Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1988. január-június (42. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)

1988-04-14 / 15. szám

Thursday, April 14. 1988.

AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZÓ

11.

Our Man at the Met Population problems

Denes Gulyas's career as an opera singer took off as soon as he graduated from the Academy of Music in Budapest. Contracts came pouring in from one European city after another: Bonn, for instance, where he gave a series of performances in Mozart's La Clemenza Di Tito with Yehudi Menuhin conducting.

A landmark came in 1981, when he was among the 16 winners out of 500 contestants in

the first international Pavarotti

singing competition. Two years later Pavarotti

said he wouldn't sing the Duke of Dénes Gulyás Mantua in Rigoletto

any more, and presented the part to Gulyas. He made his Houston debut with it. After that came Dallas, Washington, Miami, San Francisco and a four-year contract with the New York Met. On the 20th March Mr. Gulyás was the guest performer at our March 15, celebration.

"I started in 1986-7 in San Francisco, in a Russian-language production of Onegin with wonderful partners: Mirella Freni

and Nikolai Gaurov. At the Met I sang in La Boheme, Rigoletto, Rosenkavalier and Massenet's Manón... All of these were broadcast live and heard from Alaska to Mexico."

"Pavarotti's concern for me is like that of a father. He came to the dress rehearsal of La Boheme at the Met and on the first night he telephoned my dressing room in the interval to say 'Bravo, bambino!' When I was doubtful about Des Grieux's aria I phoned him for advice... He invited me to his birthday party in Philadelphia."

"I'm never satisfied when someone merely sings nicely .. I'm sure that the beauty of the voice is not the most important thing in an opera singer, because a singing voice is just a means of expression. I don't like a means to become an end. I always remember the elderly Tito Gobbi, who sometimes sang high notes in Rigoletto in a quite ugly way. Nonetheless, he stirred me to the dephts of my heart... There are dramatic situations in which you really have to shout, and they can't be tamed for a sensitive bel canto with any kind of technical bravura." »

"Directing is only a dream so far. It's an idea I've had since we were rehearsing Gounod's Romeo and Juliet at the Met. I was repeating Shakespeare to myself during rehearsals. I always read visually, as if I were watching a film, and perhaps that's why I'm so surprised if one of my colleagues doesn't formulate the message of a part in the right way. I'd be happy to explain what to do. Since it's my profession I know what singers' real problems are on stage. You see, the musical stage isn't like the theater. The music decides

every detail of how the singer acts in an opera... It's not absolutely necessary for a director to be a professional musician, but he mustn't lack the necessary affinity with the art form."

"I heard on Hungarian radio about a young man with paralysis of the lungs that prevented him from walking. His one desire was an electric wheelchair. I just wanted to help him. My wife is studying conductive education, dealing with physically handicapped children every day... So I am more aware of these problems than other people."

"I'm interested in many other; things besides singing. Particularly the related arts. Without understanding them, it would be impossible to give a faithful interpretation of characters in operas set in various periods. And I'm very curious about electronics. These interests I'd like to pass on to my sons. We talk a lot these days about the importance of specializing, and then we regret there aren't any Rennais- sance polymaths any more. They are my patterns. Once, when I was still at the Academy, and singing the Emperor in Turandot, I noticed Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, the Nobel-prize-winning biologist in the audience..."

"I have a contract with the Met for 1987-8, but I'll be singing in several other American opera companies too, and in London. This time I'll take the family with me. I'm lonely without them."

"I wouldn't be me if I ever thought for a moment of settling abroad permanently. I'm tied to Hungary by inseparable strands. I couldn't live anywhere else. As for appearing abroad, there is no denying how educational it is for me. It's indispensable morally and financially too."

WHAT DO THEY SAY ABOUT THE ENGLISH PAGE

It is very good, for example our grandchild can read this, who is now 16 years old, and finds it interesting.

D.

*

It is excellent, the recipies for foods are good in the English translation.

R.C.

*

It is very good and literate.

M.P.

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Good beginning, interesting material about Hungary and Hungarians.

E. N.

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In short: the Hungarian Word should be Hungarian. Instead- publish more good literature.

H.P.

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Dear Friends,

A token of our appreciation for the enjoyment your English page has brought us.

We wish you continued success.

With regards to all

Elsie tc Andy Kaye

• .standi sseu^i

Hungary presently has a population of

10,622,000 people. Of every 1,000 babies born, 18.9 die during infancy-half the mortality rate of the 1970s. Life expectancy for girls born today is 73.6 years, for boys,

65.6 years. Eighteen years ago, this prognosis was one and a half years less for both sexes. For Hungary, one problem is caused by the fact that 27.5% of married couples only have one child, while 26.5% remain childless. What will the future bring as far as Hungary's level of population is concerned? We put this question to István Monigl, director of the Institute of Demography.

Up to now, how correct has your population forecast been for the period 1981- 2001?

So far the trend in the growth of the population has agreed with the predictions. For example, the predicted demographic low point has been reached, and showed no significant deviation. As a result of the population policy measures taken after 1984 (one of the measures is that a mother receives her full pay until her child reaches tha age of two years and a fixed sum for a further one and a half years in addition to the family allowance - the Ed.) the drop in the number of births, which had been earlier assumed, came to an end and, in 1985, even showed a temporary increase. In the middle of the 1980s' the mortality rate did not rise but neither did it improve. It appeared to have become consolidated at a constant, and not very favorable level.

About the Banquet

We write as concerned supporters of the paper. We represent those Americans the paper needs in order to function. That is those who don't know the language but do know Hungary and love its culture, its food, music and cities. In our case we were also married to Hungarians. We have also shown our support as steady volunteers for the paper.

These credentials are important as background for what we have to say. We feel that this group is not getting the consideration it should. We refer to the recent dinner in New York. The speakers were all talking Hungarian. There is a simple logic to follow here. Everyone knows English, not everyone knows Hungarian. This is not reaching out to second and third generation Hungarians.

Further, Dr. Antal Borbély was scheduled to speak and he didn't. He is one who appeals to the younger element and should have been featured. In effect consideration should have been made to this need.

The English page in the Magyar Szó represents an approach to this group. We expect it will continue but so limited is the space, we have to begrudge the use of ads on "our" page.

For survival of the paper a more open attitude is needed to second and third generation Hungarians.

Bemie Kay and Jack Bob row, editors