Reviews get feedback
Bar, ‘Don Pasquale’ critics blasted by readers
‘Pasquale’ critic
lacked knowledge,
opera experience
I’ve read with some amusement
and a great deal of dismay many of
the arts reviews in the Daily Nebras
kan and willingly attributed it to a
lack of experience or unfamiliarity
with the vehicle presented on the parts
of student reviewers. However, Julie
Naughton’s irresponsible review (Daily
Nebraskan, Nov. 12) of last week
end’s “Don Pasquale” opening sim
ply must be addressed.
Let me emphasize that I had noth
ing to do with the production as a
School of Music faculty member. She
is correct in saying the opera’s plot is
a dud (mos; operas are) and I agree
that collegiate productions should be
presented in their original language.
However, the compensatory action
on stage — especially the commedia
dcH’aric touches — was enlivening
and, for observant spectators, just plain
funny.
The orchestra played bravely, not
beautifully. The singers were not too
soft; in many cases, the orchestra was
too loud. Diction, for the most part,
was excellent — even from the cho
rus. The variety of voice types was
particularly noteworthy.
If Ms. Naughton gleans her im
pressions from intermission chit-chat,
I’d advise her to seek out people from
whom she can gain knowledgeable,
but not partial or prejudicial, infor
mation. Sending some people to re
view an opera is as misguided as
sending me to review a football game.
I may enjoy it— win or lose — but I
don’t get too critical given my lack of
expertise.
James Hejduk
associate professor
music
Review was not
music criticism,
or good journalism
Wo write in response to Julie
Naughton’s Nov. 12 review ol “Don
Pasquale” presented by the School of
Music.
Ms. Naughton tailed to address all
pertinent issues regarding direction,
staging, scenery, costumes, acting,
musicality, interpretation, etc. What
she has given us is a look at her
“lukewarm” response to the most
accessible style of opera. Unfortu
nately, her response is indicative of
the 20th century public’s response to
art music in general, and opera in
specific.
Perhaps if Ms. Naughton had first
educated herself, which is a journal
ist’s responsibility, she could have
posed more interesting questions than
what may have motivated the audi
ence to attend.
For instance, she could have asked
what cuts, if any, were made in the
original music and libretto? Was the
use of soft backdrops, as opposed to
more solid dramatic scenery in keep
ing with the light-hearted style of
comic opera? (She thought they
“looked unprofessional.”) If the “pace”
of the production was not adequate to
hold the reviewer’s attention, and by
extension the audience’s, is that the
fault of the composer or the director?
(She blamed the composer.) Can the
success of a performance, or the quality
of individual performances, be meas
ured by the size of the audience on
opening night? (She seems to think so
as per her opening paragraph.) Or,
can we expect an individual voice to
out-sing an entire orchestra?
We agree with her observation that
there were some imbalances here.
However, there are limits to what
even the most highly developed oper
atic voice can achieve. Wouldn’t ?t
make more sense to ask the orchestra
to tone it down? But then, not much of
her review made any sense. For ex
ample, if Ms. Naughton felt that the
plot was easy to “get lost in” what
rationale could she possibly have for
requesting to see it done in Italian?
Perhaps she also feels that the theater
department’s recent productions of
the works of Chekov should have
been done in Russian! We question
her definition of “professional,” and
propose that she confuses the profes
sional with the dramatic. Apparently,
she perceives humor, minimal props,
and soft-drops as deficiencies. Again,
she failed to ask whether the appear
ance of the set isn’t in keeping with
thecommediadell’arte style. Shealso
failed to observe that the simple, but
sincere humor of this 19th century
(not 18th century) opera reflects a
different age than our own; she never
considers the possibility that if the
production failed to hold her atten
tion it is not the fault of the opera, but
the result of a la/.y mind that has been
lulled by a culture’s passion for overt
and easy entertainment, as found in
the quick-fix 30-minute sit-com, to
which she so readily compares it.
Notice, she never mentions whether
this “comic” opera ever even made
her laugh.
Wc feel that Stephen Bobst’s per
formance was not the only notewor
thy one. Both Kurck and Rook dis
played accomplished lyricism and
vocal facility, particularly in their
exquisite love scene duet, which by
the way was in Italian. Konvahn, as
Dr. Malatcsta also gave a solid per
formance. By Sunday’s performance
Kon valin had overcome the orchestra
and volume — handicapped by the
sheer precision of his diction!
Ms. Naughton has a lot of nerve to
assume that the whole audience fell
asleep as she was prone to do. Her
lack of interest surely stems from her
lack of knowledge of the subject. Her
assumptions as to why the audience
was in attendance were irrelevant to
any serious music criticism, but they
are certainly a clue that she resented
being required to attend for the sake
of writing a review.
