REVIEW: UM Men’s Glee Club with the Friars – 150th Annual Fall Concert

The University of MIchigan Men’s Glee Club is the oldest student organization on the UM campus and has long been acclaimed to be one of the finest male choruses in the world. This year they are celebrating 150 years of tradition, camaraderie, and musical excellence. This was the first time I had the chance to see the MGC perform live, and I have to say it definitely lived up to everything I had hoped it would and beyond.

The first thing that stood out about their performance was how professional it seemed right from the beginning. They seemed to run-while-actually-walking onto the stage and turned so suddenly at such sharp angles, giving them a very intense quality. As soon as all the members and the director were on stage, they began to sing just as suddenly as they walked on, which had a very powerful effect.

The second couple of songs were very soothing, with a great combination of all ninety-nine voices (Is that right? I tried to count…). I especially loved when they began with just a whisper, and suddenly just boomed. You can probably tell that I don’t listen to choir music often, but at the same time even I was very touched. The music seemed to match the words so nicely, and the Paul Rardin, the director, emulated the emotions so strongly when he conducted. It actually helped a lot to hear his introductions to each piece; he did a great job of explaining the background of the music and poetry, and he was in general just a very good speaker, too.

The first song that stuck out to me was Lowlands, an American Sea Chanty arranged by Alice Parker and Robert Shaw. The repetition of the phrase “My dollar and a half a day” was intense every single time they came back to it, and the soloist was absolutely amazing. I recall my friend, an amazing singer herself, touching her heart several times during the solo. The next song wasn’t as good in my friend’s opinion, but I think it would be unfair to judge it right after Lowlands. I personally enjoyed the timpani in this piece, “A stopwatch and an ordnance map, Op. 15.” The volume control was great by the percussionist, but also by the MGC. I felt like it was perfectly easy to separate each individual voice, which is what made the solos stand out so well.

The next couple of pieces were by the men of the Southfield-Lathrup High School Madrigal Singers. It’s easy to say that they didn’t compare to the MGC, but that’s understandable–there were only 13 of them, so the overall sound was a bit soft. Most of their voices were quite nice, though, except maybe some of the higher pitches ones. The best part for me was the a capella, when the conductor, Jeffrey Martin, joined three of them in “Coney Island Baby” by Les Appleton, a lighthearted song that brought a lot of laughs from the audience. Overall, I was very impressed by their performance, except perhaps an overpowering piano at times. But after the initial couple of pieces, both choirs joined together to sing three more songs, in which I thought the piano was actually quite excellent, and the songs were overall empowered by having more members in the choir.

Following next was the world premiere of “Searchlight Soul,” a composition by Grammy and Pulitzer Prize winning composer William Bolcom, a distinguished faculty member of the School of Music here for thirty-five years. It was split into five poems, all written by University of Michigan students and alumni. I personally enjoyed the third piece, Searchlight, the most, though it was slightly ruined by a cough during the silence right before it began. Interestingly enough it was my friend that coughed. To add to the irony, we had just been reading a warning in the program where it informed us that, “During a recent test in the hall, a note played mezzo forte on the horn measured approximately 65 decibels of sound. A single ‘uncovered’ cough gave the same reading.”

Other pieces from Searchlight Soul which stood out were the last two, “Mosquito” and “Dude, Where’s My Car?” Both were pretty funny, particularly the end of Dude, Where’s My Car when they actually said that line. It was a good that the lyrics were in the program, though, because without it I don’t think I would have understood them fully. It was pretty difficult for me in general to pick up all the words, which is why I enjoyed the conductor’s introductions, as I mentioned previously.

Next up were the Friars. I have to be honest, I was looking forward to this the most out of any part. The Friars, if you don’t know, are an a capella group of eight men from the MGC who choose and prepare their own music and choreography. I have to agree completely with the description in the program where it refers to the “spirit of light-hearted spontaneity which is the trademark of every Friars performance.” I love all of the small jokes they toss out, as well as the goofy choreography. I was particularly happy with their song “Buckeyed Girl,” which was duly welcome after the game on Saturday.

I don’t want to say that the next few songs weren’t good, but they went by quite fast and so I didn’t have many opinions on them. I remember Jonah’s Song having a very strong opening–loud but soft sounding at the same time. Bright Morning Star had a very touching duet, and the choir coming in after it had a powerful effect. Beyond that, I remember Wonderful Is Your Name being “fun,” but that’s all.

The concert ended with Paul Rardin inviting to the stage all MGC alumni that came for the night in singing the Yellow and Blue. It was very, very cool to see alumni of all ages come to stage and perform. I tried to put myself into their shoes, which gave me an odd sense of pride in the UMMGC. Overall the concert was excellent and I suggest that everyone that can go see their concert next semester on April 10th.

