The University Press (Beaumont, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 35, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 2, 1977 Page: 2 of 8
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UNIVERSITY PRESS March 2, 1977.2
Van Cliburn and ‘Icarus’ reviewed
Pianist:
‘Some magic is lost9
Helen Sohlinger, staff writer for the University Press, has contributed several
features and reviews to this semester's editions. Last week the senior Mass Com-
munications student from Beaumont covered the Beaumont Symphony's
presentation featuring Van Cliburn as well as The Lamar Ballet Company's
production, “Icarus."
Ballet:
‘Adequate to 9
There was a promise of magic in the
air Thursday evening when a capacity
crowd gathered in the City Auditorium
to hear Van Cliburn perform with the
Beaumont Symphony Orchestra.
Cliburn has been a favorite with
Beaumont audiences since his ap-
pearance here in 1959, following his
triumphant return from Moscow.
Throughout the first act, the empty
piano bench kept the audience’s an-
ticipation alive, distracting our at-
tention from the excellent performance
of the orchestra.
The “Russian and Ludmilla Over-
ture” by Glinka was a likely opening
selection. The introduction was
beautifully performed by the violin sec-
tion.
The Mussorgsky symphonic poem,
“A Night on Bald Mountian,” was an
exciting piece, evoking a vivid image of
unholy spirits celebrating a witches’
sabbath. The work swelled to a climax,
featuring the percussion section, then
ended in a peaceful mood as the spirits
were dispersed with the coming of
dawn.
The “Tsar Saltan” suite by Rimsky-
Korsakoff also evoked images with its
martial music depicting the Tsar going
off to war. The second movement was
even more descriptive, with the somber
tones of cellos and violas suggesting the
royal cask adrift on the ocean.
At intermission the air of excitement
grew as the audience eagerly awaited
the appearance of the man considered
by many experts to be the world’s finest
pianist. There was a surprised smat-
tering of applause when Cliburn
walked, unannounced, onto the stage.
The applause grew and then died to
an attentive silence as he took his place
at the piano and began to play the
lovely and popular opening theme of the
Tschikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in b-
flat minor.
With his flawless technique and his
natural affinity for Tschaikovsky,
Cliburn easily dominated the first
movement. But during the lively mid-
dle section of the second movement,
something unexpected happened.
The orchestra, after an uneasy begin-
ning, rose to the occasion with a
brilliant performance that was in many
ways more exciting than Cliburn’s. The
flute and oboe solos were lovely, and
the string section was superb.
It was not one of Cliburn’s finest per-
formances. In fact, despite the ap-
parent romanticism and emotion of his
playing, his performance sometimes
seemed routine and automatic. Even a
second-rate performance by the
Beaumont Symphony Orchestra, under
the able direction of Dr. Joseph Carluc-
ci, was almost as good.
The Rondo of the last movement, with
its wild Cossack theme, was a perfect
marriage of pianist with orchestra. The
performance was rewarded with a stan-
ding ovation and numerous curtain
calls.
After the concert, however, the
lingering excitement in the audience
seemed to have an undercurrent of
disappointment. Something was
missing. One listener sighed and said,
“Well, Van Cliburn was programmed to
play Tschaikovsky, and he did.”
Perhaps that was the problem.
Cliburn played with computer-like per-
fection. But somewhere between
Moscow 1958 and Beaumont 1977, some
of the magic was lost.
Friday evening’s benefit gala by the
Lamar Ballet Company in the Univer-
sity Theatre featured choreography
ranging from static to innovative and
performances ranging from adequate
to superb.
The new ballet “Icarus,”
choreographed by Julio de Bittencourt,
lecturer of dance, was quite effective.
The choreography, set to a dramatic
score by Gustav Holst, was strong and
imaginative.
Much of the dancing followed circular
patterns, beginning with the opening
dance, performed by Joey Smith as ihe
brash young Icarus and James Clubb as
his father, Dedalus. Smith, a Lamar
dance scholarship recipient, portrayed
his flight with a series of graceful and
dramatic leaps.
