ArtsSEntertainment
‘Fausto’ combines 14th, 20th century yarns
Dutch adaptation
alters legendary
context, drama
By Matthew Grant
Staff Reporter
“Fausto,” a contemporary Dutch
opera, held its North American pre
miere in the Lied Center for Perform
ing Arts Saturday, combining stories
from the 14 th and the 20th centuries
with a timeless theme.
This avant-garde performance had
no interval, no scene breaks and, de
spite being billed as “an opera with
bicycles.” no bikes.
The plot centered on the true story
of the tragic love life of Fausto Coppi,
the “campionissimo” of Italian cy
cling.
Coppi falls from grace when he
falls in love with the wrohg woman.
Disgraced in the eyes of the public
and excommunicated by the pope, he
eventually dies after an ill-fated cy
cling race in Africa.
1 he opera is also a re-telling of the
Faust legend—about a man who sells
Courtesy of Johan VigevenoKing
Vincent de Lange, Astrid Seriese, Hans de Vries and Simon Umbrick appear in “Fausto,” an
opera by Harry de Wit.
his soul to the devil for worldly gain.
Harry dc Wit, composer, and Jan
Ritsema, director, took a self-con
sciously modem approach to their
subject, most notably by playing down
the story’s drama.
Each actor was given a particular
part, but they did not play out these
roles. Instead, the six performers al
ternated thesinging of each character’s
lines. This gave an impression of a
story being told rather than acted.
To add to this effect the musicians
were also on the stage, including dc
Wit on piano. The stage was bleak
apart from a few chairs, which the
singers spent most of the show seated
in.
The costuming was not period
clothing, but was deliberately extrava
gant, intended to reflect the deca
dence of pre-war Italy, said Kit
Voorhecs, director of education and
outreach at the Lied, at a pre-perfor
mance speech.
Instead of shaping the highs and
lows of Coppi’s career and love life
into a series of dramatic crescendos,
de Wit stuck to slow, simple melo
dies, apart from one up-tempo pas
sage that represented a cycle race.
The passage was repeated three
times. Its contrast to the rest of the
scoring gave it increased forccfulness
and it seemed to stand for al 1 the drive
behind the ambitious Coppi.
By deliberately avoiding all other
chances for high drama, the produc
tion appeared to be trying to convey
the deeper emotion of the Faust leg
end.
Placed in a modern setting such as
this, the story of Faust becomes pri
marily an examination of ambition
and not the power of evi 1—unless the
two arc inexorably connected.
Part of the desire that feeds Faust
Coppi’s ambition in this opera is the
desire to be loved and worshipped by
the public; but the crowds at the bi
cycle races always prefer his rival,
Bartali.
When Coppi finds true love, the
cost is disgrace in the eyes of the
public and the church. He is forced to
turn his back on public opinion to
pursue his own desires. This final
victory is a lonely one. What dc Wit
seems to imply is that, nonetheless, it
is a victory of greater significance.
Fauslo opened the third annual
Artists of the Lied Festival that vyill
run for the next five months.
Artists deliver spiritual,
passionate performances
CQIMa&i
By Stacey McKenzie
Senior Reporter
Percussionist Kahil El’ Zabar and
Grammy Award-winning tenor saxo
phonist David Murray spun a musical
tale of spirituality Sunday night at the
Carson Theater.
Alone, each performer is passion
ate, but together, they performed with
such concentration that they were able
to simultaneously mesmeri/.e and
shock the audience.
EP Zabar and Murray played eight
selections during the show.
Fiirh cnlnrlmn t-nmn cimilari
lies: a form, harmony and rhythm at
the beginning and ending, and middle
sections that were somewhat soloistic.
“What we arc trying lobe, is free,”
El’ Zabar said during a question-an
swer session that followed the perfor
mance.
Free they were.
El’ Zabar moved freely between
his wide selection of percussion in
struments, many of which were from
Africa. His body was the most promi
nent instrument as every limb moved
to an interna! rhythm.
Murray moved freely over the but
tons of his saxophone. He was all over
it with an intensity that pul the audi
ence on chairs’ edges.
His almost circular breathing, he
said later, is not special, but a com
mon thing among most experienced
saxophonists.
The duct dedicated one song to
jazz greats who have died: Sarah
Vaughn, Dexter Gordon, Eddie
Blackwell and Miles Davis.
They also did something in honor
of the ancestors.
“I always do something for the
ancestors, because without them, we
could not be,” El’ Zabar said.
The duct played for more than 2 1/
2 hours.
El’ Zabar said he wanted to keep
Murray playing as long as he could
because Murray had flown to Ne
braska from Istanbul, Turkey, and
was leaving Monday for Europe.
During the question-answer scs
^inn Viiirr'.iv u/ac 'iclroH okont ihn
spirituality of playing. The music can
become a musician’s religion after
the mechanical sidcof playing isdown
pal, he said.
Jazz is Murray’s religion.
“If I don’t live right, I won’t play
right,’’ he said.
Chicago-born El’ Zahar, who per
formed at UNL last year, is consid
ered one of the most prolific improvi
sationa I jazz innovators of his genera
tion.