Look out for the Friars in Rackham Auditorium on December 5th!

Bhaj, [art]seen Reviewer

Preview: Frank Vignola & The Hot (Hot, Hot, Hot) Club Of Detroit

The Hot Club of Detroit
The Hot Club of Detroit
Frank Vignola and Les Paul
Frank Vignola and Les Paul

Perhaps never again will there be a Django Reinhardt.  However, tomorrow evening at The Ark, Frank Vignola and the Hot Club of Detroit will attempt to reincarnate the man himself – or at least his very distinct style of gypsy jazz music.  The band, hailing from our neighbor down the block, currently consists of Shannon Wade (bass),  Carl Cafagna (Saxophone), Julian Labro (Accordion), Paul Brady (guitar) and the main man, Hot Club of Detroit founder Evan Perri on the lead guitar.  Although locally based and having played many Ann Arbor shows lately – including gigs at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival and the Firefly Club (RIP) – the Hot Club of Detroit is known nationwide for their musicianship and deep study of Django Reinhardt grooves.  They will be joined tomorrow night by New York jazz guitarist, Frank Vignola.  Vignola is a veteran of the gypsy jazz scene and it is a treat that he will be in town playing with this already-stellar group.  Along with this, the intimate setting of The Ark will be the perfect setting for this cast of musicians (other than maybe an outdoor candle light dinner on the coast).

The Ark. November 19. 8 pm. $20. Tickets at MUTO or The Ark before the show.

Below: Hot Club of Detroit’s ‘Swing One’

Below: Django Reinhardt’s ‘The Sheik of Araby’

The Phantom’s Got Nothing on Figaro

Fantastic! Or should I say Fantastico? “The Marriage of Figaro” went off this weekend without a hitch and proved to be an adventure through time and culture. I attended the Sunday Matinee and was absolutely amazed at the amount of talent produced by the singers, musicians, and set/ costume designers. Just amazing!

Figaro is a classic opera and perhaps one of the most famous. Music composed by Mozart himself and story written by Lorenzo da Ponte, Le Nozzi Di Figaro has traversed the centuries with pride and glory.

Attending the show, I was nervous as to how we were to understand the words, being that it was all in Italian, but I was relieved to see the way subtitles were displayed. A small, but adequate, screen presented the English translation and since many of the words were sung more than once, there was ample time to read and enjoy the performance. Anyone who fears going to an Opera here at the UofM in the future, don’t stress. They are catered for us to understand and enjoy.

The sets and costumes were beautiful done. I happen to know that talented young man that designed one of the dresses, the fabulous blue evening gown that the Countess wears for the ladder acts of the performance.

Sorry, image quality isnt the best, but this is the fantastic dress!
Sorry, image quality isn't the best, but this is the fantastic dress!

Everyone that I spoke to agreed with me when I complimented the comedic value of the performance. That is to say that it was hilarious! The audience, including myself, was laughing uncontrollably during certain twists and turns of the plot and at the fantastic satirical deliveries of various actors and actresses. One scene especially kept us going. Characters are eavesdropping constantly and the Countess and Susana play a trick on the Count and Figaro. By trading cloaks, the ladies trick the gentlemen into thinking they are each other. The men must be really stupid, but it is a great theatrical device and it was extremely funny. The things that men do behind their wives’ backs…except in this case it was the Count’s wife, he just didn’t know it. Absolutely hilarious!

As promised in my preview, I have a marvelous interview from a good friend, Nicholas Ward who played Bartolo on Nov. 14 & 15. Nick is a voice performance major who found his passion for singing as a young child. He performed in choirs and school musicals. During High School his teacher introduced him to Opera and he has been in love ever since. When asked his favorite opera singer at the moment, Nick replied “I’d say baritone Sherrill Milnes-he was really big in the 70’s and 80’s and has one of the most powerful and amazing voices I’ve ever listened to.” I asked Nick what he thought of the play, and I agree with him when he says “This show is an absolute success.” Nick is quick to hand out compliments (“Our director and conductor are such talented, knowledgeable people and really helped all the students put together a very well-known and well-loved opera.”), but he should know that he deserves just as much and more phrase. So Nick, and all of you other cast members, Fantastic Job! You are amazing!

