Ivo van Hove is
a Belgian avant garde,
experimental director,
who directs classics of
dead playwrights,
according to his own
vision. I have seen
everyone of his
productions
Off-Broadway. Now, he
makes his debut on
Broadway with Arthur
Miller's A View From the
Bridge, at the
Lyceum Theatre. It is
the Young Vic
Production, which won
the Olivier Award in
London. That said, I
must admit that I am not
a fan of his work. The
story is about a
longshoreman (Mark
Strong), who has
raised his niece (Phoebe
Fox) as his daughter
for many years, and has
developed a possessive
love for her. When an
illegal immigrant (Russell
Tovey), staying in
his house in Brooklyn,
wants to become a
citizen by marrying the
young naive 17-year-old
girl, problems ensue.
Like a Greek tragedy,
the ending is sad and
disastrous. The acting
is fine. The production
leaves a lot to be
desired. The scenery is
a box, without
furniture. The cast is
barefoot for
no discernible purpose.
There is an annoying,
throbbing noise in
various scenes. The
ending with a red type
liquid covering the
huddled eight member
cast is ridiculous. Some
productions do not
travel well from England
to America.
I went to a private home
in a penthouse to attend
an operatic concert by
the Kandell
Camerata, who
performed operatic
selections from popular
operas.
Music director and
pianist Michael
Fennelly had
accompanied the cast of
international rising
opera stars for a
concert entitled Libiamo:
Bel Canto Opera Gala on
tour with conductor Lu
Jia and the
Asia Pacific Opera
Association. They had
just returned from
performing two concerts
in China in Macau and
Beijing from August
25-September 4.
Then, Artistic Director Everett
McCorvey presented
members of his National
Chorale, and the
American Spiritual
Ensemble, who sang
spirituals.
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The program concluded with both
singing groups combined performing
selections from Porgy
and Bess and
Michael Fennelly's arrangement of Rhapsody
in Blue. The singing was
marvelous, and the selections were
excellent. Among the guests were
Scottish opera composer Thea
Musgrave, her husband, musician
and former Artistic Director of the
Virginia Opera, Peter
Mark, Dame
Jill Sackler,
whose late husband Arthur is
immortalized by a Museum in his name
in Beijing, and Victor
Callegari, the former Head
Make-up artist of the Metropolitan
Opera. It was the birthday of Alice
Kandell, and she was surprised
with a lovely cake for the occasion.
Alice was the charming hostess of
a delightful evening, with delicious
food and fine wines
The International
Emmy Awards took place at the New
York Hilton Hotel, 1335 Avenue of
the Americas, with twelve awards
being presented by many celebrities. Julian
Fellowes,
Writer & Creator, Downton
Abbey, received
the Founders Award from Elizabeth
McGovern and Gareth
Neame. Michael
Douglas presented
the Directorate Award to Richard
Plepler, Chairman & CEO, Home
Box Office. Among the other winners
were from Norway, Anneke
von der Lippe for Best
Performance by an Actress, and
from Brazil, Emilio
de Mello for Best
Performance by an
Actor. Among the presenters were Patina
Miller, Tovah Feldshuh, George Takei and Lea
DeLaria. An interesting moment
was when I met nominee Will
Jessop, Producer/Director of the
documentary Growing
Up Down's, about
his brother with Down's Syndrome,
starring in the title role in a
theater production of Hamlet. I met
his brother and his mother. They
were a lovely family, and I was very
sorry that they did not win the
Documentary Award, which went
instead to Miners
Shot Down from
South Africa. As always, it was a
wonderful event.
I
hope Everyone enjoyed a Happy
Thanksgiving.
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