Nefertiti, that exotic name conjures up the image of a beautiful face which has become a symbol throughout the ages of idealized beauty. The face, as mummified in our minds as was the body of this ancient Egyptian queen, has no flesh, no humanity, no story – only that hauntingly beautiful symbol of a face.
That all changed when the Human Race Theatre Company produced a staged reading of a modern opera, Nefertiti, by David Spangler and Rick and Christopher Gore. Even on the bare stage with the singers/actors carrying scripts, ancient history became a poignant love story well laced with drama, intrigue and tragedy.
There are music dramas with real music emerging into today’s scene. Thanks to the Human Race, we have been exposed to several of them such as Ricky Ian Gordon’s Only Heaven.
In Nefertiti, the music - dark, relentless, but full of melodic appeal - drove the drama. The gifted cast used the music to create characters emerging from ancient pyramids into full life.
The story is a convoluted tale of palace intrigue, a love triangle and the failure of an idealistic attempt at new governance of the ancient kingdom. Beautiful Nefertiti is, of course, the apex of the love triangle.
The principals are drawn from national and local actors. WSU star Ebony Blake could make a career out of her stunning performance as Nefertiti. Her lovers, the Pharaoh and handsome Captain of the Guard, Scott Hunt and Alan H. Green joined veteran Gil Martin, Broadway actress Ann Crumb, Avery Sommers and Aaron Vega in featured roles.
Kevin Moore directed the show and stepped in to create a last minute character, the evil priest Shabak, Familiar voices in the ensemble included local stars Renee Franck-Reed, Katie Pees and Shavey Brown. Young King Tut was split between darling Jeremy Clay as boy-Tut and Adam Brown as his older persona.
The work is overlong but never tedious. The need for some cuts was obvious. The music was marvelous, particularly when played energetically by Swedish brothers Nils-Petter and Karl-Johan Ankarblom. The show could be Broadway bound. This cast would shine on that storied street.
The Dayton Philharmonic is doing a job and a half to celebrate Mozart’s 250th birthday. I’ve lost count of the performance opportunities to hear this glorious music. The formal Philharmonic main stage version began last week with two concerts, each featuring brilliant pianist Janina Fialkowska.
Every kid loves a birthday party and Maestro Neal Gittleman brought Mozart, the kid, into the act. The first concert began with Mozart’s Symphony No. 1 written when the wunderkind was only eight years old! He wrote it one day when he was forbidden to go out and play in the cold damp of London.
Two more symphonies, No. 36, The Linz and No. 38, The Prague, joined the Serenade No. 11 for winds with music which would make all succeeding musicians jealous and the audience delighted. The wind serenade opened the Saturday night concert. The eight players, all virtuosi, made the Schuster seem like a living room rather than a concert hall.
There was an addition to the orchestra on the Schuster stage on Saturday night. These were not musicians but a smiling bevy of special patrons who enjoyed the music from seats behind the orchestra.
Ms. Fialkowska, a frequent visitor to the Philharmonic and Soirées Musicales, played with complete exuberant élan. Mozart’s music seemed to leap from her fingers mingling with the clean and equally exuberant sounds of the Philharmonic players.
To celebrate Mozart, Janina wore a beautiful Mozartian coat of many colors made especially for the occasion by the costumers of the Augsburg, Germany Theater.
Much more Mozart to come. I’m going to enjoy the 250th to the fullest.
I will be too busy to attend the 500th!
Black Comedy. I never fully understood what that genre was until I attended the opening of Dayton Theatre Guild’s Bright Ideas. The plot centers around a caricature, at least I hope that it is a caricature, of driven parents whose almost 4 year old child is the avowed center of the universe.
Their obsession is getting the scion into the proper pre-kindergarten, Bright Ideas. Murder is only one of the tools used to advance the offspring into his pre-determined role as a perfect human being.
Now I understand Black Comedy. You are supposed to detest each and every character and each and every motivation. Along with that detestation, you are to laugh uproariously at events which are truly embarrassing to that moral side we all hope to harbor.
Typically, the Theatre Guild mounted a fine cast on an imaginative set with sparkling direction by Ralph Dennler. No matter how I tried, I could not hate such darling and talented young women as Megan Cooper, Natasha Randall and Cassandra Hawkins. I would not describe Alex Carmichal and David Sherman as darling – talented and very funny yes, but darling no!
The entire cast had as much fun as the audience. For example, Natasha Randall has been superb in so many dramatic and comic parts. Now I am cursed to always remember her lying dead, with her face buried in a plate of poisoned linguini al pesto.
Now, that’s Black Comedy. Catch it through May 14th at the Guild. Just don’t eat the pasta!
