Thursday. January 19, 1989 - THE BULLETIN — 7
ARTS
KEVIiVVS
Zukerman at Orpheum with VSO
The upcoming concert of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra - Jan. 2i, 23 (8 p.m.) and 24 (2:30 p.m.) — features one of the great violinists of our time, Israel's Pin-chas Zukerman.
In fact, Zukerman is much raor^ than a viohnist; he abo plays the viola and conducts, very successfully. And he sees no difference at all between the various aspects of music which obsess him.
In a recent interview with the Baltimore Sun, Zukerman said, "Whether it's playing one instrument or the o^cr. or studying all the elements of conducting, I don't see these things as separate entities. I just see them as different bridges 10 what it (music) all means."
But it seems that above all Zukerman loves the violin, the instrument he studied as he grew. "1 was bom to play the fiddle," he says, and when one
ZUKERMAN
hears him play it is impossible to disagree.
Today ZukemiBn is seen with all the major orchestras and conductors throughout the world, while at the same time developing a large disco-graphy. He also performs in chamber music concerts where he often plays viola.
In 1980 he became music director of the Si. Paul Chamber orchestra, a musical body which, under Zuker-man's leadership, became well-known.
In Vancouver Zukerman win play Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5. The conductor will he the illustrious Sta-nislav Skrowaczewski, who will also lead the orchestra in Weber's overture to Der Frei-schuiz. and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.
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Silverman to play In VNMS concert
Pianist Robert Silverman will perform with the Vancouver New Music Ensemble on Sunday, Jan, 22 at 8 p.m. at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre (VECC).
Silverman will play Kun Schwertsik's Bagaielkn for piano trio. Also on the pro-
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SILVERMAN
gram are works by Arvo Part and Giacinto Scelsi.
This is the fourth concert in the 1988/89 season of the Vancouver New Music Society (VNMS) - one of the city's more innovative musical organizations.
Always exciting, this series promises more than the usual in richness of program- The scries opened last September with the world premiere of No No Miyaan opera by Victoria composer Rudolf Komorous, which was especially coramii-sioned by the society.
The opera was fol'.owed by an exquisite performance of ccilisl Frances-Marie Uilli (who plays with two bows simultaneously) and with a performance by Toronto's Les Coucous Benevoles,
And after the coming concert there are three marc unique events: Sunday. Feb. 19, classical music will be featured in Graceland. where Toronto's Arraymusie will perform a special concert; March 12 three world premieres will be featured in a concert at the VECC; and this very special season will end on April 5 ai the Commixlore Ballroo.Ti with a performance by Meredith Monk.
Tickeis for ihc comingcon-teri wiiU Robert Silverman can be obtamcd by calling the ■■Cultch"al 254-95^8 llisalso possible to order a subscription for the four coming concerts by calling VNMS at 874-6200,
By GARY POGROW Exctushre to The BuOetin
Twenty two years ago, a slight bundle of energy dressed in a tuxedo, in white face with leering eyes, and a licentiously red curled mouth, slithered down a winding stage staircase. In a burst of exploding light and music, Joel Grey welcomed everyone to the "Cabaret" and made theatre history.
Cabaret was a powerful, shocking musical about Germany in the 19305. ll shattered the illusion that life is only fun, and that what we don't want to see won't hurt us because "life is a Cabaret." Grey's performance was masterful as the enticing, evil Emcee of the notorious Kit Kat Klub. a cabaret that featured and promoted degenerate entertainmcni. The musical brilliantly illuslraicd the perversity of enjoying intoxicating pleasures while the Nazis were enjoying the sober ground of reality.
"People had never seen anything quite like it," said Joel Grey in a recent telephone interview from Boston. "Ii was so new al the time. And although it still packs a very strong wallop, it's not shocking because we have seen so much in the past 20 years and the form of the show has been imitated by so many."
Grey believes the show remains politically relc\'ant today. "I ihmk that in the simplest case, it's about apathy, about people not pay-ingattention to iheir world, to whatever is happening. In the play, the character. Sally Bowles says, 'Politics, what's that got to do with usT"
"People stand by," said Grey, "and let things happen. They let the Holocaust happen."
He continued, "It's ironic One nighl I was heading backstage when 1 passed by a T.V. set that one of the technical men had going in a comer. 1 saw a man from Germany being interviewed about the Kristallnacht commemoration in Chicago. And the line that the man on T.V. said was, 'What does this have to do with me? 1 thought that ii had nothing to do with me. 1 was German.'
"The man was Jewish. But he thought of himself first as a German- He spoke ai exactly tlie same lime 1 heard the very same line on the stage from the Sally Bowles character: 'Politics, what's that got to do with us'?"
Grey believes (hat it's a vcr>' dangerous iime for people lo be thinking only of ihemselves because they're so scared. ■'They're not paying real attention lo what's going on. Vou can'i be by yourself, thinking only of uiursell "
As an actor Grey hasn't been idle since \Mimine his lony Award Inr ihe original show m I9^^ In \972 he did Ihe movie veision, rei-eivmg an Oscar for it He has enjoyed cciniinued success vMih both Bniadwayand film roles, winning man\ award naminalioni
-Bui I never ihoughi I would doihis nilcanJin."said Grey, ""and ihcn somehow the \doj ol ihe ivvcrtuclh anniversary ol ihe show nude me Icel like there had been enough lime lor a new uudicncc lo see it today. I also thought aboui musicians who come loa piece that ihe\ played when they
GREY a» the Emce»
began their career and then look at it again 20 years later after having played a lot of music, to see what new nuances they might bring to it. Those arc the challenges I set for myself. Plus working again with Hal Prince, the original Broadway director, is like coming back to an old friend."
After all the years Grey found that the show has changed. "I think 1 have a much darker view of it all. It's more serious and more outrageous because of the things I've seen, I'm riot an innocent any longer."
Grey cited two incidents.
After finishing the movie version of Cabaret, he went lo Dachau, the noiorious concentration camp, "ll was totally different from anything 1 expected. It was far more powerful and devastating in its coolness than anything that you can emotionally drum up in your mind. It has become pan of me forever."
Some years later, while in Hamburg for a T.V. show, the producer asked Grey if he would like to see the world famous sex street of Cabaret and go to one of the clubs.
"1 said, yes, curious to sec what a real K.it Kat Klub looked like. 'Do you want mild, medium or hotT asked the producer. 'Medium is fine,' I rephed.
"It was one of the most shocking things that 1 have seen in my life. And I thought if this was medium, 1 don't ever warn to see hot. It was wildly perverse, mesmerizing, deeply depressing, just in terms of human beings sinking to that level. What 1 saw there became part of the bank of material I use as an actor and has influenced my present characterization of The Emcee,"
Grey paused. "That is what makes Cabaret so magicaL It's wildly entertaining, outrageous and decadent, but at the same time it's really about something."
Cabaret, starring Joel Grey, will play at the Queen Elizabeth theatre Jan. 31 to Feb. 5.
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