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WINNETKA TALK March 17, 1978 Music News and Events "THE BEGGAR'S OPERA" A DELICIOUS SATIRE English Company Gives Effec- tive Portrayal of Classic Pro- duction at New Trier By R.L.P, Seeing "The Beggar's Opera" last Saturday evening at New Trier High school was like going to one's first circus. There were over seventeen characters in the opera, and each one was completely unique, an individual in every sense of the word. Like at a three ring circus, one's eyes had to travel fast to keep up with everything going on. "The Beggar's Opera" is the most delicious satire on politics and criminal laws, and although writ- ten in 1727 still holds good. It is a piquant burlesque on the Italian opera, and the exaggerations are clever enough to keep the audience chuckling continually. There was the doll faced heroine, Polly Peachum, and one of her rivals, Lucy Lockit, a take-off on the alluring, heavy-lidded vampire. Mama Peach- um, a matron of generous proportions, a profound liking for the bottle, and a comedy character of the first order, reports to her husband that daughter has put a smirch on the family coat of arms by marrying a highwayman. Like good parents, they decide to uphold the family honor, replenish the family purse and secure their daugh- ter's happy future by having the high- wayman captured, impeached and hanged. Polly is intrigued with the idea, but shuns their advice, insisting she loves Macheath, the merry high- wayman. Well, they sing gay songs with a vim, gallivant (the precise word for it) about the stage, assume ridicu- lous postures, and capture Macheath finally while he is at an inn. Inn Scene Effective The inn scene is one of the best in the opera, for it is then the famous drinking song is shouted forth by evil looking, mirth-provoking members of Macheath"s gang. Then, too, all the pretty girls who aid the gang appear, to be: tenderly but light- heartedly kissed by Macheath, and to dance in the gayest of gay spirits. They and the men are the "chorus," singing "Youth's the season made for joy, and love is then our duty ...." It was something to stir the jaded palates of theater-goers. ; Lucy affects the release of Macheath but he is soon recaptured. After several charmingly colorful songs and screamingly funny tableaux, he is sav- ed from the very gallows, and the opera ends with a bang. Applause sprinkled spontaneously throughout the performance, brought encores giv- en with a lavish hand, for the actors seemed to enjoy the play as much as the audience. "The Beggar's Opera" furnished north shore theater-goers with an evening's entertainment not soon to be forgotten. Thanks are certainly due the New Trier Orches- tral association, which sponsored it. Instrumental Trio Will Give Georgian Musicale An instrumental trio comprising Ebba Sundstrom, violinist; Goldie Gross, cellist, and Marian Lychenheim, pianist, will present the musicale at the Georgian hotel, Evanston, Sunday evening, March 18, at 8 o'clock. = This will be the third of a series of Spring musicales now being given under auspices of the Georgian management. Famous Glee Club Sings March 21 HE Ripon College Glee club, now on its thirty-fifth annual tour, will appear in concert at the Wilmette Masonic temple auditorium under the auspices of Wilmette Chapter, No. 753, Order of the Eastern Star, Wednes- day evening, March 21. This choral organization of twenty-five young men will present their varied musical pro- gram in their reputable artistic man- ner at 8 o'clock. After this organization appeared at Kimball hall and Orchestra hall in Chicago last spring, the Ripon College Glee club established an enviable repu- tation throughout the Middle West and the critics generally were of the belief that here was one glee club that was far above the average of its kind. One critic of last season referred to the program as being "one of unusually high quality and interest and so at- tractively diversified as to meet the approval of the most critical student of male voice singing." The Ripon songsters are this year filling engagements in many of the larger cities of Wisconsin, including Fond du Lac, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha and also points in northern Illinois, including Wilmette, Glen Ellyn, Hinsdale and the city of Chicago itself, Harold Chamberlain, director of the club and also head of the Ripon College School of Music, has arranged a program to include the "Pilgrim's Chorus," from Tannhauser; Franck's "Psalm 150"; Gerrish's "Still, Still With Thee," and also some lighter numbers, including Geibel's "Kentucky Babe" and a special feature 'entitled, "An Act of up-to-date Grand Opera," which is said to be screamingly funny. The soloists of the club include James Gilruth, tenor; Carleton Lueck, baritone; Joseph Liska, violinist; Lawrence Buckland, cornetist, and Alvin Brooks, pianist. The latter has won prizes in the two last years of competition in the Wisconsin Musical contest. The officers of the organiza- tion are John Liska, president; Samuel N. Pickard, manager, and Reinhold Gehner, assistant manager. Next Wednesday's program will be in the nature of a benefit for the Eastern Star fund which is being used to defray the cost of the new organ in the Wilmette Masonic lodge hall. Paderewski Was There, and His -Hearers, 4 Hours Ignace