UMS Concert Program, July 16, 1984: Inn Ummer Arbor -- The Northwood Orchestra

Power Center For The Performing Arts Ann Arbor, Michigan

Presented by
the university
MUSICAL SOCIETY OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
The Northwood Orchestra
DON JAEGER Music Director and Conductor
Sherrill Milnes
Baritone
Monday Evening, July 16, 1984, at 8:00
Power Center for the Performing Arts
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Homage a Mozart...................................................Jacques Ibert
(18901968)
"Deh vieni alia finestra" from Don Giovanni "Finch' han dal vino" from Don Giovanni "Rivolgete a lui lo sguardi," K. 584
. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (17561791)
"O, du mein holder Abendstern" from Tannh'duser....................Richard Wagner
Sherrill Milnes, Baritone (18131883)
Symphony No. 3, "The Camp Meeting".................................Charles Ives
(18741954) Old Folks Gatherin' Children's Day Communion
INTERMISSION
Don Quichotte a Dulcinee...........................................Maurice Ravel
(18751937) Chanson romanesque Chanson epique Chanson a boire
Sherrill Milnes
La Boeuf sur le toit ...............................................Darius Milhaud
(18921974)
Bois Epais.....................................................JeanBaptiste Lully
(16321687)
"O Richard, O mon Roi" from Richard Coeur de Lion..................Andre Gretry
Sherrill Milnes (17411813)
You are invited to join Sherrill Milnes tomorrow afternoon at 4:00, when he will introduce his film Homage to Verdi--in the W. K. Kellogg Building Auditorium, Fletcher Street at North University, free admission.
This concert is made possible, in part, by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Northwood Institute.
Sherrill Milnes is now at the height of an extraordinary career that has taken him from midwest America (he grew up on a farm in Downers Grove, Illinois) to the great opera houses and concert halls of the world. He is the leading baritone of the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Vienna Staatsoper, Chicago Lyric, and the opera companies of Paris, San Francisco, Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Salzburg. Among his major festival appearances in this country are the Hollywood Bowl, Ravinia, Tanglewood, Robin Hood Dell, Saratoga, Wolf Trap, and Blossom. He has sung with the major orchestras of the United States, including the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic The most recorded opera star ever, he has been engaged by every major record company, with more than sixty recordings encompassing all areas of the vocal repertoire-opera, symphony, lieder, and oratorio. Mr. Milnes is the recipient of several honorary doctorate degrees, and in December 1983 he was awarded the title of Commander of Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy, in recogni?tion of his love and dedication to Italian music.
Milnes took violin and piano lessons from early childhood and studied voice for twelve years. In high school, he won the State Music Contest in five separate categories--tuba in the brass sextet, viola in the string quartet, concertmaster of the orchestra, first chair tuba in the band, and as a vocal soloist. He entered Drake University--intending to be a music teacher--and graduated with top honors in all subjects. After additional voice courses at Northwestern University under Hermanus Baer, he took his first professional singing job with the Margaret Hillis Choir, which is attached to the Chicago Symphony. In 1960 Milnes joined Boris Goldovsky's Grand Opera Theater. It was with this company that he first appeared in Ann Arbor (in 1962) singing the role of Germont in La Traviata. The rest is history: his New York City Opera debut in 1965; his portrayal at the Met of Iago in the 1972 Franco Zeffirelli production of Otello; his debuts in London (1969), Vienna Opera (1970), Covent Garden (1971), Hamburg (1973), Paris Opera (1975), Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires (1977), and La Scala (1978), to mention a few highlights.
This evening's performance marks the baritone's ninth appearance in Ann Arbor.
