout Theatre Company’s Threepenny Opera. Although the production received mostly negative reviews, the critics were unanimous in their praise of Weill and Brecht’s unforgettable songs and the masterful per- formance of Jim Dale as Jonathan Jeremiah Peachum. Top row, left to right: Campino, Walter Schmidinger, Jan Müller-Wieland, Michael Kind, and Gottfried John. Bottom row, left to right: Jenny Deimling, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Birgit Minichmayr, Katrin Sass, and Maria Happel 4a Volume 24, Number 1 Topical Weill Threepenny Collection

Opera Columbus (premiere 13 January 2006) Mainz Staatstheater (premiere 4 February 2006) “It’s the musical side of the show that “Stage director Irmgard Lange turned Brecht’s cynical but proved strongest at moral critique of society into a theater of collective cynicism the opening. The without morals. . . . The actors sling their roles over their acting (staging is by shoulders like a jacket—they don’t actually put them on, but Bill Fabris) too often they have an extremely good grip on them: Götz Schulte por- seemed stilted and a trays Macheath as a nonchalant serial womanizer and chain bit nervous, and smoker, clad in the suit of a mob boss, who . . . likes to scrounge many of the charac- lighters and hankies off the audience. As a small-time terizations stopped high up on a rope ladder, he croons ‘an dem oder jenem O-O- Jean Stilwell as Jenny sings “Solomon Song.” Photo: Will Shivley dead at the footlights. Ort’ into Polly’s ear, only to dance a violent tango moments Certainly the most convincing portrayal came from Jean Stilwell as later with the velvety-voiced Ramona Nagler as Spelunken- Jenny. . . . A close second is Chuck Gillespie as Macheath, the slippery Jenny (choreography: Julián Rojo). Inka Löwendorf ’s Polly and charmer in spats. Gillespie has a wonderful tenor voice but one wishes Tatjana Kästel’s Lucy are two bitchy ladies with ambitions: one he’d pump a little more life in old Mackie. From there down through the begins to climb the career ladder as a high-heeled, squeaky- rest of the cast, it’s a mixed bag. Most of the other leads, like Vanessa voiced little girl and ends up as a pin-striped Mafiosa complete Conlin as Polly and J. Chris Baum as Peachum, fared well as singers but with top hat; the other, ostensibly pregnant, throws a fit in front less memorably in the spoken dialogue. Members of the Columbus Jazz of Mackie’s prison bars, tellingly made of slatted bedframes, Orchestra, in the pit, played the often dissonant accompaniments with and later needs to take a relaxing bath in one of the gutters that confidence and a modicum of period style. Conductor William Boggs’ surround the stage. Set designer Frank Hänig loves to leave tempos seemed right most of the time, but sometimes his rigid, unbend- Brecht’s actors out in London’s cold rain pouring down from ing paces made the task of delivering the often unwieldy lyrics all the the flies, when he is not clouding their views with a fog more difficult for the singers.”—Barbara Zuck, The Columbus machine.”—Ursula Böhmer, Frankfurter Allgemeine Dispatch (14 January 2006) Zeitung (8 February 2006)

Theater Bonn (premiere 20 January 2006) Altes Schauspielhaus, Stuttgart (premiere “The prelude to Thirza Bruncken’s Dreigroschenoper did not take place on 1 December 2005) stage, but rather, behind the scenes. Bonn’s Generalintendant, Klaus Weise, had visited the rehearsals at a late stage (too late?), and what he saw “Axel Stöcker, who directed the production in the Altes knocked the wind out of him. The quality of the production, he summed Schauspielhaus, wanted above all to entertain, trying to keep it up, did not live up to the standards of the house. . . . But the director, fast-paced and perky on the stage. . . . Stöcker employed a lot immune to any kind of advice, did not want to let go of her vision, so that of slapstick and turned large stretches of the piece into old-hat a cancellation of Weill’s and Brecht’s classic loomed. After seeing the comedy. Chief of Police Tiger Brown (Jan-Christof Kick), was news &news dress events rehearsal, Weise gave the green light and stated: ‘The actors have reduced to a caricature: a complete doofus who always exited saved the day.’ . . . If the farce within a farce hadn’t happened, nobody through the wrong door. Most of the songs were ‘spiced up’ would have thought that anything unusual had occurred. A director who’s with choreography that was as unimaginative as the cookie- in love with an idea that isn’t conveyed on stage—not so unusual these cutter gestures and the worn-out jokes. . . . Georg Preuße, days. Many things were childish, familiar to many as Mary of the transvestite duo, Mary & primitive, and embarrassing— Gordy, played Macheath. But he lacked stage presence and his every theatergoer has seen this. acting was stiff, uptight, and weak—showing nothing of the But the actors, especially the character's smug wickedness, nothing of the dominance so women, were worthy of the work: seductive to many women. In fact, he was up against a much Patrycia Ziolkowska (Polly), stronger group of women: Asita Djavadi’s Polly was a joy to see Melanie Haupt (Jenny), Susanne just because of her strong, assured voice, and Silke Fischer Bredehöft (Mrs. Peachum), and (Lucy) and Kira Primke (Jenny), too, displayed excellent vocal Serena Gruß (Lucy). And the and acting skills. Regine Hentschel portrayed Mrs. Peachum as band led by Maestro Michael a sex-starved matron; George Meyer-Goll played her husband Barfuß, all clad in white, played with versatility and strong expression. . . . The Altes Yorck Dippe dons an afro in his portrayal of Mack. intelligently, precisely, and infec- Schauspielhaus went all out and put on a large-scale produc- tiously. . . . At the end there was a tion with a big cast, but the staging concept simply lacked a lot of applause and not a single boo. By the way, all seats in the point of view. Still, the atmosphere in the auditorium was Kammerspiele remained occupied until the end. That’s not a surprise, extremely excited, and at one point audience members even because the intermission initially planned for this 130-minute production tried to clap along with one of the songs. Poor Brecht, he sure- was simply cut by the theater folks. Pretty clever.”—Dietmar Kanthak, ly didn’t intend that.”—Adrienne Braun, Stuttgarter General-Anzeiger Bonn (23 January 2006) Zeitung (5 December 2005) a 5 news & events n , and Harper’s Bazaar Harper’s Have I Got a Girl for Have , , National Theatre of Iceland National Theatre Photo: Mike Woolson Photo: Mike Vogue , Kolmen Season in the Sun , Mademoiselle Die Dreigroschenoper , for local audiences. , for . Opening on 19 April . Opening on 19 The Liar , are being staged this seasonare being staged Paula Laurence (center) sings “One Touch of Venus.” Photo: Culver Pictures Photo: Culver of Venus.” Touch (center) sings “One Laurence Paula —D. Rane Danubian, —D. Makka hníf Túskildingsóperan , or Cyrano de Bergerac Die Dreigroschenoper (1933), translated from the German. Not exact- Threepenny Finds its Way to New Parts of the World of the World Parts to New Finds its Way . Finally, Timisoara, will see Romania . Finally, . Mack, Jenny, and the Peachums had appeared previously in previously had appeared the Peachums and . Mack, Jenny, , starring and Vivien Leigh. She appeared at several regional theaters, includ- regional several at theaters, Leigh. She appeared Vivien , starring Gielgud and John (Week of(Week 16–23 January 2006) Ivanov The Seven Deadly Sins Premiering on 26 December 2005, the production was conducted Jóhann by Jónsson, and recounted the story of G. and conductor Monikasvot, director Minna Liettyä-Tyni Teatteri the 2006 at the citizens exposed ofTyni Pekka of to a staging Finland Pori, Ooppera Pennin under a different moniker: a 1978 productionbut in Helsinki, Kerjäläisooppera Three new productionsThree new of in countries whose audiences may be unfamiliar with the moon over Soho. be unfamiliar with the moon over audiences may in countries whose ofTheatre the National at Beginning in Reykjavik Iceland, Stefán Jónsson directed an Icelandic performed in German beginning 9 May 2006. Victor Ioan Frunzâ will serve Ioan Frunzâ Victor performed in German 2006. beginning 9 May the production the Deutsches director for taking place at as musical Staatstheater. Dreigroschenoper , passed away on 29 , passed away in ”: Something for the Boys the Something for artssf.com ly