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thursday, October 26, 1 972
lincoln, nebraska vol. 96, no. 31
Nixon worried,
Berg charges
by Steve Arvanette
Darrel Berg, First Congressional District
Democratic candidate, told a group of University
students Wednesday night that America is "getting
closer to peace" in Southeast Asia.
"Mr. Nixon may have a chance to pull it out
before the election," Berg said before a small turn-out
of 30 people in the Nebraska Union ballroom.
"I wonder if Mr. Nixon isn't a little bit worried
about Watergate, the ITT scandal, and the wheat
sale." Berg said.
! He speculated Nixon was using an end to the
Vietnam conflict as a "trump card" in the campaign.
"If peace comes I'll be the happiest person in
Lincoln," Berg said. He added, however, that it would
be "bittersweet."
Berg noted President Eisenhower needed only four
months to end the Korean War but Nixon has taken
four years.
"Mr. Nixon has yet to prove he intends to end the
war," he said.
Concerning an end to the war, Berg said his
opponent, incumbent Republican Charles Thone, has
voted against seven amendments to end funding of
the conflict.
"This isn't an isolated fanatical fringe of
congressmen urging an end to the war," Berg said.
If elected, Berg said one of his first concerns as
congressman would be tax reform.
"We already have the revenue available if we'd
make some courageous attempts at closing loop
holes," Berg said.
The Democratic candidate said he does not favor
ending all 56 loop holes which cost the government
$66 billion in lost revenue annually.
However, he advocated closing eight "major loop
. holes" which would bring $22 billion in added federal
revenue.
Saying he is "really committed" to the concept of
the family farm, Berg charged the Nixon
administration with "administering last rights" to the
family farm.
"If we destroy the atmosphere that has created
them (family farms) we will take away these
individuals personalities, Berg said.
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Democratic candidate Berg . . . "Mr. Nixon has yet to prove he intends to end the war."
During his campaigning through the 27-countv
eastern Nebraska district, Berg said he has found the
state's small towns "eloquent and beautiful."
Berg said if elected, he would attempt to be placed
on the 36-member House Agriculture Committee. He
criticized Thone for not attempting to be placed on
the committee.
Noting that the First District is listed as one of the
nation's 31 agriculture districts, Berg said a Nebraska
congressman has a "primary obligation" to serve on
the agriculture committee.
Saying "it takes talent, to vote against clean
water," Berg criticized Thone for failing to support
the Clean Water Act.
The 52-year-old Berg took a leave of absence seven
months ago as a Methodist minister. He's described
the differing jobs "like the difference between touch
and tackle football."
Before the campaign, Berg said he was told it
would take $80,000 to finance a campaign. So far, he
says he's received nearly $16,000 and "spent every
dime of it."
Berg speculated his opponent Thone will possibly
spend three times as much money in his attempt at
re-election.
Rather than the present form of campaign
financing, Berg recommended a "public system of
campaign finance" with each candidate receiving an
equal sum of public funds at the start of the
campaign.
"There are no two subjects more important to the
welfare of the country than religion and politics,"
Berg said.
One reason people are hesitant to talk about
politics Berg speculated is because they "sometimes
feel guilty."
Terming it his own 1 1th commandment, Berg said,
"No person is grown up until he's politically aware."
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'Giovanni' teaching aid
in UNL School of Music
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Jim Johnson and Dean Tschetter . . . prepare a statue that comes
alive in "Don Giovannia."
by Carolyn Hull
A man sets out with the goal of
conquering every woman (maiden or
otherwise) in the world. To make sure
he doesn't pursue the same woman
twice, he has a friend keep a neat little
list of them. That's the plot, and it's
not a film running at a local movie
house.
Instead, it's onstage next week at
Kimball Recital Hall as the Opera
Company presents Mozart's Don
Giovanni, better known as the exploits
of the legendary Don Juan.
Don Giovanni with music by
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and
libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte is a
retelling of the Don Juan legend in the
large "grand opera" style.
In places it's funny. Once the Don
runt off to seduce another woman,
leaving his manservent to calm the one
he has just left. At a loss as to how to
manage this, the manservant pulls out
the list of conquests to assure her she
is not the only woman the Don has
betrayed. Instead, this enrages her
even more.
It's tragic too. The Don is pulled
into hell as the just reward for his
antics. The blend of comedy and
tragedy makes it what some call the
most perfect opera ever written.
Musicologists have a high opinion of
both its dramatic and musical
elements, according to Richard Grace,
music and orchestra conductor.
Mozart's gift for writing a melody is
one reason his operas are
successful.Grace said. A singer is much
more dependent on a well-written tune
than an orchestra, Grace continued.
But, he added, this also makes
Mozart's music more difficult to play
and sing because mistakes are heard.
The production of Don Giovanni is
only a small part of the opera training
program in the UNL School of Music.
The program, built by John Zei and
Grace, begins by training the young
singer. He starts in small roles and class
scenes which give him experience
singing roles onstage and expose him
to as much opera as possible.
The educational aspect is
considered in choosing the operas each
season.
"This (Don Giovanni) is something
the young singer can achieve. On the
whole it doesn't put an exceptional
strain on the male or female voice,"
Grace said. He said Giovanni's strong
melody line helps Uyiinmiy voices.
Both Grace and Zei emphasized
that the opera also is for the audience.
They said they hoped traditional
misconceptions, such as statuesque
ladies in horned Viking helmets, would
not keep the students from attending.
"We want to give Mozart the
absolute best to go with his well-done,
sophisticated style of composing," said
Zei, director.
"We're changing the drama to a
more realistic style for those interested '
in the present day. The actions will
flow as much as possible, getting out
the static presentation of the action
stopping while one character steps to
the edge of the stage and sings an
aria," Zei said.
Both hastened to add that all UNL
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