Don Jaeger has appeared as guest conductor with such orchestras as the Detroit and Chattanooga Sym?phonies, the Aspen Festival Orchestra, and abroad with the Philharmonic Orchestras of Antwerp and Lisbon and the State Orchestra of Thessolaniki. As conductor of the Midland (Michigan) Symphony prior to his current position, Mr. Jaeger was responsible for commissioning many works by American composers, including Lukas Foss, Dave Brubeck, Alec Wilder, and Leslie Bassett. He also directed the Northwestern Michigan Sym?phony before helping to found the Northwood Orchestra. In the spring of 1981 he was invited to the People's Republic of China, where he lectured, taught, and conducted. Recently Mr. Jaeger accepted the position of music director and conductor of the orchestra in San Bernadino, California.
The Northwood Orchestra, a Michiganbased professional chamber orchestra, was founded in 1979 for the Northwood Institute Festival of the Lakes. It now performs in major cities across the country, with such renowned soloists as Lorin Hollander and Youri Egorov. Two New York appearances have highlighted the Or?chestra's short history: In April 1981 the ensemble appeared with the Canadian Brass in a concert of twentieth century music at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, and they returned to New York in April 1983 to perform in Carnegie Hall at the presentation of the Albert Schweitzer Music Award to Van Cliburn. Soloists for the latter performance included Leontyne Price, Ralph Votapek, and Steven de Groote.
This evening's performance marks the Orchestra's fourth Ann Arbor concert and Mr. Jaeger's fifth ap?pearance under University Musical Society auspices.
The Northwood Orchestra
First violins
Norman Paulu
Concerlmasier Philip Mason
Associate Concertmaster Renaia Artman Knific Roderick Bieber Margaret Chapman Cooper Amy Shevrin
Second violins
Joel Levin Mclanic Levin Julia C. Kurtyka Stephanie Preucil
Violas
Anne Hegel Clough Margaret Lang Van Lunen Carol Grohs Reed Anderson
'Principal
Cellos
Crispin Campbell Elizabeth Chryst Waller Preucil Stephen Kanack
Basses
Rip Pretac Duanc Rosengard
Flutes
Jacqueline Hofto Darlene Drew
Oboes
Catherine Paulu Nancy Brammer
Clarinets
Frank Kowalsky Mark Gallagher
Bassoons
Elizabeth Johnson Drew Hinderer
Horns
?William Coffindaffer Karl Hill
Trumpets
Dennis Horton Larry Herman
Trombone David Sporny TUba John R. Bland
Timpani David Wiles
Percussion Eric Schweikert
Harp
Ann Preucil
Personnel Manager and Librarian
Julia C. Kurlyka
Stage Manager Donald Beyer
Technician Eric Paulu
General Manager John R. Bland
VOCAL NOTES AND TRANSLATIONS
Mozart: "Deh vieni alia finestra" from Don Giovanni
In the second act, Don Giovanni pursues his course of frivolity as he turns his attentions to the servant maid of his former mistress, Donna Elvira. To clear the way, he per?suades his valet Leporello to exchange clothing with him and to station him?self beneath Elvira's balcony window, while he, the Don, utters words of tenderness and feigned repentance. Elvira descends to the garden where Leporello receives her with mock pro?testations of love. As they leave the scene, Don Giovanni is free to woo the servant maid with this charming serenade:
"From out your window smile down at me, while I sing this song with sighs of love. I would move your heart, for you have quite undone me. Grant me your love and pity, you who are fairer than the rose, sweeter than honey, and whose voice is more subtle than a zephyr. Descend my love, I entreat you, before death ends my torments."
Mozart: "Finch1 han dal vino" from Don Giovanni
Also known as the Champagne Aria} "Finch1 han dal vino" is sung by Don Giovanni to his valet Leporello, in which he, the Don, gives orders for a party to which he has invited all the peasants. The amorous Don plans his festive evening (with the aid of musicians and his wine cellar):
"Now that the wine has set their heads whirling, go and prepare a won?derful party. If, on the way, you meet some young lady, try also to bring her along. Let the dancing be spontan?eous. They can do the minuet, the gavotte, or the waltz, just as you like. And I, in the meantime, behind the scenes, will be flirting with this one and that one. Ah, to my list tomorrow morning you will have to add at least ten names!"
