Evening star., 1962-01-18
DINING OUT
By JOHN M. ROSSON
Observation-Disclosures

Nestled away in a quaint old
building on Twelfth street in
Greenwich Village there's a
picturesque little restaurant
called Asti's.
In business for years - at
least as far back as the famed
Enrico CaruSo ASti's every eve
ming has offered it's diners-out
the most pleasant, of dinner
hour entertainment, the con-
siderable talents of young, as
piring classical and semi-classi-
cal singers from the New York
area who are awaiting that first
break with the Met.
This is not a matter of stag
ing and special lighting. The
singers-and sometimes there's
a violinist or a cellist-offer
their arias and the like while
strolling among the tables, the
effect kept extremely informal.
1t might be a selection from
La Boheme," Carmen" Aida, +"
or any other of the favorite
operas, or perhaps solo rem
dition of something from "Por-
gy and Bess" or Naughty Mar
ietta," depending on the per-
formers ambitions. There is
seldom any costuming, and the
diners may applaud as long and
as loudly as they like.
Meanwhile, of course, there
is no interruption to the serv-
ing of your meal, despite the
fact that someone is singing.
You can hear a pin drop.
In any case, the whole effect
makes for a stunning expert
ence, one which finds the diner
lingering and lingering, often
much longer than he planned,
for a beautiful aria or a lifting
rendition of Summertime" as
close as your coffee cup.
Through the years (Caruso
sang there once, but he al
ready was an established starr
Asti'S has found this "restau-
rant-in-the-round" effect as
popular as food itself. For the
performers there is nominal
pay, the opportunity to increase
their experience while holding
down daytime jobs, and the
chance that they'll be "discov-
cred" Some have been, and
have reached considerable
heights.
In San Francisco, too, there
is such a restaurant. It's the
Bocce pronounced botchy) Ball
at 622 Broadway.
But now. by CORY, we have
one in Washington.
The restaurant itself we
wrote about last August, but it
wasn't until two months ago
that owner Charles Masters
threw open its doors to the
Washington areas aspiring
classical performers.
It's the new Tivon Restau-
rant at 1925 Wisconsin avenue
NV.
The Tivoli's Scandinavian
decor, to say nothing of it's
Georgetown address, offers the
perfect setting for the theater-
restaurant endeavor.
Starting last November with
only two performers-one of
them the golden voiced Mary
Beck, a frequent performer with
the Washington Opera Society
and holder of masters degree
in music-the regular Tivoli
artists now number IL, gems
every one. They perform from
8 pm. to midnight Monday,
Friday and Saturday, accom-
panied on the piano by Bill
Akers, the accomplished organ
ist at st. Johns Episcopal
Church, Georgetown. Soon (per-
haps in the next two weeks) ,
they will go on a nightly sched-
ule, Monday through Saturday.
Each Tivoli singer performs
alone, taking his turn through
out the evening. And lest the
wrong impression be conveyed,
these are no amateur perform
ers. They are accomplished art
lists. One placed fifth in last
years Met tryouts.
The list now includes, in ad-
dition to Miss Beck: Janet
Saunders and Betty Thomas,
sopranos: Grace Bradford and
Rose Thorman, Mezzo- -sopra-
nos; John Thomas and Brown
Bradley, tenors, and Bill Wied-
eranders, bass baritone.
The effect on the Tivoli, the
performer, and the diners-out
has been startling.
Where seating is concerned,
you'd better make reservations