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Show CAPACITY CROWD HAILS 'WALTZ' AT U FESTIVAL "The Great Waltz," initial event on the gala University of Utah Summer Festival schedule, opened complete with fireworks fire-works in Stadium Bowl Monday Mon-day night before 9,000 enthusiastic enthusi-astic patrons. Almost immediately after the footlights went up, familiar three-quarter-time rhythms of Strauss music filled the air, and the stage became alive with graceful ballet dancers. Adding to the spectacle of the music and dance were more than $50,-000 $50,-000 worth of multi-colored costumes, cos-tumes, in addition to many more designed and . created by Sereta Jones, University Theater cos-tumer. cos-tumer. "The Great Waltz" tells the story of the difficulties encountered encoun-tered by a son who attempts to succeed in the music world of romantic Old Vienna without trading on the name of his renowned re-nowned father. Woven into the story is the music of both Jo-hann Jo-hann Strauss Sr. and. his son. Director C. Lowell Lees has integrated in-tegrated the show with his usual brilliance, giving him his third straight Summer Festival success. Heading the cast were Robert Rounseville, whose rich tenor voice and engaging personality gave reality to the role of Johann Strauss Jr., and Gwenn Hawthorne, Haw-thorne, comely blonde soprano who portrayed his sweetheart, Resi. Both stars were impressive impres-sive in their interpretations, which evidenced their thorough training in leading circles of showmanship and vocal development. develop-ment. Chester (Chet) Dowse, playing his first straight role in many seasons, demonstrated that he is as much at home in a serious part as in his famous comedy delineations. Comedy is not neglected in "The Great Waltz," with standout performances being be-ing turned in by John Nicolay-sen, Nicolay-sen, Stan Russon, David N. Morgan Mor-gan and Stan Hamilton. Humor highlights were Mr. Russon's descriptions of his fireworks and the comic sequence in which he, Mr. Nicolaysen and Mr. Morgan mixed slapstick a,nd ballet to bring down the house. H. E. D. Redford, Mary Ethel Eccles and Ruth Jensen Clawson also blended blend-ed the ridiculous and the sublime su-blime in a military ballet number. num-ber. This trio produced a series of standout jobs in difficult roles requiring both serious and comic interpretation. All in all, this latest and greatest of the Summer Festivals is a must for summertime entertainment. |
