THE LIVELY ARTS

Listening and Looking with Louise

The Dance Theatre of Harlem opened the Music Hall dance series with a high level of artistry and technical proficiency. "Concerto Barocco" mirrored Bach's Concerto in d minor for Two Violins from the patterned balance and grace of the first movement, through the sobbing beauty of the second movement to its final joy. Then followed a brillantly danced Pas de Deux, from "Le Corsair," where the strength of the male and the weightlessness of the female were contrasted most effectively.

They danced a ballet version of the stage play "Equus." It was powerful. Alan Strang was sensitively portrayed, and the

"horses" were so expressive with their bodies that symbolic masks would have been superfluous. They closed with an extravagently colorful and stylized interpretation of Stravinsky's "Firebird," Iwith both dancing and costumes splendor.

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Studio Theatre opened its season with "Charley's Aunt," a farce as fresh and funny as when it first delighted London audiences in 1892. In those days nice girls didn't visit gentlemen in their apartments without chaperones, so when Charley's rich aunt from Brazil (where the nuts come from) failed to appear, a friend in drag impersonated her, setting off a chain of hilarious scenes. It was well done, with youthful exuberance. I particularly liked Robert Lambert as the handsome but not too bright Charlie and Peter Wehrli as the old mean

Spettigue.

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One of the great plays of the Spanish poet and dramatist Garcia Lorca is "Blood Wedding," written in 1933 and already a classic transformed into many versions including ballet, film and allegories by other playwrights. The 1981 Spanish film "Blood Wedding" shown at the Art Institute was several. perspectives removed from the play. The camera artfully reveals a docutemporary

flamenco

ballet dancers coming into their dressing rooms and putting on their costumes and make-up for a dress rehearsal (not a performance) of the flamenco ballet "Blood Wedding" and proceeds through portions of the rehearsal, climaxing in the incredible 'slow motion knife duel between the bridegroom and the bride's lover, their bodies interlacing sensuously and symbolically. The dancing, blending

flamenco and classical ballet, is spectacular. It is accompanied by singing, guitar playing and finger snapping, and in the flamenco tradition the I dancers show passion, fury and agony on their faces as well as through their bodies. The film is a little gem. I hope it comes back soon.

While on a business trip to New Jersey, I saw Eugene O'Neill's "A Touch of the Poet' at The Whole Theatre Company in Montclair, New Jersey. The dark tragedy of an Irishman with a touch of the poet in him who lived in fantasy as an aristocratic gentleman and disintegrated as he refused to face reality is shot through with shining threads of love. His long-suffering wife has gladly sacrificed herself to help him maintain his illusion, and his daughter is bitter about ituntil she discovers herself, and we know she will follow in her mother's footsteps. The play was so well done that one forgot how long it was.

Being so close to New York, I couldn't resist. stopping by for a couple of pleasurable days. I saw "Cats" at the Winter Garden Theatre, the most expensive musical every produced on Broadway. I thought I was adequately prepared for it, but it must be be experienced to believed. All the senses are bombarded at once. There was some of the most spectacular gymnastic ballet dancing I have ever seen. I was totally absorbed and wish I could see it again. How-

ever, I kept having a lurking feeling that it was over-kill. I understand that the original, London version is more of an understatement, with subtle wit and charm. I would prefer that, I think.

Then to the Metropolitan Opera for Mozart's "Idomeneo" with Pavarotti. The classic Greek characters were in charming, stylized 18th century costume. The music, for the most part, was well sung. Pavarotti's voice is taking on a darker quality. The most brilliant singing, I thought, was by Hildegard Behrens as the passionate, jealous, distraught Electra.

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Of course I couldn't be in New York without checking up on "The Pirates of Penzance" at the Minskoff Theatre, since two of my friends are in the cast. There have been a few replacements since I saw it in the spring. Peter Noone is effective visually and dramatically as young Frederick, the pirate apprentice, Wally Kurth sings better than the other pirate king who had little to recommend him except remarkable charisma. The entire cast did a fine job. My favorites are George Rose, the polished actor-singercomedian as the Major General, and Tony Azito, the mime-acrobat-dancercomedian as the Sergeant in a Marcel Marceaux-like, stylized version of the Keystone Cops. The touring cast of "Pirates" will be in Detroit this month. A word of warning to G&S purists: be prepared for rollicking, irreverence.

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Carmen Balthrop (center) as the heroine Treemonisha, with Detroiter Delores Ivory (left) as Monisha and Dorceal Duckens as Ned in Scott Joplin's unforgettable musical "Treemonisha" at the Music Hall, Nov. 12-21.

An Extravaganza of Dance and

Music comes to Detroit

The Michigan Opera Theatre Premiere of "Tremonisha," an unforgettable musical by Ragtime King Scott Joplin, opens Friday, November 12 at the Music Hall, and continues with nine performances through November 21.

Written and composed by Joplin in the early 1900's, "Treemonisha" is many things, but primarily

it is a sweet sermon on goodness. It conveys a significant social message: education is the road to salvation, and it also dips into women's liberation.

This simple folk fable, filled with marvelous songs and electrifying dance numbers, revolves around 18-year-old Treemonisha. The only educated person in her black, ante-bellum Arkansas community, she

is chosen by her people to guide them from ignorance and superstition into an era of enlightenment.

Joplin, known for his wonderful piano rags perhaps the most widely recognized is the academy award winning theme "The Entertainer" from the movie "The Sting," incorporated many musical elements in his operatic work. The rag, barbershop quartet, sentimental ballad, waltz, and marches fused with 19th century. European operatic style are easily recognized in the score.

The Michigan Opera: Theatre production borrows the fantastic costumes and scenery,. designed by Franco Colavecchia, from the Original Houston Grand Opera presentation which

debuted in 1975, and also showed three weeks at Kennedy Center and seven weeks on Broadway. It was revived by the Houston Grand Opera last year, with dance numbers so hot that moments of even ten curtain calls were not uncommon.

In the lead is Carmen Balthrop, the performer most identified with the role of Treemonisha, having starred in both Houston productions, on Broadway and in a recent film. It can be said that she owns the role. Detroiter Delores Ivory, featured last season as Serena in "Porgy and Bess", is cast as Monisha, Treemonisha's adoptive mother and Dorceal Duckens will play Ned; her adoptive father. Both singers were

cast in the revival as well.

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Mabel Robinson will both direct and choreograph this local production, and Tania Leon will conduct the orchestra. Ms. Leon is the first woman to conduct a Michigan Opera Theatre production as well as the first black person ever conduct a professional staged production of "Treemonisha" in this country.

We urge all to attend. this Musical Theatre fantasy about a very special American heroine-Treemonisha. Detroit is privileged to host a professional production of such a fine American work. The dates of performances are November 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21. Attend!

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