VICTOR HERBERT FESTIVAL III

Apr 28 22:26 UTC 2006

  
  
VICTOR HERBERT FESTIVAL III

Fri., May 5 , 8 pm THE IDOL'S EYE (1897)
Sat., May 6, 8pm DREAM CITY AND THE MAGIC KNIGHT (a 2-for-1!) (1906)
Sun., May 7, 3 pm THE PRIMA DONNA (1907)

ADMISSION FREE  DONATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER EACH PERFORMANCE

STEARNS BUILDING Univ. of Mich. North Campus, Corner of Baits and Broadway


The Comic Opera Guild will present its third Victor Herbert Festival in as 
many years. The event, which has resulted in complete recordings of 12 shows 
by the "Father of the American Musical Theater", has now gained something of 
a national following.

Each year, fans of the music of Herbert, who thrived roughly from 1895 to 
1925, come from as far away as New York and California to hear works that 
have never been recorded in their entirety. Most of the music is unknown 
today simply because the recording industry was in its infancy during 
Herbert's heyday, and changing times hindered the shows remaining in the 
repertory.

The project is the brainchild of Adam Aceto, currently the President of the 
Comic Opera Guild. Aceto, with his musical partner Patrick Johnson, are a 
piano duo, and accompany the Guild's singers in the performances. Aceto and 
Johnson create original transcriptions of the shows for two pianos. Many of 
the singers have performed with the Comic Opera Guild for some time, and 
others are brought in to fill out the casts. All are trained professionals 
who perform the music much the way it would have been heard in the early 
part of the 20th century.

This year's shows are examples of Herbert's varying show styles. Herbert 
often found himself tailoring his shows for certain stars, such as Fritzi 
Scheff (opera) and Montgomery and Stone (Vaudeville). The Idol's Eye, one of 
Herbert's first operettas, dates from 1897, and was a vehicle for Frank 
Daniels, a well-known Vaudeville star. The plot in this case was primarily 
an excuse for Daniels to do his comic turns. The script may have changed 
quite a bit onstage, but of this there is no record.

The Prima Donna, which opened in 1907, was intended as the next vehicle for 
Fritzi Scheff, a Metropolitan Opera star. After her success with 
Mademoiselle Modiste in 1905, it was natural to produce a sequel. Herbert 
wrote several shows for opera stars, and they typically had more romantic 
plots and better scripts than his efforts for Vaudevillians.

Dream City and The Magic Knight, from 1906, represents the innovative side 
of Herbert. Like last year's Little Nemo, which was based on a cartoon 
strip, this show was also a novelty, in that it contained within it an 
operatic parody. The Magic Knight makes fun of grand opera, in this case 
Lohengrin, and occurs at a point when the show's hero, a farmer, is forced 
to go to the opera.

The shows will be presented in concert form. Narration and excerpts of 
dialog will fill in the plot of the shows for the enjoyment of the audience. 
The performance will take place at the University of Michigan Stearns 
Building, on the corner of Baits and Broadway. As there is limited seating, 
patrons are advised to come a bit early.



there's a good weekend !!!