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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 11, 1993)
Daily Nebraskan Monday, October 11,1993 Arts Entertainment Page photo courtesy IMG Artists Violinist Leila Josefowicz performed at the Lied Center for Performing Arts Friday Night. Josefowicz is 16-years-old. 16-year-old wields a mean bow Concert review Child prodigies have a hard life. They work tirelessly to perfect their art—-and then get written off as just the latest kid performer. Leila Joscfowicz plays violin and at 16 is already developing a powerful and passionate style. She is well on the way to being something much more than the lat est new kid on the block. J o se fo w i c z, w h o pe r lb r m e d F r i - day night at the Lied Center, began her national career at 10. She began practicing the violin at age T She has performed under some big-name conductors, including Leonard Slalkin and James DePreist. Accompanying her for several numbers on piano was John Novacck, a composer and accom plished performer with a some what overstated playing style. Joscfowicz. opened the show with two sonatas for violin anil piano—the first by Mozart and the second by Gabriel Faure. Though admirably executed, neither pf these pieces showcased the violinist. It wasn’t until the second half of the program that Joscfowicz began to show her col ors. She performed the “Sonata No. 4 for Solo Violin, Op. 27” by Eu gene Ysaye passionately and with great energy. Joscfowicz wrestled with the music, almost in rebellion against the notes. During the last movement, her face visibly Hushed. She appeared to win her battle with the music and draw it under her rein. It is this kind of playing, not mere accuracy of notes and time signatures, that makes for a com pelling and evocative performance. Then in two pieces by Igor Stravinsky — particularly the “Danse Russc” from the “Petroushka” ballet — she again showed her audience the struggle between artist and art. The piece, famous to baby boomers and theirdescendants from “CJilligan’s Island” (I ask to be. or not to be/That is the question that I ask of me), could have been me chanically performed — it is alter all the dance of mechanical pup pets. Hut Josefowic/.’s performance was joyous and human and impas sioned. Her performance, in fact, brought something to the music that audiences might not have heard before. In light of the second halfof the show, the first seemed blase and predictable. Is this the old theory at work: that audiences have lobe “warmed up” at the beginning it they are to participate by the end? Or is it that Josefowic/ is not fully confident as yet in her own power to win an audience? If the latter, she should fear no more. The work on stage m the last halfol Friday night’sshow won her an enthusiastic standing ovation from a Lincoln crowd, something that not even some of the greats can boast. —Mark Baldridge Pumpkins send crowd into frenzy 0 Concert 1 review A swarm of sweat-drenched, writh ing Smashing Pumpkins Ians wit nessed one of the most powerlul shows to grace Omaha’s Peony Park, and the entire area, m a long while on Thurs day. Despite an overloaded, bass-rid den sound system, the Chicago band delivered a high-intensity perfor mance, dcfyingclaims that the Pump kins can't hack it live. The first note ol the Pumpkins' first song.'T leek LISA." set oil a near violent pit that cl id not slow down all night. As the temperature rose, so did the pace of the set. hammering out songs like "Hummer and ‘Mayonnaise" and mcsmeri/mglhe crowd with I )is arm." which turned mio a massne sing-along w ith chic! Pumpkin Id!\ (organ. linger ami guitarist <. organ, along withguilarist.lames lha,bassist I) arcs and drummer Jimmy C hamberlin, invaded Omaha as pari ol a whirlu md lour supporting “Siamese Dream," the band’s recently released album on Virgin Records. The set was surprisingly well exe cuted, considering ihe heavily lay ered sound found on the album. Other pleasers included “Quiet" and, from the Pumpkins’ first album “(iish,” “1 Am One" and “Siva." The crowd reached the crushing point as those unfortunate to find them selves against the stage would testify — with “Cherub Rock.” ^ The band used no clever nor excit ing stage antics, with Corgan choos ing instead to shoot spooky looks at the crowd, occasionally dancing like a drugged rag doll and D arcy spend ing most of the show examining the floor or the wall beside her. But the Smashing Pumpkins left the crowd in a bloodied trance brought on solely by the band’s mastery ol transcendental rock and roll. The sign outside Peony Park I hurs day read “Puppet Show with Smash ing Pumpkins,” spoofing the point in the classic film “This is Spinal Tap" when a huge band was on its way down — if Omaha's reaction is any indication. Smashing Pumpkins is surely on its way up. — Glenn Antonucci Twelfth Night opens with great set, cogent acting theater review uinl s I hursday night opening pcrlormancc of “Twelfth Night” was slightly marred by squeaky seats, tweeting birds and discourteous University Foundations students. Despite the low points, the University The atre Arts and Dance’s season opener had its share of highlights as well. I wo of those were terrific costumes designed by UNL Theatre professor Janice Stauffer — and a terrific panoramic'sel, cour tesy of another professor, UNL newcomer C huck O’Connor. As with most of Shakespeare’s plays, ” Iwelfth Night” has three stories running si multaneously, each one providing important bits and pieces for the others. Of course, the play alsoemploys other Shakespeare standards, including faked letters, disguises and mistaken identity. I lie intertwining stories are set in the make believe land ol Illyria A duke’s unrequited b'^e for a lady, a slnpwrecked young woman s escapades in drag and the beleaguered troubles of a lady’s manservant all combine for comedy and drama. UNI. graduate Eric Thompson is Duke Orsino, a man whose love for the lady Olivia (Missy Thibodeaux) is completely rejected. Olivia’s scorn is not a response to any character Haws, but instead, a matter of the heart — she believes she is completely incapable of loving him. Their story is further complicated by the arrival of Viola (Joan Korte)—a young woman who is shipwrecked and disguises herself as a man. Viola becomes a messenger for the duke, and soon becomes entangled in his love affair with Olivia. Meanwhile, she mourns her broth er, who she believes drowned in the shipwreck. And finally, there is the comic mess with Olivia’s manservant Malvolio (Dean Houser), who finds himself the butt of pranks and jokes from the play’s merry band of buffoons and tricksters. The comical characters include Sir Toby Belch (Patrick Tuttle), Sir Andrew Aguecheek (S.R. Bigelow), Olivia’s lady-m waitmg Maria (Amy (Jaiiher-Hayes) and l este (Troy Marlin), the jester. While most of the characters cross storylines > See NIGHT on 11 David Badders/DN