David L. Smith, an Oakwood artist, is the featured “visiting artist” at the Town and Country Fine Art Gallery through May 31. Watercolor paintings of Dayton scenes and oil monotypes of figures in action are among the art works. A reception for Smith will be held in the Gallery on Sunday, May 7 from 2 – 5 p.m.
David Smith has taught painting and drawing at Fairmont West High School in Kettering, at the University of Dayton and currently teaches at Oakwood Community Center and the Dayton Art Institute. His artwork has been entered in many juried shows and has received many awards.
Town and Country Fine Art Gallery is located in Town & Country Shopping Center. For more information call Joan Suriano, 294-4584.
Culture Works will celebrate its 31st anniversary as a funding organization for the arts with “An Affair of the Arts” on Wednesday, May 10 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Webster Street Market, 32 Webster St. in downtown Dayton. Debby Goldenberg is chair of the event.
The evening includes cocktails and dinner, followed by an auction of interesting, varied storage chests which have been decorated by local artists and arts organizations.
Tickets are $125 and may be purchased by calling Culture Works, 222-2787. Reservations are due by Thursday, May 4.
On Sunday, May 7, 7:30 p.m., the Bach Society of Dayton, with orchestra and soloists, will present a concert entitled “Vespers and Fables.” In observance of the anniversary of Mozart’s birth, the program will include Regina Coeli and Vesperae de Dominica, as well as Exsultante Jubilate, featuring soprano Andrea Chenoweth.
The second half of the concert will feature John Rutter’s musical setting of the beloved children’s story, “The Wind in the Willows.” In addition to Miss Chenoweth, soloists will include Steven Rikards, Countertenor; John Wesley Wright, Tenor; Benjamin Smolder, Bass; and Jeremy Kelly, Baritone. A concert preview will be presented from 6:45 to 7:15 p.m.
Local residents participating in this concert include Margaret Karns; Dave Grupe; Faye Seifrit; Marc Georgin; accompanist, R. Alan Kimbrough; and music director, John Neely.
Both the concert preview and the concert will take place at the Kettering Seventh-day Adventist Church, 3939 Stonebridge Road. Tickets ($12 adults, $7 students, children 12 and under-Free) will be available at the door or may be purchased in advance by calling (937) 294-BACH or by writing to: The Bach Society of Dayton, 1563 East Dorothy Lane, Suite 300, Dayton, OH 45429. CultureWorks “Passport” holders are eligible for 2 for 1 tickets.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Miss Camille’s Dance Program at the OCC. To celebrate there will be a special Alumni Tribute included in the Annual Dance Performance scheduled for Sunday, June 4 at 2 p.m. at Oakwood High School.
Choreographer Pam Ellis will work with Miss Camille and Miss Jodi to honor all alumni including those who have gone on to pursue other activities. They will be included in a short ballet along with those alumni who are currently dancing. We welcome all of the following alumni to participate:
2001
Jillian Ellis, Dani Reese, Lisa Sato, Arianna Tellez, Elizabeth
Schwietzer, Torey Hollingsworth
2002
Amy Bange, Lauren Delea, Kira Fenstermacher, Julia Goff, Brianna
McGhee, Erin Miller, Olivia Morris, Ashley Morrison, Anne Riley,Lauren Smith, Elizabeth Swank
2003
Elizabeth Dickerson, Taylor Garrity, Elisabeth Johnsen, Elizabeth
Evans, Meridith Hollinsgworth, Elli Anne Karras, Caitlin Langhorne,
Michele Lynch, Nora Murphy, Andrea Ohmer, Erica Ohmer, Emily Reed,
Ellie Rodebeck, Siobhan Tellez, Hannah Wagner, Krista Weltner
2004
Christina Borchers, Anna Deitz, Brittany Hemmelgarn, Anne Knapke,
Hunter Morrison, Joanie Payne, Lyndsay Seery
2005
Hannah Brown, Hannah Seyfang,
Katie Hoffman, Ellen Smith, Alexandra
Morris, Sofia Snyder, Jessica Garrity
Rehearsals for current non-dancers will be Friday, June 2; Saturday, June 3 and the performance on Sunday, June 4. Rehearsals for those alumni who are currently dancing will be a bit more involved. We are prepared to work around conflicts as spring is a busy time for everyone. Location and specific dates will be announced soon.
Please visit my website for more information. Use the tab “To The Pointe” for details as they develop. Please e-mail me to let me know you are interested in joining us. It should be fun and I would love to have you!
Web: www.misscamilleballet zoomshare.com
E-mail: camille@ameritech.net
top of page
