The Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 2, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 9, 1944 Page: 4 of 4
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By Ed Hartsook
The short vacation which so re-
cently reached its untimely end
brought—in addition to the joys of
no classes, no homework, and unin-
terrupted bouts with wine, women,
and song—a series of highly enjoy-
able concerts and personal appear-
ances. In addition to these past en-
tertainments, the advance notices on
two operettas, to be performed in
the near future, were received.
Therefore, this column is today de-
voted to a brief review of the most
important holiday entertainments
and to a more lengthy discussion of
at least one of the light operas to
be presented this week-end and dur-
ing: the following week.
First Symphony a Success
The' first appearance of the local
symphony opened the orchestral sea-
son with a rather surprising, and
very enjoyable, success. In a pre-
vious column, the ability of the or-
ganization was, at least in some sec-
tions, questioned. Front Row must
now admit that, if the quality of the
initial concert is maintained through-
out the season, Mr. Hoffmann has
finally developed a good orchestra.
With the exception of the horn sec-
tion, the entire orchestra showed a
feeling for the music and a more
general appreciation of thejr indi-
vidual responsibilities than has here-
tofore been evident. The trumpet
section, in particular, has improved
immensely—no longer playing every
note triple forte.
The opening concert presented as
its guest the young and engaging
Druscilla Huffmaster. Many Hous-
some years ago, when she appeared
often with our local orchestra before
traveling to New York to continue
her studies. Few, however, were
quite prepared for the brilliance she
displayed in her appearance here.
Playing the Schumann conderto in
A, she showed a world of power sel-
dom seen in female pianists. The
entire first concert was extremely
pleasant—a well chosen program,
played by a good orchestra, and
highlighted by a gifted and versatile
pianist.
Two personal appearances—pre-
sented under Miss Edna Saunder's
Civic Series banner—also served to
brighten the vacation period. Both
were given by capable artists with
a world of stage personality and
both were received enthusiastically
by large audiences. As has been the
case in seasons past, the Civic Series
seems destined to success again, pre-
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Houston, Texas
senting the nation's top performers
in highly gratifying-programs.
Recital by Young Met Star
The first of these concerts was by
Miss Patrice Munsel, the youngest
star of the "Met." She gave a" light#
airy performance in an engaging,
petite manner that charmed and da-
lighted her audience throughout the
evening. While her voice is rich
and beautiful, it is not yet a power-
ful instrument and, toward the end
of her program, she began to tire
rather obviously. Despite this slight
forcing toward t^e last, her concert
was well worth while, if only for
the chance of seeing a young and
pretty girl with plenty of person-
ality.
The second Series concert was
given by Mr. James Melton—a gen-
tleman who has a magnificent voice
and a complete knowledge of how
to use it to get the best effect. Mr.
Melton had one thing in common
with Miss Munsel—a pleasing man-
ner—and he, just as Miss Munsel
did the previous week, used it to
captivate entirely his audience. This
audience was the largest of the sea-
son, filling the Music Hall to Ca-
pacity and overflowing onto the
stage, where chairs were placed
around the piano and singer. Fre-
quently during the evening, Mr.
Melton would turn away from the
large audience in the auditorium and
sing directly to these people on the
stage. On these occasions, with his
voice directed into the deadening
curtains back-stage, Mr. Melton dis-
played his tremendous vocal power
every note carrying distinctly to
&&& 2
"tomans had heard Miss HuffmasteT^he front of the auditorium. The
program chosen for the evening was
a bit light but at all times extreme-
ly enjoyable, with selections i*ang-
ing from opera to "Oklahoma," all
sung in a swinging, joyful manner.
Naughty Marietta 11 November
Since this weekend will bring to
Houston Victor Herbert's best and
most often heard comic opera,
"Naughty Marietta," it. is only fit-
ting that Front Row should present
'a review of its history and the cast
that will sing it' here. During the
following week, "The Merry Widow"
will also be presented but, since it is
to lie here during the middle of the
week, it will not be reviewed.
The opera itself has a rather in-
teresting background built around
the doings of Oscar Hammerstein,
Sr., and the early days of the the-
atre in New York. Hammerstein,
after losing his part ownership in
a small New York theatre when he
hissed his own performers, built the
first large theatre in New York on
the then deserted street now known
as Broadway. This theatre, called
the "Olympia," was to. be the home
of the Manhattan Opera Company,
an organization originated by Ham-
merstein to replace the "Met." Un-
fortunately, the Metropolitan had
more money than Hammerstein and
he finally sold his holdings to that
organization in a deal by which he
was required to refrain from pre-
senting opera in the United States
for a period of ten years. He was
forced therefore, into what he called
"productions of necessity," of which
"Naughty Marietta" was the first
and foremost.
The operetta is typical of all of
Herbert's comic operas, each act
opening with a complicated over-
ture, then presenting a few solo
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Aft, If Nov.
. r'f .11,"
Miss Caroline Weiss, chairmax
and members of the Houston Sym-
phony Pops committee announce an-
other great series of Sunday after-
noon Pops by the Houston Symphony
Orchestra, Ernst Hoffman, conduc-
tor.
Six concerts are scheduled for the
winteg season, all of them on Sun-
day afternoons at City Auditorium
beginning at 4 o'clock. Two of the
concerts will be De Luxe Pops pre-
sented at regular symphony prices
with all seats reservedt Four will
be "regular" Pops at the usual pop-
ular prices.
Grace Moore, popular American
lyric soprano, will be the featured
guest artist at-the de luxe Pop con-
cert, opening the series, Sunday af-
ternoon, 12 November. Tickets for
this concert, and the de luxe Pop
featuring Alec Templeton 18 Feb-
ruary, will ^ange from $1.20 to $3.00,
tax included.
