o
Machine to save mankind
. . .a smoking contraption
that Tom is lead to believe
will make bread out of
stone.
Photos by Dan Ladely
"Tom Rakewell," . .
who squanders an entire
fortune in the houses and
taverns of 18th century
London
M
usic department produces opera extravaganza
BY CHARLIE HARPSTER
Staff Writer
Some people are going to
call The Rake's Progress an
opera.
They might as well call The
Ten Commandments a
documentary, or Around the
World in 80 Days a travelogue.
The Rake's Progress is an
extravaganza.
With characters called Baba
The Turk (a bearded lady),
Mother Goose, Nick Shadow,
Tom Rakewell and Ann
Truelove; and with a set design
out of Dante's Inferno, Auntie
Mame, and the inspiration of
set designer Dean Tschetter,
the word "opera" becomes
inadequate.
It might be better to think
of words like "slapstick," or
"bawdy," or "lavish," or
"tongue-in-cheek."
The Rake's Progress is a
modern opera, as operas go,
written in 1953. It is actually a
parody of operas, making fun
of opera conventions,
Tschetter said. Directed by
John Zei, it is put on by the
NU school of music.
The music is by Igor
Stravinsky, whose music is said
to have influenced the rock
opera "Jesus Christ ,
Superstar," and the music of
Frank Zappa.
The theme is the moral
deterioration of Tom
Rakewell. Through the
encouragement of Nick
Shadow, who is actually Satan
in disguise, Tom "squanders an
entire fortune in the bawdy
houses and taverns of merry
old 18th century London."
The set cost more than
$1,200, and costumes cost
about $1,000. according to
Tschetter.
Tschetter said the ideas for
KOSMET KLUB PRESENTS
TRYOUTS FOR THE ROCK OPERA
OMflY
DATE:
FEBRUARY 3rd & 4th -6:00- 8:30 p.m.
FEBRUARY 7th - 2:00 - 5:30 p. m.
PLACE:
3rd & 4th-Rocm 119 Westhrodc
Music Building
7th Student Union
NEEDED:
.Dancers, Singers, Actors
BRING ONLY YOURSELVES
EVERYONE WELCOME
the settings came to him while
listening to Stravinsky's music.
And, his ideas came to life
through the work of Steve
Rippe, the technical director,
who built the sets.
As a result of their work,
one scene has a satire of a
nude bacchanalian couple the
size of King and Queen Kong,
and an immolation scene of
Nick being swallowed by the
gaping jaws of Hell. Another
scene has "the machine to save
mankind," a smoke-puffing
contraption that Tom is lead to
believe will make bread out of
stone.
The production is set apart
in other ways.
Each major role has two
actors, who perform on
alternate nights to allow more
music students to participate
and to give performers a
breather between shows,
Tschetter said.
And alt hough Tom
progresses to a tragic end, an
epilogue is provided where the
performers come back on the
stage, remove their makeup
and supply a happier ending.
Tickets for the
performances, running
Wednesday through Saturday
at Kimball Recital Hall at 8 p.
m., are on sale in 123
Westbrook Music Building.
Reservations can be made by
calling 472-3375. Students
$1.50, non-students $2.
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434-7421
54th & 0 Street
STAHTS
FRIDAY
012X2
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PAGE 2
THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1971