The sun, danced by Bonnie Cokinos
and eight supporting dancers, was ex-
tremely well-staged. To represent the
sunrise, the dancers moved onto the
stage in a tight circle. As they moved
across the stage, the circle widened and
was bathed in brilliant golden light.
“Les Petits Riens,” choreographed
by de Bittencourt to a score by Mozart,
was less effective. The series of dances
were too brief and stylized to show the
dancers to their best advantage.
Cory Chenault showed acting as well
as dancing ability as a member of a
love triangle. His opening pas de deux
with Bonnie Fore Campbell was
graceful and charming.
De Bittencourt’s third ballet,
“Bolero,” had a stronger visual appeal,
costumed and lighted in steps that were
beautifully suited to the score by Ravel.
Constantly varied movements kept
the piece from becoming static as each
member of the cast rose in turn and
joined the dance. The dancers per-
formed the movements with precision
and fluidity.
The greatest show-stoppers of the
evening were the guest dancers from
the Houston Ballet. In a last-minute
change from the scheduled program,
Deirdra Grogan and Dorio Perez dan-
ced the peasant pas de deux from Act 1
of “Giselle.”
They were superb, executing even the
most intricate steps with grace and
ease. Perez gave an especially brilliant
performance, drawing “bravo’s” from
the audience with each brief variation.
Comparisons with the student dan-
cers were inevitable but unfair. The
professional dancers were better, but
only perhaps as the bloom is greater
than the bud.
Many of the young dancers in the
ballet company show promise of even-
tually attaining professional quality in
their performances. Chenault, Smith,
Lou Talkington and Ann Moorhouse
may well be names to watch for in the
future. .
THE
UNIVERSITY AT
PRESS
Serving Lamar
\
for 54 Years
Cheryl Daniels......
Roger Cowles........
Michael Branch.....
Jess Doiron .
Uene Harral
Becky Mitchell
Lee Nabors
Helen Sohlinger
Don Young
Carolyn Martinez ...
Neil Harrison........
Frank Kavanaugh
George Bowden.....
Sandra Thomas.....
Bill Hatch...........
Thomas Hall........
Greg Giles.......
Debbie Moses.......
Janet Mims.........
Becky Anderson.....
Kay Hardeway
Valerie Daniels.....
Lillie Jones
Karen McLane
Raye Nell Page
Katherine Streetman
Dinah Taylor
Howard Perkins ....
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Editorial view ss
Time to speak up
“The first dinner I ever attended on the eighth floor of the
library,” commented one student, “was very impressive „ But my
favorable impression dwindled to disgust when I learned that the
same people who prepared my meals in the dining hall, prepared the
dinner!”
Such have been the sentiments of many students in their ob-
servations of campus food services over the past few years, whether
at dinners in the library or in the Setzer Center. True, steak dinners y
in the library cost more than normal dining hall meals, but much of
the student-concern deals with the care and preparation of their
food.
After semesters of hassling out board problems in dormitory or
SGA food committee meetings, ultimate relief may be on the way.
Contract bids for a new food service on campus will open this week
as*LU seeks, for the first time in four years, to determine if we are
getting the best meals for the cost—or the best deal, for that matter.
Campus food service competition is fierce throughout the nation.
Consequently, LU ought to be able to capitalize on this situation and
perhaps bring in the more innovative or delectable food service.
Now is our chance to change complaints into action. Each of us,
who has eaten at Brooks-Shivers, the main dining hall, the Cardinal
Nest and at any number of banquets or dinners on campus, and left
vowing to never eat another meal on campus again, should make our
desires known. '
First, discover from friends on other campuses throughout Texas
or elsewhere, the benefits and advantages offered by food services
at their universities. Then advise food committee members, dorm
presidents, SGA representatives or even members of the board of
regents of your desires—remembering that all of these requests can-
not be met. But the fact is that your input is necessary. For those
who will make the ultimate decision are not the ones who eat in the
dining halls day by day.
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Daniels, Cheryl. The University Press (Beaumont, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 35, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 2, 1977, newspaper, March 2, 1977; Beaumont, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth499863/m1/2/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Lamar University.