Arts
Entertainment
Wednesday, September 14, 1994
Page 9
sou
Group lives
and performs
by faith in God
By Matt Woody
Senior Editor
Wavnc Bocsigcr. Todd Bocsigcr. Brian
Quadc. Nathan Nelson and Jon Matthews arc
five guys who sing together as Soul Support.
But they credit all of their talent and suc
cess to a sixth, unseen member of the group
— Jesus Christ.
“Without all of the Lord's guidance and
what he does for us. there would be no Soul
Support today." Matthews said.
The group, which performs original a
cappclla Christian music, has come a long
way since it was formed in 1990 as an exten
sion of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's
Men’s Glee Club.
Michael Nuss, at that time the director of
the UNL ensemble, approached Wayne
Bocsigcr to form a small ensemble that would
showcase other types of music at Glee con
certs. Bocsigcr said.
Later, the group became independent of
UNL. and about two years ago. selected its
current name before a performance at Hol
land Reformed Church, south of Lincoln.
“It kind of fit the songs we were si nging at
the time." Quadc said.
Todd Bocsigcr. who sings lead tenor,
added. “It kind of fit us. too. A bit cheesy, but
... there's more to it."
Yes. the five members of Soul Support are
not your ordinary collcgc-agc guys.
“Most people's first impression or stereo
type is not of five young guys out there
singing for the Lord,” Quadc said.
But that's exactly what Soul Support is.
All five agree that being in the group lets
them do the Lord's work, and they couldn't
be happier about it.
“We’re just grateful that in this way. we ll
take a stand for Jesus Christ." Todd Bocsigcr
said.
Damon Lee/D N
Soul Support is five guys "out there singing for the Lord": from left, Jon Matthews, Wayne Boesiger, Nathan Nelson,
Todd Boesiger and Brian Quade.
Busy schedule
The group’s composition evolved slowly
until it took its present form in 1993 with the
addition of Matthews, a baritone.
“We rent Jon.” Quadc joked, “with an
option to buy.”
After Matthews joined last October, the
group began to perform on a regular basis.
Some churches had heard Soul Support.
and wanted it to perform during services.
Service performances gave way to full-length
concerts, and now the group is busy with gigs
on the gospel circuit.
“We’re pretty much booked until March
of next year." Matthews said.
But only on weekends. Soul Support's
five members, all current or former UNL
students, are busy working during the week.
Each has either a full- or part-time job.
These other demands keep Soul Support
in the Midwest. The group's five members
have performed in Colorado, Illinois and all
places in between. But they have received
offers to sing in states as far away as Califor
nia and Connecticut. Their next concert in
See SOUL SUPPORT on 10
Opera company hits high note
By p
Senior
Paula Lavigne
Fortune, music and love of art
llirncd Opera Omaha's 35th anni
versary season into a record-break
ing fiscal year.
Performances of Beethoven's
"Fidclio." Gilbert and Sullivan's
“The Pirates of Penzance" and the
world premiere of Andrew Lloyd
Webber’s “Requiem Variations."
plus a grant from Peter Kiewit and
Sons, resulted in the largest finan
cial surplus in the company's his
tory.
Jane Hill. Opera Omaha's man
aging director, said last season pul
the company financially “around
the comer but not out of the woods
yet.”
"If this year is a healthy season,
it will mean more progress in get
ting ourselves financially solvent
and stable,” she said.
Opera Omaha hopes for an en
core performance of last year's suc
cess as it opens its 36th season on
Sept. 14 with Lchar’s “The Merry
Widow."
"The Merry Widow” is the
comic-romantic tale of an early
1900s love affair between a young
Viennese widow. Anna Glawari.
and her former lover. Count Danilo
Danilovitch.
When the two first meet. Anna is
a poor farm girl and is forbidden to
marry Danilo. They part.
The ambassador of her native
country of Pontcvcdro. Baron
Mirko Zcta. marries Anna o(T to a
millionaire. This husbanddics, and
she is left a wealthy widow.
The plot focuses on Anna's en
during efforts to entice her former
lover back into her arms forever,
while Danilo is too proud to admit
he still loves her.
And the trials of forbidden love
prevail.
Wes Glowers, who starred in
MRcquicm Variations'' last year, will
take a different role in “The Merry
Widow.** fulfilling the duties of
technical director.
Clowers said “The Merry
Widow" was an unusual operetta
because it was entirely in English.
wFor something that is a light
and entertaining piece, it's good to
do it in English, so the audience has
a chance of getting the jokes.”
Great dramatic opera pieces rely
on the fluency and movement of
words and melodies, Clowers said.
Quik Facts
Show: “The Merry Widow”
At: Orphcum Theater,
Omaha
Times: Today and Friday at
7:30 p.m.. Sunday at 2
p.m.
Tickets: Range from $10 to
$50. Available from
STUBS in Omaha
and.it is almost impossible to find
an English translation that will do
justice.
“(The Merry Widow) is not so
much about the poetry of language
as about its entertaining nature and
nature of plot and story .”
Clowers said an operetta rested
between a classic opera and a musi
cal comedy, and it usually appealed
to a broader audience.
“An operetta is a light night out,”
he said. “It’s a Neil Simon kind of
opera. It has the comic plot together
with beautiful music. It's a very
seriously touching love afTair.”
Diane Alexander and James
See OPERA on 10
“Cracked Rear View”
Hootie and the Blowfish
Atlantic Records
Grade: B
Thcrc must be some competi
tion out there Tor the band with the
most eccentric name. Hootie and
the Blowfish have been looking at
the world lately through their
“Cracked Rear View.”
This mel low alter native group
just released its debut album on
Atlantic Records. The record starts
off strong but tapers down to me
diocrity.
The compact disc's first rc
- lease. “Let Her Cry,” is a great
tune that accentuates the unique
vocals of Darius Rucker, the
band’s lead singer. Rucker'scom
manding voice is the only strength
present in all of the songs.
Another strong track. “Hold
My Hand.” features supporting
vocals by David Crosby. The band
calls this tune its “save the world
song" because of its simplistic
r
message, telling listeners to stop
whining about how bad things arc
and do something.
“Only Wanna Be With You” is
a faster-paced song with a catchy
refrain. The band shows that it can
make some great music but with
out much diversity.
About the only song that shows
any change is “Running From an
Angel,” a backwoods tune with
some heavy hillbilly instrumenta
tion.
The second half of the album is
mundane. The standout songs arc
“Drowning,” a heavier tune, and
the final track. “Goodbye.” a mel
low piece with some sweet piano
instrumentation that makes a great
finale.
“Cracked Rear View” is not a
fantastic work of art, but it does
have some songs that are worth
lendingan ear toward, and it makes
for a commendable debut effort.
— Joel Strauch