an opera, more a monodramaly certainly quartet, with a backup male vocal but the circus raisedWhat this above . . . a staging. for pictorial and lurid enough with mezzo execution, Cook as a more Catherine musical fine was very level quar- The men’s chanteuse. a by often taken Anna, a role than sultry bewildered and the audience was led the orchestra Saratet was well-drilled, Jobin securely, multi-media on unfolded all sides, as the show and that left turning this way projections.” with supertitle complete text style, ion-show runway cutting the audience in two provided scary meteoric encoun- scary meteoric provided two cutting the audience in runway ion-show ters close enough to touch. Dancers with antlers spouting flame of . . . full cir- trapeze of with acrobats, and all variety artists, cus too, to And flame-throwers. in pasties (yes, showgirls 200-pound buxom there were the patrons awake, keep the- music Weill’s surrounded Kurt a morality tale, All this show-biz aflame). . . . piece ater as Blazing “Crucible Opera” (11–14 January 2006, Oakland, CA) (11–14 January CA) 2006, Oakland, Opera” “Crucible as Blazing , and dueted with Ethel , roles followed in Broadway productions of in Broadway , roles followed (produced by the Federal Theatre the Federal (produced by Venus Junior Miss One Touch ofOne Touch Venus Kolmen Pennin Ooppera . And audience members who attended various Weill centenary events around New York City remember that, in 2000, she could City remember that, York around New centenary events Weill various attended And audience members who . Dr. Faustus Dr. , about which New York Post critic Wilella critic Post York New , about which , and the 1966 revival of, and the 1966 revival Chekhov’s Topical WeillTopical Number 1 24, Volume Merman in Cole Porter’s Merman in Cole Porter’s came her supporting role in year that (1943). Later Venus Waldorf reported, Laurence is not on “Paula stage she is on, she when but enough to suit us, nearly sound about twice she has to say everything makes too, song Her two numbers, is. as it actually as funny Very, the second act ‘Very, notably are highlights, Very.’” After Paula Laurence, who created Molly Grant in the Molly created who Laurence, Paula Broadway in 1941 as Project), made her name on Broadway Hilda, the wise-cracking maid, in the Chodorov- Fields hit Paula Laurence (1916–2005) Laurence Paula At the 89. aged City, York October 2005 in New beginning of the versatile career, her seven-decade Helen ofactress portrayed to OrsonWelles’ Troy 1937 Very.” Very, the house with her rendition ofstill bring down “Very, You died in 1996. I who was run her husband, the director and producer Charles Bowden, which by Country Playhouse, Westport ing the later years, Laurence had a second career as a journalist, contributing to publications such Laurence had a second as to publications career as a journalist, contributing years, later The Ballad of Makka hníf Finland Poster for Poster “ Chris Neimar constructs a home for Woolson Anna onstage. Photo: Mike The Seven Deadly is a school“The Crucible of run and factory—part forge part vocational, art. a four-night It created foundry, Sins of opera,’combining performance ‘fire flame with enough the heart to enkindle ofA fash- . . . pyromaniac. any 6 news & events a Concert Highlights Concert atro cabaretandtheater that Weill would become.” master of colors—ti DSOplayers created paletteof afetching whole andthelittlebandof Dausgaard cloth. lent assuredsupport, feeling of the work isastylistic patchwork, it’s one, anadroitly seemingly andMarwood’s play fashioned effortless warm, elegant, But if neo-classica rhetoricand brittle rhythms andheated totheconcise lyricism oblique of only tomigrate harmonies Berg’s world of “Written in1924 when for hisown thecomposerwas24andstillsearching voice, thethree-movement, begins 33-minute concerto 2006) music.” chamber inwhatThomas Dausgaard, partners were isreally alert alarge-scalepiece of linesbuttricity tothevirtuoso alsoasubtlefeelfor thesinewy lyricism in Weill’s soul. The DSOplayers, underDanishgue canceled recently. Luckily, Britishviolinist Anthony Marwood, who hasrecorded thepiece, wasavailable. Hebroughtacharisma plus doublecussion, basses. You hearitmuch, don’t