October 15, 1992

Other Arts & Review

the Other Press

W

 

Vancouver Opera opens season with Rigoletto

 

by Byrun Stedmann

The 1992/1993 season of the
Vancouver Opera opens on October
17th, with the Giusseppe Verdi’s
dramatic opera, Rigoletto.

The opera is centered around a
deformed, hard-hearted, cynical
courtjester (Rigoletto), whofeels love
only for his daughter Gilda. Tensions
rise as the innocent Gilda becomes
the object of desire of the licentious
Duke of Milan, which leads the
twisted Rigoletto to a diabolical
resolution.

 

Rigoletto Stars Kim Josephson
in the title role . He has won many
awards, including the Puccini
Foundation Award and the Enrico

Caruso International
Competition.

Brenda Harris plays the part of

Gilda. Ms. Harris’ voice has been
described as showin; MN -no sign of
hesitation, rattling trills and runs
in a bold, confident fashion.”

The Duke of Milan is played by
Michael Rees Davis in his debut
performance. He has just come from

ormancesatthe Metin New York.
David Pittsinger will appear in the
role of Sarafucile, the assassin. The
acclaimed Mr. Pittsinger will also
doubleas thenobleCountMonterone.

StevenHorst, Richard De Villier,
Leslie Allison, Don Wright, Fiona
Blackburn, Li-Ping Zhang and

timeless opera. The production will

Voice Stephen Aberle also star in this Opera Music Director, David Agler.

Rigoletto will be playing at the

17, 20, 22, 24 and 26, at 8:00 p.m.
Look for a review of Rigoletto

be headed up by new Vancouver QueenElizabethTheatreonOctober bySean VeleyintheOctober27 issue.

    

      
     
   
  
       
   
   

 

Joq2/95 Vancouver Opera Season

The Magic Flute

by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
January 30, February 2, 4, 6, 8, 1993, 8:00 pm

 

La Boheme

by Giacomo Puccini

April 24, 27, 29, May 1, 3, 1993, 8:00 pm.

May 2, 1993, 2:00 pm.

For ticket information call 280-3311. Visa, Mastercard and American Express

accepted.

Dialogues of the Carmelites

March 13, 16, 18, 20, 1993, 8:00 pm

by Francis Poulenc

  

Fortune & Men's Eyes Socially Relevant, but Needs Work

Last Saturday night I ventured
down to MainStreet tosee Fortune &
Men’s Eyes. Ihad never heard of the
play and did not know the story
aya it until I sat down in the tiny

orien a lit theatre and read the
playbill. Itis described as “(being) of
great social and political relevance.”
It is based on playwright John
Herbert’s experienceinjail after being
convicted of homosexuality in 1963.
Fortune & Men's Eyes
by John Herbert
Vancouver's Little Theatre
October 9 - 23
by Marion Drakos

Fortune & Men’s Eyes is the
of four men who sharea prison
cell. Rocky (David Cubitt) is the
typical “tough”; Queenie (Allan

 

Grant)isadrag queen. Thefoursome .

is completed by Mona (Steve
Amazzal), the shy, abused prisoner;
and Smitty (Cameron Forbes), the
new kid on the block. The story
focuses on the character of Smitty as
he goes from the tenderfoot prisoner
to one of the “politicians” who run
the jail.

The play itself is well written
and certainly socially relevant, but I
would like to see it updated and seta
little closer to our time instead of the
1950's. Some of the impact of the
story (Mona’s being sent to jail for
being gay) is lost as we sit back and
say “Yes, but that was 40 years ago.”
Theslang thatis used throughout the
play mightbe realistic for mid-1950's,
but it tends to be lost on a young
1990's audience.

I found the characters of Rocky
and Queenie to be stereotypical and
felt that they too often engaged in
unnecessary rhetorical banter. Smitty
and Mona are far more intriguing
becausetheirrelationshipistheclosest
to being believable. Both Rocky and
Queenie try to use Smitty for their
own. gain but Mona only wants
Smitty’s love.

Although all the characters
eee in homosexual activity,

ew of them enjoy it. Rocky uses sex
as a means of holding power and
teaches Smitty this as well, while
Mona is a rape victim; only Queenie
revels in his sexuality.

The second act of the play is
much better than the first part. This
may bebecauseCameron Forbes took
acting lessons during intermission.

The New Age of Jazz

 

by Thomas Halmosi

It’s an irony that todays
technologically advanced ni
musical compositions fous
North American record chart#
popular radio stations
inspiration from primitive
syncopations originating
African and South
continents. .

Ever since the import of Black
slave labourers to theSouthern United
states between the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries Black
immigrants were oppressed by White
estate owners.

Protest songs, work chants, and
spiritual rhythms werea partof daily

Salt Glazed

Stoneware
Artists: Mark Henery
Jefferson,
Vincent

, Cathy
Lynn Johnson,
Massey 5 Ween! Jags
Nagan, Jeff Osterich. Sam
Quan, John Reeve, Lari
Robson, Ian Steele, Ron Vallis
October 1 to Octobe

“Under Their Skin”

Artist: Ulrike Ebeling

Yovember 5 ecember

 

 
  
  
   
  
  
 
 
  
  
 
  
     
 
   
   
  
  

lifeamong slaves because these forms

Blues was a desparate Way
which some could earn a ft
living performing on street |
and in community halls.

As The Blues gained po

a diverse music style tiem as Jazz

evolved, As the many differentforms
ofJazz became popularamong white

,. North Americans many lifestyles

‘hoth slave and slave keeper were
4:and the world of musical
eréssion. would never be the same
in.

Soonafter the fusion ofJazz, The
4es and the newly popular influx
uthern American sounds, Rock
oll was born.

imarily a music of rebellion
nd Roll saw many changes
first half of the Twentieth
and many variations on the
eveloped over the years
at watering down the
ded message of Rock and Roll.

 

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nao ra,

In the beginning of the play he
tries to bea nervous convict but only

looks like a nervous actor. Durin
the second act he gets it right and
gives it all he’s got. David Cubitt
gives an excellent performance
marred only by his tendency to talk
to fast. During arguments with
Queenie] found what was being said
hard to follow because of his rapid
delivery.

AllanGrant’s Queenie was good
comic relief but he reminded me a
little to much of Frank’n’Furter from
the Rocky Horror Picture Show
(throughouttheshowIkeptexpecting
him to break into ‘Sweet
Transvestite’!).

Overall the best performance
was Steve Amazzalin the role of
Mona. He showed the truest

emotions of any of the actors; when
he confesses to Smitty the events
leading up to his imprisonment, you
actually feel for his character’s
predicament.

There is one character I forgot to
mention: the Guard played by Alan
Difiore. His part is small but well
done. However, his voice reminded °
me of the Cop in Hitchhikers Guide
of the Galaxy (“We don’t want to
shoot you, Beeblebrox...”)

All things considered, Fortune
& Men’s Eyesis nota great play, but
itis a good play and quite effective in
some places. It is not a play that
makes any kind of intense political
statement, but it is a dramatic and
realistic portrayal of prison life. If
you havea few extra dollars, take the
time and check it out.

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