We agree with one other assess
ment: The music department needs
better publicity of its student produc
tions. But this superficial fault is no
criterion by which to judge the value
of Donizette’s opera as a “showcase”
for student talent, which she attempted
to do. She only needed to read the
program notes to know that “at any
rate, and in any form, Don Pasquale.
.. is one of the brightest jewels of the
crown of the comic opera repertoire.”
Granted, Ms. Naughton is an un
fortunate victim of an era that does
not aspire to mature insight, which
has traded its invaluable arts for the
immediate profits of the popular.
However, that does not excuse her
I.
from the fact that her review is nei
ther music criticism, nor good jour
nalism. If she had been slightly in
formed, she could have at least asked
interesting questions. Then perhaps
her review would not have lacked the
enthusiasm that she simply failed to
perceive in Friday’s performance.
Eileen Bockheim
doctoral candidate
school of music
Lynn Jacobson
master of music
alumni
Drinkin’ review
should stress bar
diversity, benefits
Well, it appears to be that time
again. When the Daily Nebraskan
reporters huddle up, discuss their game
plan, and then break to the local hooch
parlors for a couple of hours, time
enough to gather information for their
“review” of the establishment, I as
sume. Unfortunately, their lack of
research and obvious narrow-minded
ness has resulted in the largest insult
of the year, thus far.
I’ve been disappointed, as I’m sure
many others have been as well, in
various reviews and articles you have
printed in the past. Now, I’m afraid,
you have hit an all-time low.
In your Nov. 8 edition of the Arts
and Entertainment supplement Di
versions, aptly titled, “Drinkin’ in
Lincoln,” the focus was placed on the
bar scene of downtown Lincoln. You
provided a brief review of just a hand
ful of local pubs/clubs that was, to say
the least, in poor taste. I’d rather not
go into any detail on any one article in
particular, but would instead ques
tion your motives on grossly unfavor
able reviews. I don ’t really think these
bars deserve such insults and I’m quite
sure that not one of your reporters
thought to look at the big picture
before abusing these night spots. I’ll
do my best to provide you with this
“better late than never” insight.
Lincoln is a thriving college town.
On almost any given night a student
can find an in-house or backyard party
complete with an assortment of at
tractive males and females and a
charitable amount of alcohol to be
consumed. But soonor or later, after
nine or ten ol these get-togethers, one
tends to desire something more. That’s
where the bars come in handy! Be
lieve it or not, for those who arc “of
-- ' "H
age” and even the lucky few who
aren’t, the bar scene seems to be the
popular choice of partying these days.
So why may I ask would the most
influential piece of mass media on
campus make a conscious effort to
degrade these establishments? I’ll
admit, not everyone can fit into the
selective crowd at O’Rourkes, arid
not everyone can tolerate the alterna
tive sounds of The Underground, but
that’s the beauty of living in Lincoln.
Within five square blocks ol pave
ment, a person can hit more than a
dozen different bars and clubs that’ll
satisfy anyone’s needs. Whether it’s
pool, darts, shuffleboard, comedy,
dancing, blues or just plain socializ
ing — downtown Lincoln has got it
all! Why not let the students decide
for themselves which places to avoid
and which places to call home?
I have only t wo pieces of advice to
offer:
• Show a little respect for those
establishments that trust their adver
tising with you. !i’s just not good
business to bite the hand that feeds
you.
• Pardon my lack of a better phrase,
and if I may be so bold as to speak for
the licensed establishments of Lin- .
coin, if you don’t like the way the
businesses are being run, then please
stay the hell out!
Negative publicity is tolerated by
none, especially if it comes from a
source with its own chequered past.
Chris Humphrey
senior
psychology
Mid West National Life
Students Health and Accident Insurance
UNL has tried to find a medical plan to suit the needs of most of our
students, graduate or undergraduate. Mid West Student Insurance Com
pany and the University Health Center arc working together to provide
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in conjuncion with the Student health Center fees to provide the best
medical care available and as economical as possible.
The student is required to seek treatment at University Health Center
whenever possible. To effectively utilize this policy your Health Center
Ices must be paid. In the event of an emergency, if you arc more than 50
miles from UHC, or when a referral has been obtained from a IJHC
physician, there is a $75.00 deductible and MOST charges arc paid at
80%.
Dependent coverage is also available for an additional preminium.
The policy is designed to help off-set the cost of major medical care and
hospitalizations. It docs not cover routine physicals, dental visits or
prescriptions. Dependents must use community medical resources, and
the deductibles will apply.
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November 24, 1990
RATES: Student Only $84.00
Student/ Spouse $297.00
Add for Each Child $94.00
Semi- Annual Coverage will begin
February 24,1991
Spring - Summer Coverage begins 1/1^4/91
Dcaiailed information and rates arc available by mail or at the Student
Health Center. There is also a 24 -hour information line you can call at
472-7437.
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