Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-24

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This was the seventh illu
Man" of the NBC Sunday
afternoon series and. in some
respects. one of his best, even
If Bernstein's arguments were
occasionally more persuasive
than the performance of some
of the staged excerpts.
In fact, there were one or
two moments when II seemed
to me that the spoken scene
was superior to the sung one
(OtheIlO VS.. Otello) and that
Bernstein, who was introduced
as "the chief counsel for the
defense could complain that
some Of his witnesses were
hostile.
In the main. however, tins
was more of a distraction than
a detraction from the Bern
stein thesis.
Once more he demonstrated
his rare skill in translating
musical thoughts and terms
into q pithy language the lay
man could understand. His
methodology was simplicity
itself-the contrast of scenes
as performed by actors and
then by singers.
Puccini's La BOheme" was
the principal vehicle with Hans
COnreid (whO also doubled as
IagO) among the actors and
several Met stalwarts Laurel
Hurley, Frank Guarrera) doing
the singing. Wagner's Tristan
and Isolde was also featured.
Grand opera, teacher Bern
stein pointed out, ID expands
the very scenery itself: (2) ex-
pands the characters: 90 ex-
pands the size Of the emotions:
"a provides a network Of emo
tons that no other art form
can provide Through stimuli
taneous singing): 60 tags the
characters with musical labels:
go expands into q fourth
dimension by stopping time;
and %, provides simultaneous
contrast d.e.) by pitting two
duets of varying moods against
each other.
Summed up Counsel Bern
stein: Operate music renders
the text unnecessary. The
three acts of Tristan and Isolde
are three great symphonic
poems. -. Grand opera. like
any great art form, creates q
special world of its own"
Equal Time Note. And NON,
tDho speaks for the prosecution?
TV ScOfeDOard: /.
That was q better-than-
average week last week on the
video drama circuit. Studio
Ones Tongues of Angels" Of
fered perceptive performances
by James Macarthur and Mar
garet OBrien, but the John
Vlahos drama was awkwardly
constructed and failed to build.
|. =. Kraft's Look What's Co
ing On!" played like q pat
terms" in blue denim. The
Wasserman-Henry script had
some sharp dialogue but several
of the characters. including a
reporter Harry Townes) were
out Of focus. Playhouse 80
offered a Sticky scripted drama
about life in a Hollywood talent
agency but the characters. with
the exception Of Leslie Neilsen's
Right Hand Man." lacked
depth. Credits Note: There
was a 1-second credit for an
original Roualt lent the show;
is seconds for identification of
the man who designed star
Anne Bakers lingerie.
Weekend comedy hit: john
ny Carson on the Polly Bergen
show (WRC-4. His "im-
pressions" Of Steve Allen and
Ed Sullivan. as a comedy team,
and Ed Murrow reading the
Three Little Pigs" to his son,
we're fresh and funny.
= \ \
On the Run:
ABC-TV's hours specials on
education loom as one of the
most exciting projects Of the
type on any networks PLAN
ming boards. The series. set
for late April or early May, will
include a report on the Hagers-
town. Maryland story where
courses of all kinds are taught
by closed circuit TV to stu
dents). Edward P. Morgan
will gather the material with a
film crew early next month;
John DAILY will narrate.
The idea Of editOrializing on
the air Is catching. A Chs
owned TV station in New Eng
land began telecasting editO-
rails recently and, last week,
WK AL-nnH in hAnnn a aarina NJ