Nick is the one in the Powdered wig! 3rd from the Left
Nick is the one in the Powdered wig! 3rd from the Left

Since I had a slight dilemma about the language barrier, I inquired whether this experience and Opera in general helps the performers better understand the Italian language. Nick responded “-yes, being a part of this opera really has helped me with my Italiano. Since there is so much recitative (a speak-singing style of dialogue), you have to be very precise with the Italian so it is clear.” My conversation with Nick proved to be a very interesting one, just like my fabulous Opera Experience. I hope to continue visiting great performances such as The Marriage of Figaro. Nick also hopes to keep going in Opera, but his plans are much more extensive. Ultimately, his goals include professional performance and voice coaching. It’s a long road, but Nick is already on his way and an abundance of talent and perseverance will help him accomplish his dreams.

Don’t fear the Opera! Try new things, buy tickets to something you’ve never heard of, try out for shows and performances, and most of all, never stay in your dorm room watching TV when there are so many things happening right outside your door. I’d like to thank Nick for answering my questions and give one last shout out to the amazing cast and crew of Le Nozzi Di Figaro! Amazing everyone, just amazing!

Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer

REVIEW: The Boondock Saints II – All Saints Day

Boondock Saints II Pass
Pass for The Boondock Saints II - All Saints Day

So in case you didn’t read my review about The Boondock Saints II, I was so pumped for this movie! My biggest problem, though? Not knowing when, where, or how to get a ticket. The State Theater website said, “Passes are available all over campus,” but that’s so vague! I literally skipped on doing a lot of homework (which, thank God, turned out wasn’t actually due that day) to look for this pass, calling every organization I could think of. Once, a lady actually called me out on being annoying since I was apparently the twentieth person who called about it. I finally resolved to show up thirty minutes early and use any excuse at all to get in. Instead, I just showed up and asked if they had any extra passes, and was handed one of probably 30 extras! I really wasn’t expecting it to be that easy and actually didn’t have anything to do for those thirty minutes then. I looked at the ticket, though, and noticed it was actually a ticket for two, so I began to call all my friends to come check out the movie. Turns out nobody can spare two hours on Thursdays before Accounting 271 exams and the IASA show. *sad face*

I went in on my own and found one of the best seats in the theater, only a couple seats away from what I would’ve picked if it wasn’t already packed. The guy actually sitting there brought to mind the awesome Irish jig theme song (below), which I completely forgot that I absolutely love! I basically wasted thirty minutes just whistling that song until, all of a sudden, the movie was on!

“When they said sneak preview, I thought they meant the whole movie.” “That’s it?!” “Rewind it!” Major fail. They accidentally played about 5 seconds of a random scene. And then they did it again. It didn’t really bother me, but when the movie began, the scene again seemed quite random, and it made me wonder if there was a mistake and we missed part of the movie. Hopefully not!

I have to admit, just like many sequels (especially those that are made ten years after the first film), jumping back into the story was kind of cheesy. They reused some film from the previous movie: super cheesy. I also thought it was kind of lame when they used some creative filming styles from the previous film, which were cool at the time, but seemed overdone the second time around. And then there were legacy connections to the previous film that I thought would have been better left out, or maybe just integrated better. For example, they had a “Spiritu Sancti” song. Yeah. Cheesy to the max.

Having said that, it was just straight up bad a**!! One thing that I really liked was that State Theater left the lights dimmed in the beginning, and only shut them off fully when the title was displayed, making it uber intense. Also, some of the connections to the previous film were actually kind of cool. It was nice that there were fans of the original there, who laughed and cheered at the right parts when they brought back parts of the first film: the comically lame cops, the flabbergasted mob bosses, and the amateur-but-awesome Saints. I was kind of disappointed that William Dafoe wasn’t the main FBI agent this time, but I guess it couldn’t have worked with him.

I would give the move a 7/10. I tried to be as critical as I could, knowing that I was a fan and therefore biased, but there really were some great lines, and I definitely laughed more than I ever have in a theater, including comedy films. At the same time, they just made everything so dramatic and intense, like the murders and some of the more emotional scenes in the movie. And then? PARTAY! I loved seeing their drinking scenes, and I literally would have fallen out of my chair laughing at some of those scenes if I were watching the movie on DVD at home.

In terms of the acting, the mob boss was definitely my favorite actor. The rage in his face was perfectly intense at just the right times. I’m glad they choose him as the actor instead of using someone from the old film; I really don’t think anyone in the previous film could have taken this role on as well as him.

My last thought as the movie finished was, “Um, yeah, DEFS not forgetting to watch the sequel!” It was such an awesome ending and gripping cliffhanger, though I’ll admit it was kind of ridiculous. But in the same way that the entire movie was ridiculous yet intense. I definitely suggest seeing this movie if you hear it’s playing nearby and have a chance; I know I’ll personally watch it on DVD about forty times.