when andDSOaudiencesalmostlosttheirchance soloistChristia scheduled music, especially Brecht. works thefamous withBertolt There isnothingquitelike win thisconcerto, scoredfor aboutadozen agitated first movement, openly hintingat movement. jazz,and thenstruts inthesecond foreshadowsA satiric xylophone Weill’ music’s acidicbiteandangledrhythms winkat Stravinsky while theexpressionist harmony recallsSchoenberg. sneak Syncopation theJazz Age, t thisweekend’s Detroit Symphony of cross-pollination program. A bracing Orchestra (1924), themajorenticementof “Enter Kurt Weill, who soaked available upevery zeitgeist in1920sBerlin. for throughhisConcerto spiritruns An eclectic Vi forViolinConcerto andWind Instruments,Detroit Symphony Orchestra (7–8April2006) Lisa Vroman Times astringent music.” Weill’s withinstinctive of conducted, understanding Sanderling Stefan quartet. hilarious asabarbershop to her‘family,’ Shad, theincomparable Hudson inrelating aphrase vehement todrollintheturnof atricality. Shewasasmartly acted Anna, goingfrom the- . Nordid Vroman sacrifice anything by way of lusciouscolorandsoaringregister.sung withsuch . house inLouisiana.Itwasthrillingtohearthepiece United States tomake tobuild money herfamily a by(represented amannequin),setoutacrossthe those genresas Anna Iwho, withher‘sister,’ Anna II with abig, classically refined soprano, bridgedall at ShadandtheFloridaOrchestra Hudson quartet Saturday nightof Kurt Weill, judgingfromherperformance of interpreter agreat “Lisa Vroman hasthemakingsof Sins (22–24 October2006) Deadly Seven The (23 October2005) The Seven DeadlySins The Seven —John Fleming, a musical theater ingénue combines the naturalism of combines thenaturalism oratorio.who Vroman, musical comedy, notquite notquite quite opera, er wroteworks that arenot speaking. . The compos- fish norfowl, stylistically soloist, becauseitisneither haseludedmanyBrecht, a let,’ withtext by Bertolt Church. Weill’s ‘sungbal- Pasadena Community , FloridaOrchestra St. Petersburg , withvocal oue2,Nme Topical Weill Volume 24, Number1 —Lawrence B. Johnson, bandoneon.” thatand sotransparent you caneven hearthebanjoor notblurted outevery collaboration: which way, but sharply outlined years of andtheEnsembleBusch, Modernhave found their Weill soundduringmany course. Gruber, who figures isasintenseformer like Ernst garde excesses, of believes,Gruber incounteringpostwaravant- longer, hemighthave becomeamajorfigure, (e.g., in text, but compositions arealsomasterful,concise inthe are conceived notonly tohighlightironies panaméenne as pieces such Johnson’s mercials inthe‘Algi-Song,’ tookusvia Happy End from brought ussongs “ visibly away.” carried sothat boththeaudienceandterrificconducted, Ensemble Modernwere wasbubblingGruber over withenthusiasmfor themusic, which hesangand a suitetorelate anotheranecdote:‘Sinceyou’ve ..’ already interrupted unforeseen applause between movements of thatin fact, heeven makes useof about hisescape fromtheNazisandexile Broadway—he on likes itso much, foxtrot, Europe, composerinCentral abouthistimeasthemost-performed Weill, abouthismusic which combinesexpressionist modernityandordinary andsinging. conducting loves .Gruber totalkabout peculiar double actof Modern, presentinganall-Weill that at featured timesinthe Gruber program Gruber, tookthestage again andteamedupwiththerenowned Ensemble young people, notoftenseenthesedays. Lastyear’s inresidence, artist HK thatpacked Monday night,therewasanunusually totherafters largeshareof knowing Even that thoughtheaudiencewasn’t hehadmadeagooddecision. “On thisevening probably Kaufmann IntendantMichael sat andrelaxed, back (4 January2006) Berlin imLicht Kleine Dreigroschenmusik Broadway toposthumously discovered hwdu h fet fsoap com- , showed ustheeffectsof , where Weill shows usthat hisworks —Michael Stenger, a h il fanevening that was thetitleof Berlin im Licht im Berlin Bastille-Musik —Karsten Mark, —Karsten The Detroit News Dreigroschenoper .I hehadlived ). If —Mark Stryker, Essen Philharmonie (3 January 2006) Essen Philharmonie(3January , EnsembleModernwithHKGruber, and Westdeutsche AllgemeineZeitung Ruhr-Nachrichten Johnny (8 April2006) Suite and Detroit Free Press HK Gruber (4 January2006) olin and Winds st conductor l