Student performance of songspiel

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32779, 2 December 1971, Page 16

Student performance of songspiel

Students of the Secondary Division of the Teachers' College and their Director of Music, Mr Guy Jansen are to be congratulated on the short concert programme and performance of Kurt Weill’s songspiel, “Mahagonny,” presented at the college in Ham last evening. It will be repeated this evening and tomorrow evening. The programme began with Guy Donaldson playing Anton Webern’s “Klavierstuck” and a nocturne by Benjamin Britten. He played with confidence and with insight, bringing forth interesting atmospheres with imagination and with apt colourings. The Madrigal Singers, conducted by' Mr Jansen, produced most pleasing sounds in well-ordered ensembles. There was fine sense of balance and everything moved with disciplined precision and with good phrasing. A composition by Miss Judy Bellingham, one of the choir members, was conducted by her with good effect The music reflected the spirit of the words sensitively.

Some electronic music “The Twittering Machine,” put together by Jocelyn and Chris Beath, Jean Cumming, and Colleen Walls with the aid of a computer, had strange but not unappealing sounds. To help in suggesting atmosphere, or to pile confusion upon chaos (according to each listener’s reactions to these sounds), there were coloured slides shown, ranging from geomet-

ric shapes to a shark looking like an uncle about to proffer unwanted advice. An excellent performance of "Mahagonny”— text by Bert Brecht and music by Kurt Weill—was splendidly performed under Mr Jansen’s musical direction and produced by Mr Reg. Graham. GOLD-RUSH SETTING “Mahagonny” is a goldrush town noted for its depravity and lack of continuing purpose. Thither go four young men, played by William Evans, Richard Ellena, Michael Levy, and Guy Donaldson, seeking diversion rather than riches. They sang and acted with conviction and verve. Two ladies of the streets were admirably played by Jean Cumming and Judy Bellingham, both of whom sang with most attractive voices.

The girls attempted vainly to get away from the town and the boys found that their so-called freedom resulted in other shackles binding them because life had no sanctions outside themselves for direction. When, in the end, they were sent to hell, it meant nothing for they had been there all the time. The production moved steadily and flexibly, with clever use made of very limited space. A student orchestra played with excellent grip, although it often obscured the singers’ words. Mr Jansen conducted with cohesive command and gave stirring life to the performance. —C.F.B.