-Bhaj, [art]seen Reviewer and Boondock Saints Enthusiast

Theme song for The Boondock Saints–I just love this song!

Preview: Figaro Figaro Figaro, That’s All I Know

The Marriage of Figaro, an Opera to remember. I don’t care if it’s in another language, I am going to see it! The music was composed by Mozart! Now you have to go see it! The play was written by Lorenzo da Ponte and is now being revived by the University of Michigan’s aspiring talents. I was invited by a fantastic talent Nick Ward, who will be giving an exclusive inside look of the life of a voice performer. As one of the most famous operas in the world, The Marriage of Figaro, or La Nozze Di Figaro, is sure to be one of the most fantastic events of the year.

The performances are this Thursday through Sunday, Nov 12-15 at 7:30 pm, except on Sunday the show starts at 2:00 pm. It’s at the Power Center for the Performing Arts and is most definitely going to put us through a wild surge of Italian Drama and Romance. Don’t forget to get tickets at one of the Union Box offices. Only $9!

The general description of the opera, per Facebook Event, is “The Story: Count Almaviva’s valet Figaro is looking forward to his imminent wedding with the beautiful Susanna. Unfortunately, his lascivious employer is also intent on bedding the young chambermaid. Aware of the Count’s intentions, the Countess, with Susanna’s help, intends to teach her husband a lesson on the dangers of infidelity. Add in a love-sick teenager who causes unexpected confusion and hilarity abounds as multiple love interests vie for the perfect pairing. Through subtle intrigue, scintillating sexual games, and mistaken identities, Figaro and Susanna must outmaneuver and outwit the entire household to end up finally in each other’s arms.
Artistic Significance: Called “the world’s most perfect opera,” The Marriage of Figaro has delighted audiences since its premiere in 1786. The first collaboration between Mozart and librettist da Ponte, Figaro is the successful sequel to The Barber of Seville. Da Ponte’s witty libretto melds humor with humanity and is paired with Mozart’s groundbreaking score in a true marriage of music and drama. From the instantly recognizable overture to the rousing ensemble finale, the opera is filled with one brilliant melody after another. A celebrated operatic tour de force, The Marriage of Figaro sparkles with genius.

For more information, join the Facebook Event or visit a Union Box Office. The show has English subtitles for those of us who don’t speak Italian, so most of us. Everyone should definitely attend at least one performance, if not two, just to immerse yourself in culture and trying something new.
As always, this is Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer

PREVIEW: The Boondock Saints II – All Saints Day

Poster for The Boondock Saints II - All Saints Day
Poster for The Boondock Saints II - All Saints Day

The original Boondock Saints film, released in 1999, had a very short run in theaters and received poor reviews from film critics. Because of this it grossed less than half a million in world-wide theatre, yet it made $50 million in US home video sales revenue. It gained a large cult following through word of mouth publicity, making it a hit DVD bestseller.

I personally caught on the Boondock Saints train just a few years back. I loved the acting, the great quotes, and the ridiculously improbably storyline. It was an awesome action-film and the fact that it was a little-known film made it even more cool for me. I told all my friends about it, but you know how that usually goes. “Oh, yeah, I’ll check it out sometime. Nice, dude.” “No, seeeeriously, you have to see this movie!” “Definitely dude, we’ll watch it sometime.” It never happens, and didn’t with The Boondock Saints, either. I mostly shared my favorite quotes and minutes of non-stop laughter with my brother.

As much as I absolutely loved the original, I had no heads up about the sequel coming out! I heard about speculations when I saw the first movie, but never followed up on it, and it was only two Fridays ago that I saw a trailer while eating in West Quad dining. I flipped out and looked for a place to watch it ASAP, but was disappointed to find out that it is also only getting a limited release. I don’t think anyplace in the state of Michigan is playing it… Except State Theatre. Once. Tomorrow at 7:30PM. For free. I just found out today and I’m so excited to watch it! I’m slightly worried that I might not get the chance if enough people get there before me, but I’m gonna try my best–try yours, too!

It’s hard to explain exactly what the movie is about, but it’s basically two Irish-Catholic brothers that are vigilantes against the scum on the streets of Boston. And they’re bad to the bone. If you enjoy  catchy lines, awesome action, and have some free time, I definitely suggest checking it out. Check out the trailer to get a better idea of what part deux will be about. If you have time before tomorrow, I suggest watching the original, too! So far the film has a 7.4/10 on IMDB and an 84% approval rating by the Rotten Tomatoes Community.

“Catch ya on the flip side” 😉
Bhaj