Stravinsky. ing gave ita ds andper- n Tetzlaff t fthe nts of s intothe s theater in Alban (8 April tic elec- he a 7 news & events f ring time, passed leming. entitled hat time, hat cademy of cademy Sarah Blaskowsky sang “I’m a Blaskowsky Sarah Myself.” Here Stranger ne sang “Je Hallie Silverston t’aime pas.” Rodell Aure Rosel sang Rosel Aure Rodell Tango.” “Lotterie-Agents . After apprenticeships with , , , and Sir Tyrone and Sir Visconti, Luchino Zeffirelli, with Gian Carlo Menotti, Franco After apprenticeships . Fifteen talented young singer/actors were finalists in the ninth annual Lotte in the ninth annual singer/actors finalists were Fifteen talented young of the University 2006 at April on held Competition Singers, 22 for Lenya 25, won School Eastman ofRochester’s Welsh, baritone Justin Toronto Music. prizethe first of $7,500. Second prize Lee bass-baritone was shared by Justin 28, ofMiller, 30, of Rosel, Aure City and character tenor Rodell York New 27, of Sarah sopranos, Blaskowsky, Two New $4,000. each received Chicago; City and Hallie Silverston, 22, ofYork winning prize, split the third Rochester, $2,500 each. In memory of and assistant on Broadway Weill’s Symonette, Lys of the Foundation’s the Musical Executive this year Foundation, Weill the Kurt outstanding performance for of Award Symonette the Lys established Trustees ofAwards and three Symonette number, an individual given each $1,500 were 27, of 29, ofto tenor Karim Sulayman, Arwady, contralto Meredith York; New 25, ofWilkins, and tenor Bray Chicago; Gibson, Mississippi. Port Stratas was Teresa soprano world-renowned absence, after a two-year Returning Chapin, Theodore S. along other veteran judges, with two the finals, a judge for President of Holmes, the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization; and James Head of each contestantThe judges heard per- Opera Music at North, Leeds. and one selections: contrastingWeill form two varied four selections Kurt by repertoires. theater American musical each from the opera/operetta and the 140 contestants regional at auditions chosen over from were finalists The fifteen and from video submissions. City, York Boston, and New Chicago, in Rochester, and educator director stage Castle, mezzo-sopranoRegional judges were Joyce ofVice-President and Charlie Scatamacchia, Pearlman, & includ- finalists In addition to the above-mentioned, Theatricals. Hammerstein Ambur 30, Chicago; City; Erica Strauss, York ed sopranos Nina Negri, 26, New 28, both of Tarnish, 22, and Jessica Allison Pohl, and Toronto; Braid, 23, Arizona; and Jon-Michael Ball, 27, Tempe, Boston; and tenors Sean Clark, 23, Each of City. York the regional a prize winners received ofNew $500.

2006 competition prize left: from winners, top row, Justin Blaskowsky, Sarah Justin Lee Miller, Welsh, Meredith Wilkins, Bray from Bottom row, Arwady. Rosel, Aure left: Rodell Karim Hallie Silverston, Sulayman Topical WeillTopical Number 1 24, Volume which time he helped launch the careerswhich of t Cangelosi. Before , and David Polenzani, singers such young as Matthew the director of revue eighteen years he was for Weill production was an original Kurt his final where Theater, Opera the Eastman a Girl Named Jenny There Once Was productions Opera he staged at Society o directing career during which began a four-decade Pearlman 1960s, Guthrie in the early , a leading American opera director and educator who served several times as a judge for the Lenya Competition, the Lenya times as a judge for several served American opera who director and educator a leading Pearlman, Richard Richard Pearlman (1937–2006) Pearlman Richard away on 8 April in Chicago. Pearlman had been the director of had been the director Pearlman in Chicago. April on 8 Artists since 1995, du away American Opera Center for Lyric the Chicago Opera of and Lyric Wolf At the same Trap, among others. Opera, Opera, Seattle Spoleto U.S.A., Chicago, San Francisco Washington, of his attention onhe focused the development holding positions artists, as director of young A Music opera institutions at like and the Opera School ofAspen Music Festival, F he taught Renée West, of Eastman, where the University the as at as well Toronto, Justin Lee Miller sang “This is the Life.”

