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Death, The Maiden, and Ariel Dorfman
Jim Rutter’s examination of Ariel Dorfman (“Death, the maiden, Ariel Dorfman and the Duke U. lacrosse scandal”) was fabulous, mainly for its research and Rutter’s courage to delve into the psychology of the playwright— something that is not done enough.
A review like this would never appear in the Inquirer. I am ever more impressed with Broad Street Review.
Tom Blair
Philadelphia
October 24, 2007
Crossing the proscenium
Re Anne R. Fabbri’s review of Six Characters in Search of an Author, at People’s Light—
I appreciate the importance of Pirandello’s Six Characters, but I question Anne Fabbri’s notion that "no playwright had ever destroyed the proscenium.” Pirandello may have done it in a different way than had been done before, and with greater international success than anyone recently, but he was well aware that he was making new use of techniques that earlier writers had used.
He himself acknowledged his debt to the 19th-Century German writer Ludwig Tieck, whose works Pirandello had read while studying in Munich. The use of asides has always been a breaking of the proscenium, and comedy has almost always called attention to its own artifice.
What I think Fabbri is responding to more is Pirandello’s degree of self-referentiality. While writers such as Tieck (and Dada/Surrealist antecedents such as Jarry and Apollonaire) had used this technique, the experience of postwar Europe in the ’20s gave it a much greater resonance, as the traditional positivist verities of the 19th Century were exposed as hollow.
Walter Bilderback
West Philadelphia
October 17, 2007
Editor’s note: The writer is dramaturge for the Wilma Theater.
TV screens at Verizon
Re Dan Rottenberg’s column on TV screens in Verizon Hall—
Oh, dear, Dan— not again! The Philadelphia Orchestra tried screens on stage several years ago, and the result was horrible. Orchestral music is, if I may state the obvious, an aural phenomenon, and adding a visual element can only be distracting when it is thrust in the listener’s face. Looking at the stage is a much less aggressive addition of visuals; and an exception may be made when there is a sung text, which may very reasonably be projected as supertitles at an orchestral concert.
The trouble with televised coverage visible in the hall is that it adds another rhythm, which distracts the listener from the rhythm of the actual performance. Just another piece of dumbing down, it seems to me.
Bernard Jacobson
Bremerton, Wash.
Oct. 18, 2007
For going to any concert, it would be a supreme distraction, an unnecessary and unwanted intrusion, and in very bad taste. There is no need to see close-ups of musicians. One can always bring opera glasses. What must constantly be emphasized at concerts is that it is the sound that matters. The visual appearance is secondary, and how many other places in our society can you say that?
What is even worse is when the cameras decide to descend on the audience, unprepared as they are, and you may see people yawning, talking, or leaving unexpectedly.
Watching public TV broadcasts of concerts and performances has long been unbearable due to the bad direction and camera work that is endemic. For Verizon to copy that smacks of poor, bureaucratic short-term judgment.
I hope this will not be a feature at regular concerts, because then I will not attend. It is hard enough when one knows individuals in the Orchestra to focus on the overall fabric of the whole, and not the individual contributions of each player. To have the players enlarged on a video screen is ludicrous. When Richard Woodhams is playing a beautiful solo, is he thinking about making a beatific expression on his face, how his hair and makeup are tonight, or on expressing the music?
The moving of a camera is the director saying: “My taste and desire is more important than what is happening. I think you should look at this or that.” Unfortunately, they seem to be mostly unqualified to do that, as they constantly focus on the wrong players during solos, or ignore others altogether.
The only reasonable and artistic way to film a concert would be to simply frame it, and leave it be, just like dancing. Or don’t do it at all, except for archival purposes. You really have to be there.
Saul Davis
Center City
October 2, 2007
“Discovery” isn’t so easy
Thank you so much for Tom Purdom’s article (“Orchestra’s Quest For a Younger Audience”) about the Philadelphia Orchestra’s "Discovery" series.
At first I was very excited to read about it. This is a series that could get me interested in orchestral music again. But then, my excitement turned to frustration as I tried to find more information.
There were no links in the BSR article pointing to the Discovery Series, or even to the Orchestra’s web site. Once I got to www.philorch.org, I spent another 20 minutes looking for the Discovery Series. Here was my process:
1. From the left-hand menu, select Schedule, then Subscription Series.
2. Find the link further down for "Buy or Renew a 2007-2008 Subscription Series."
3. Scroll way down to find the Discovery Series, which has no descriptive text about the series.
4. Make sure to select the radio button before clicking the "More Info" link (otherwise you get some other series information).
5. And then, finally, you can see the info for the three remaining concerts in the series.
All in all, it was a convoluted process, but not impossible to find more information. However, if I hadn’t been motivated by Tom Purdom’s article, I would never have found this series, buried in the philorch.org website.
I applaud the Orchestra for taking a chance on 10% of their audience, but perhaps that number would be larger if they made it easier to get information. And perhaps Mr. Purdom’s excellent review would have helped the Orchestra more if it had included a link to the specific series.
Matthew Smith-Soley
Fairmount
October 17, 2007
Editor’s comment: Good point. We‘ve added the link to Tom Purdom’s article.
Countess Maritza
I loved Steve Cohen’s review of Countess Maritza. I am a singer and colleague of Dan Pantano but was singing out of town so missed the show, but had seen his Student Prince earlier. I agree that he is bringing to the public a neglected genre of music, in itself melodic, often funny, and sung in English as well. Dan himself is a wonderful actor and singer and one of the funniest people I know.
Bette-Jean Forrest
Rushland, Pa.
October 20, 2007
Renoir: Barnes vs. the Art Museum
Thank you, Victoria Skelly, for the perceptive review (“Renoir: Art Museum vs. Barnes”). I too am a Barnes alumna and respect the presentation of a painting. I appreciate your thoughtful analysis. As an artist and educator, I am thankful and dependent on worthy exhibitions of the masters.
Maria Keane
Wilmington, Del.
October 10, 2007
Barrymore Awards
Re Steve Cohen’s article about the Barrymore Awards Ceremony at the Crystal Tea Room—
I work in the Wanamaker Building, so I got a chance to get a good look at what was going on, and one of my very good friends was being nominated. Steve, you’re right: I definitely got the sense that this event was for white people higher up on the socio-economic ladder, and it completely dampened any desire I might’ve had to attend any future award ceremonies. Besides, with the price of the tickets, I couldn’t afford to go anyway.
It’s a shame because I’m a very active member of Philadelphia’s theater community, and I had more than one friend being nominated. But from the looks of things, it wasn’t meant for me to be there.
Carla P. Morales
Wynnefield
October 10, 2007
Re Ms. Morales’s lett
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