Four "regular" Pops will be pre-
sented with prominent stars as guest
artists. These will be played 17 De-
cember, with Paul Witgenstein, fa-
mous one-armed pianist, 14 Jan-
uary; Eric Sorantin, violinist, 18
March; Betty Ruth Robbins, pianist,
and a special Easter Sunday pro-
gram, with features to be announced
on 1 Aprjl.
These "regular" Pops will be
played in the familiar informal at-
mosphere gf last season. Tables on
the orchestra floor, at $1.20 per per-
son, dress circle, 60 cents and bal?
cony, 30 cents.
Men and women of the service
will be admitted free to general ad-
mission and balcony; they may, if
they wish, purchase table seats.
Light refreshments-and cold drinks
will be served.
A limited number of season tick-
ets will be sold at $5.40, a saving
of 10 percent. 'The tickets are good
for admission to either a section of
the dress circle^ or to seats in the
rear of the orchestra floor. The two
coupons, in the booklet, for the two
De Luxe Pops will guarantee *, the
holder to a good seat in the sections
mentioned if exchanged for reserved
seat tickets at the Symphony office
by the date specified on the coupon.
Reservations for all Pops may be
made at the Symphony office, Pres-
ton 1888.
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numbers, and closing with a vigor-
ous choral finale. The first act is
probably* the best, opening with a
tone picture of dawning day, then
precenting a lively ensemble,
"Taisez-Vous," and the title song
sung by the heroine. Following
these, the two comic characters bur-
lesque grand opera duets in the
number, "If I Were Anybody Else
But Me," and the heroine sings the
"Italian Street Song." The second
act is highlighted by the beautiful
"Dream Waltz" which Is featured
intermittently by the orchestra and
by a tenor-soprano duet.
Excellent Cast Promised
The cast, if the notices put out
by Miss Saunders are to be believed,
is .excellent. It will be headed by
Reed Lawton, who starred in the
Broadway Production of "Marietta"
and who has had experience in opera
throughout the country; Joanne
Leonhard, who has received excellent
reviews "for her work in both "Bar-
ber of J3eville" and "Marietta;" and
Bob Cruikshank, who sang on the
west coast with John Charles Thom-
as and with the Los Angeles Opera
Company. All in all, the production
should be well worth your time and
money, and since it is to be pre-
| sented Saturday night and Sunday
I rlfternoon ,it is alfoilable to all.
Oran Lee WyUe Jr., dass of '48,
haa been stationed at the University
of Houston for the past three
in radio training. He will go to Cor-
pus thtf week for further training
in aviation radio. Oran first went to
San Diego and then to Chicago for
his ffratschool in radio.
C. E. Woodson, Ph. M. 2/c,-class of
'44, is now in Hawaii doing techni-
cal, work te a hospital. He haa had
training at Great Lakes, 111., Boston
and spent some time in California
before his overseas assignment.
Ensign T. J. Stovall, Jr., class of
'43, is stiti in the New "Guinea vi
cinity on PT duty. He has had some
very interesting experiences, among
them being trips on various craft
other than that in his line of duty.
Major John P. Neece, Jr., class of
'28 flew to Houston recently to see
the Rice-Randolph Field game. John-
ny, who was a member of Rice's
championship football team in '37,
is stationed at the Army Air Corps
field in Del Rio, Texas, where he is
a pilot instructor.
Lt. Jess W. Hines, is now some-
where in the South Pacific with the
6th Marine Division. Captain of the
1939 football team, Jess received his
commission at Quantico, Va., last
January. After having received fur-
ther training, in artillery at Quanti-
co, he was sent overseas. Jess re-
ports that among the 4th Marines
reinforced where he is stationed, he
has met boys from each school in
the Southwest Conference with the
exception of A. 4 M.
L4. Robert E. Nowlin is stationed
at Juantico, Va., where he recently
received his lieutenancy ip the Ma-
rine Corps. Bob was transferred
from Rice to S.L.I. at Lafayette, La.,
in July, '43, where he- attended
school.. Having finished at S.L.I: he
was sent to Parris Island, New River,
then to Quantico where he jvill re-
main temporarily.,,
Thomas C. Harden, AMM 2c is at
Norfolk, Va., where at the present
he is studying instruments. Tommy
entered the V-12 unit at Rice in
March, after having been eighteen
months overseas. In August he was
transferred to Algiers, La.; shortly
afterwards he was sent to his pres-
ent location at Norfolk.
Ensign Herdon Burr, former V-l£
student at Ri0e,s was on the
Saturday. After reeeifittg h wwa-
mission he w.s Mnt to Brown Ship.
yard to pie*" up his ship, whleh w.
, u iat r t'
football game Saturday. He Is
Navy V-5 student from Rlee.
on his way to pre-flight.
r-i V,
service fund—
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(Continued from page t)
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re-establish their universities out of
reach of the Japanese army.
A great part of the money is used \
to buy books and study- materials
for American prisoners of war in
Europe. Upon receiving some books,
an American prisoner exclaimed:
"This is just what I've been waiting
fori Now I can make the months
count for something!" v
Contributions can be sent t0 World
Student Service Fund, 8 West 40th
Street, New York 18, New York.
Just one dollar will supply th£ note-
books and paper required by a pris-
oner of war for six months, or
enough soy-bean milk for a mbnth
for a Chinese student threatened
with tuberculosis.
President Meta Glass' of Sweet
Briar College, president of the
WSSF, said recently; "There is no
doubt that American students can
raise $500,000 for the relief of their
fellow students who are victims bf
war. They can raise more than that
if they set their, minds to it!"
Ladies Ready to Wear
1 11 "
KAY'S
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The Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 2, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 9, 1944, newspaper, November 9, 1944; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth230632/m1/4/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.