Mozart: "Rivolgete a lui lo sguardi," K. 584
Mozart originally intended that this big aria be included in the opera Cosi fan tutte, but he replaced it with a shorter aria at the premiere, an aria which is still most often used. The reason was that "Rivolgete" was of such large dimension that it tended to break the dramatic flow. Alfred Einstein, the most famous of all Mozart experts, calls it the most remarkable buff a aria ever written. Today it stands on its own as one of Mozart's major concert arias.
In Cosi, Guglielmo and Ferrando, two offi?cers, appear in oriental disguise to test the fidelity of their fiancees, Fiordiligi and Dorabella. In exaggerated gestures and words, Guglielmo does his utmost to win the girls: "My sighs are of fire, my desires as strong as bronze. In wealth, we are like Croesus; in beauty, like Narcissus; in love, even Marc Antony would seem ridiculous compared to us." Deep down, he is anxious lest the girls will fall for the bragging. At the end of the aria, he allows himself to exult quietly; the answer was disdain on the girls' part. But the triumph was premature -soon his friend's fiancee, Dorabella, falls in his arms, "...that's the way they all do."1
Wagner: "0, du mein holder Abendstern" from Tannhaueer
In Scene 1 of Act III, Elisabeth, in love with the wayward Tannhauser, is praying before a crucifix for her release from the world and her salvation. The minstrel, Wolfram, primarily a poet and artist with deep sensitivity, is secretly but hopelessly in love with her. As he stands at a distance sorrowfully watching her, twilight falls over the valley. Taking up his harp, Wolfram sings this wonderfully expressive apostrophe to the evening star, now glowing in the darkening sky, asking it to calm Elisabeth's spirit and to guide her soul to heaven. This scene stands unsurpassed in Wagner's operas for its sheer beauty, simplicity, and deep expressiveness.
Ravel: "Don Quichotte a Dulcine'e"
Chanson vomanesque (Romanesque Song)
If you should tell me that the earth offended you by so much revolving, I would hurry Sancho Panza away; you would see it still and silent. If you should tell me that boredom comes upon you through the too starsown sky, I'd tear God's firma?ment apart and reap the night with one stroke. If you should tell me that space thus void pleases you not at all, as God's knight, spear in hand, I would star the passing breeze. But if you should say that my blood is more mine than yours, my lady, I would pale at the reproach and I would die, blessing you. Oh, Dulcinea!
Chanson epique (Epic Song)
Good St. Michael who gives me leave to see my lady and listen to her; good St. Michael who deigns to choose me to oblige and defend her; good St. Michael, please descend with St. George upon the
altar of the bluemantelled Madonna. With a celestial beam, bless my blade and its equal in purity and its equal in piety as in modesty and chastity: my lady. (Oh, great St. George and St. Michael) the angel who invigilates my vigil, my sweet lady so like you, bluemantelled Madonna! Amen.
Chanson a boive (Drinking Song)
Deuce take the bastard, illustrious lady, who to wean me from your sweet eyes says that love and old wine bring mourning to my heart, my soul. I drink to joy. Joy is the only goal to which I go directly . . . when I have drunk. Deuce take the jealousy, swarthy mistress of him who whines, weeps and pledges always to be this pale love, one that waters down his drunkenness. I drink to joy . . .
Lully: Bois Epais
Sombre woods, glades dark and lonely, where midnight gloom enters alone; oh, hide my slighted love in your unbounded night. If now this broken heart nevermore may enfold her, then evermore I hate the light.
Gretry: "0 Richard, 0 mon Roi" from Richard Coeuv de Lion
Oh, Richard, Oh, my King! All the world forsakes you; only one friend is still faithful and cares what fate may overtake you. Of all men, only I, Blondel, would destroy your fetters while all your other friends forsake you. Oh monarchs, never seek your friends beneath the palms of glory, but where the bough of myrtle bends, where your story is guarded by Memory's daughters. Life for a troubadour is love, faithfulness, devotion; he asks no other reward. Oh, Richard, Oh, my King! . . .