Justin Welsh sang “Let Things Be Justin Welsh Was.” They Always Like

Broadway Bound in Rochester Bound Broadway Competition Lenya 2006 Lotte 8 news & events a DISSERTATIONS incidences sur la forme de l’opéra del’opéra incidences surlaforme Trubert, Jean-François. Kurt gestueldelamusique’Weill “Lamiseenœuvredu‘caractère chez danslesannées1927–1929etses ARTICLES SCORES Leipzig.” Ls nteSas and“SpeakLow”). “Lost intheStars” The ExquisiteHour and“Undwas bekamdesSoldaten Weib?”). WHLive0004 “NannasLied” (includes Fallen Women Wives andVirtuous ment of AmericanJewish Music, Naxos MilkenAmerican Classics8.559461(includes Weill’s Archive of arrange- Israel In Celebration of fromPabst’s songs including film, Mahagonny theCityof The ThreepennyOpera;RiseandFall of RECORDINGS Peter.Uhrbach, denabwesenden danken’: “‘Für konnte Kronacher Dichter von Spezialensemble, Formfindung undKlangfarbenpolyphonie In: Tomiop. Mäkelä. 36Nr. 1–2.” Mäkelä, Tomi. Formung “Individuation undkonzertante inKurt Weills op. Konzert 12undPaul HindemithsKammermusiken (Würzburg: Königshausen &Neumann, 2005),pp. 315–334. Jeßulat, (eds.), Ullrich undMartin Andreas Ickstadt Faßhauer, Tobias. in Ariane Nagelprobe. “DesSongstils Anmerkungen zudenKurt-Weill-Arrangements Jerzy von Fitelberg,” MedievalRituals Genre andRitual:TheCulturalHeritage of Breivik, Magnar. “Weill andBrecht’s Edition. 305/EA846P),derived fromtheKurt Weill (UE33 304/EA846S)andparts no.String Quartet 1,op. 8.Fullscore(UE33 Edition. Frauentanz Die Dreigroschenoper Münster: Waxmann, 2006.(Veröffentlichungen derKurt-Weill-Gesellschaft Dessau,6) Weiss, (eds.). /Jürgen Stefan Schebera 1933–1950 Musicians, Emigré of Weber, Dress(eds.). /Stefan Horst textgeschichtlicher Sicht Nyström, Esbjörn. inMusic,Bibliographies 99) J. Leonard Lehrman, with John andFred Kander Ebb.) Creators. Bryer, R./Richard Jackson A. Davidson (eds.). BOOKS New Publications Hatikva New N.J.: Brunswick, Rutgers University Press, interviews 2005.(Includes withHaroldPrinceand Dreigroschenheft ulsoe(E301/E 4S n in-oa cr U 3082/EA848PV),derived fromtheKurt Weill . Fullscore(UE33081/EA848S)andpiano-vocal score(UE33 ). , Sarah Connolly,, Sarah Eugene mezzo-soprano, Asti, piano, Signum SIGCD072(includes ulsoe eue ie(E3 992),derived fromtheKurt Weill Edition. . Fullscore, (UE32 reducedsize irtoi rges rct n els“usigudFl e td aaon”aus Brechts undWeillsLibretto imProgress: “Aufstieg undFall derStadtMahagonny” , works by MaxHelfmann,Julius Chajes, Fromm, Herbert etal.,various performers, . Bern:Peter Lang, 6) 2005.(ArbeitenzurEditionswissenschaft, Marc Blitzstein:ABio-Bibliography 1/2006, pp. 23–33. . Vol. G. II:New Saur,York. 2005. K. Munich: , Felicity Lott,soprano, Johnson, piano, Graham Wigmore HallLive Aufstieg undFallAufstieg derStadtMahagonny ln n ii o Pertlnie zu“Ionisation”: StudienzurfunktionalenWechselwirkung lunaire” Klang undLinievon“Pierrot Die 3-Groschenoper Quellen zur Geschichte emigrierter Musiker/SourcesRelatingQuellen zurGeschichte totheHistory emigrierter Das BerlinerRequiem Street Scene:DerurbaneRaumimMusiktheater des20.Jahrhunderts The Art of the American Musical: Conversations withthe theAmericanMusical:Conversations of The Art Zwischen Festschrift Komposition undHermeneutik. Fladt fürHartmut , Golden Stars GSS5410(3-CDset). , GoldenStars oue2,Nme Topical Weill Volume 24, Number1 eua oki ardTaiin”i yl Østrem,etal.(eds.), : inEyolf A Secular Work inaSacred Tradition,” . Frankfurt/Main: Peter Lang, 2004, pp. 183–208. (Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, 2005),pp. 271–290. . Westport, Praeger, Conn.: 2004.(Bio- , historicalrecordings from1928–1944, ”Université deNice, 2005. .” Leben EduardsdesZweitenvonEngland . 1928 in

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