Paderewski demonstrated again, last Sunday afternoon -at the Auditorium theater, that he is indeed "the first pianist." He is almost a legend in the pianistic world, so long has he been before music lovers, yet he is still going strong. He is so popular that eight days before his recital every seat in the Auditorium including the stage, was sold. The management has therefore persuaded Mr. Paderewski to give another recital Saturday afternoon, March 31, at the Auditorium, with an entirely new pro- gram. No doubt the theater will again have a capacity audience. Paderewski imbues everything he plays with his own personality, giving it dignity, color and a beauty of line few other pianists can equal. There are wrong notes, plenty of them, but the whole is so artistic they seem of little moment. His program Sunday included some Schumann etudes, Bee- thoven's Sonata in A flat, and a group of 'Liszt arrangements of Schubert compositions, including "Hark, Hark, the Lark," and "The Erlking." There were six Chopin numbers, a Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody, and Paderew- ski's own "Melodie in B Major." The thunderous applause kept the maestro Mme. Schumann-Heink to Sing in St. James' Church Madame Schumann-Heink will ap- pear in a song recital at old St. James Roman Catholic church, Palm Sunday afternoon. The event is sponsored by His Eminence George Cardinal Mun- delein and Rt. Rev. Edward F. Hoban, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago and Bishop Elect of Rockford. Michael L. Igoe is chairman of the executive committee and Mrs. Walter G. Mc- Guire is chairman of the general committee. Mrs. Genevieve Wilken is arranging the patrons' list, which in- cludes many names prominent in social and civic activities. In the days when old St. James parish was in the center of a territory which included the homes of Chicago's wealthiest and most influential citi- zens, Madame Schumann-Heink lived almost within the border of its con- fines. The old church, rich in ecclesi- astical, educational and social tradi- tions, with its beautiful marble altars, with its onyx alter rail, its great vaulted ceiling, and its mellow-toned organ, beside which many great artists have sung, therefore will be a most fitting setting for this event. bowing and playing encores, and at last it was necessary to lower the curtain to end the afternoon's program at 7 o'clock. Martinelli Will Be Heard April 8 at Auditorium Giovanni Martinelli, who only last week captivated his audience at the Artist-Recital of the Winnetka Music club in the New Trier High school auditorium, is to appear in recital at the Auditorium theater, Chicago, Sun- day afternoon, April 8, at 3:30 o'clock, under the auspices of the Jewish Art players. When the great Caruso died, many people shook their heads and bemoan- ed the fact that no one could ever take his place. But Giovanni Marti- nelli, whose dependability no less per- haps than his glorious voice had made him a mainstay at the Metropolitan since his first season with that opera company, indulged in no fireworks or loud speeches. He mourned his fellow artist with a great and real grief, vet he carried on. While a portion of the musical world was searching for Caruso's successor, Martinelli, who is also a prime favorite at Ravinia operas, was quietly assuming many of the roles Caruso had sung, working doubly hard in an earnest endeavor to fill, to the utmost of his ability, the great gap which the passing of Caruso had left in the ranks of the Metro- politan. The place he has reached today, without special press agents to call attention to his achievements, without any other reason but that of pure merit, is indicated by the review which appeared in the New York Times, last February 26, after Martinelli made his first appearance at the Metropolitan in the name part of "Andrea Chenier." "There has been question who is 'the world's greatest tenor')" wrote the Times critic, "but the audience left no doubt of its verdict as to the greatest within recent memory to appear as Giordano's hero. Martinelli received one of the memorable ovations of the year from a brilliant opera subscrip- tion reinforced by standees in hun- dreds who crowded the doors. In the famous air of the 'Improvisation' in the first act, he aroused an outburst of applause which stopped the opera for five minutes. The tenor acknowledged his ovation with dignity. It was pro- longed till parts of the house hissed for silence, only to be renewed at the first curtain calls." Columbia School Chorus in Benefit Concert March 21 The Columbia School of Music chorus, under the direction of Lenise St. John Westervelt, will give a con- cert Wednesday evening, March 21, at the Murphy Memorial hall, Chicago, for the benefit of the Georgia Nettles Herlocker Scholarship Loan fund. Mu Tota chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon sorority has charge 'of the sale of tickets. INSTALL NEW ORGAN Work is proceeding with the instal- lation of a new organ in the Church of the Holy Comforter at Kenilworth. It is expected the instrument will be available for use at the Easter service. SUPPER MUSICALE SUNDAY The Chicago College club is giving a supper musicale Sunday evening, March 18, at 8 o'clock. The Glee club is to sing in the lounge and Miss Pauline Anderson will play a group of piano selections. Rar A ro Co