In his more than 20-year musical
career, El' Zahar has performed with
Dizz.y Gillespie, Lester Bowie, Stevie
Wonder, Carfnonball Addcrly, Paul
Simon and Nina Simone.
There will be a reception for Kahil
El ’ Zahar from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday
at The Mill, 8th and P streets.
Strong leads dot new releases
Sequel, bio-pic
top out list of
week’s videos .
NEW
RELEASES
By Anne Steyer
Staff Reporter
Finally, a week where there are
actually movies to write about —
the Babe, the bat, the cat and the
penguin, and a little love on ice.
"Ihe Babe" John Goodman
(television’s "Rosanne") stars as
Yankee baseball legend Babe Ruth.
The film follows Ruth from his
troubled childhood to his instanta
neous notoriety as baseball’s
numcro uno slugger, and final ly, to
his retirement from America’s fa
vorite pastime.
As with most bio-pics, this one
takes more than a few liberties with
the truth. But the very talented
Goodman finally gcLs a starring
role — and one that allows him to
shine. "The Babe" also stars Kelly
McGillis ("Top Gun") and Trini
Alvarado ("Stella"). (Available 10/
21)
“Batman Returns” Batman is
back and he’s not alone. Director
Tim Burton and the Caped Cru
sader return to Gotham City with a
cat and a bird in tow.
Danny DeVito is the Penguin, a
supposedly misunderstood orphan
who’s running for mayor with the
help of unscrupulous businessman
Max Shrcck (Christopher Walken
of “The Deerhunter”).
Michelle Pfeiffer is Shreck’s
nervous secretary Selena Kyle, who
finds power and mental imbalance
as Catwoman. Pfeiffer is definitely
the star of this show and provides a
strong, though troubled, female
lead. ,
Bah! to the Batman critics
who’ve booed Michael Keaton as
an ineffectual Batman. Keaton is
sexier than ever, and the chemistry
between him and Pfeiffer is unde
niable.
Burton again provides a richly
dark, artistic film, though he still
has yet to provide continuity or a
strong plot line.
“Batman Returns” is dis
jointed, like a jigsaw puzzle where
none of the pieces lit quite right.
But lake each piece individually,
and you get a tremendous dose of
Burton’s imagery and vision.
Although a disappointment to
some, this one comes highly rec
ommended. (Available 10/21)
“The Cutting Edge” Moira
Kelley and D.B. Sweeney star as a
prima donna figure skater in need
of a partner and an Olympic ex
hockey player in need of a job.
The poor little rich girl must
learn to get along with a blue-collar
sportsman to compete in the rink.
But once together, they cause a
major meltdown while competing
for an Olympic gold.
Comedy, action, and romance
— coupled with some impressive
figure skating — make this one
worth watching. (Available 10/21)
“U2: Achtung Baby; the Vid
eos, the Cameos and a Whole Lot
of Interference From Zoo TV”
This rockumentary begins with a
look at the history of the band,
complete with scenes from the re
cording of “Achtung Baby” in
Berlin, to the touring roadshow of
Zoo TV.
Exclusive footage of "Even Bel
ter Than The Real Thing" and a
nevcr-scen-beforc video for "Until
The end Of The World" are in
cluded. There are numerous inter
view clips also. (Available 10/20)
Visuals, special effects save mediocre horror flick
, I
By Gerry Beltz
Staff Reporter _
One thing is for sure, “Candyman”
(Edgewood 3, Douglas 3) is NOT for
the squeamish.
Set in Chicago, graduate studonts
Hcjcn Lyle (Virginia Madsen of
“Highlander 2” and “The Hot Spot”)
and her friend, Bernadette (Vanessa
Williams), are doing their thesis on
urban legends, with special attention
paid to the mythical Candyman.
A slave killed by an angry mob in
the late 1800s, the Candyman had his
right hand sawed ol I and replaced by
a hook. He then was covered with
bees and subsequently was stung to
death.
Now legend says that if someone
looks into the mirror and says
“Candyman” five times, he will ap
pear “breathing down your neck.”
Helen and Bernadette discover
through their research that the
Candyman is being blamed for a sc
ricsof brutal killings inanothcr part of
town. They investigate and eventu
ally end up in over their heads.
Based on executive produccrClivc
Barker s “The Forbidden,”
“Candyman” eventually falls into the
typical blood-and-gore rut.
Although it has a couple “edge-of
your-seaf‘ moments, it doesn’t have
the atmosphere or suspense needed
for a psychological thriller.
In this. Madsen only pullsa run-of
the-mill performance out of her bag.
However, any performer who is aller
gic to bee venom and allows bees to lx;
poured all over her body definitely
deserves some credit.
In the title role is Tony Todd
(WorPs brother from “Star Trek: The
Next Generation”). His character is
somewhat menacing, but his lime on
screen is very limited. Fortunately,
the Candyman doesn’t plummet into
the wisecracking abyss that many
fiorror movie villains do.
What really helps this movie arc
the special make-up effects from Bob
Keen, some terrific camera work and
an eerie soundtrack from PhilipGIass.
All things considered, the best time
to get a taste of “Candy man” would be
during a matinee showing.