Magyar News, 1999. szeptember-2000. augusztus (10. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1999-09-01 / 1. szám
Above: Roberta Wargo on the Jenny Lind float in 1963. Above right: The happy Roberta with the trophy. To the right: the trophy and the oversize SAS airplane ticket. Barbara had an active life in the field of music. For many years she performed with society dance bands, directing and also performing in musicals and enjoying the appointment as organist and choir director of St. Ambrose Church, Bridgeport. The 1999 contest had eight participants. Three came from Massachusetts, then New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York were represented. And guess what? Bridgeport sent a Hungarian-Hungarian. The odds for the Hungarian contestant were looking veiy good but the panel, doing a very difficult job, chose the young lady from New York. The contest took place in the Salem Lutheran Church. The Bamum Festival concert was held at the First Presbyterian Church, Fairfield, introducing the two Jenny Linds. Both the contest and the concert were outstanding musical events. The quality of the singing and the songs were on the highest level one could ask for. Now let us get back to the Hungarian about the Jenny Lind Contest. After the concert a champagne reception was held. I, took a strategic position near the entrance to the hall where I figured that the singers would enter. My hunch was good, though as time passed I was getting discouraged. In the mean time I was trying to convince my wife, Claudia, that these girls were Hungarians. The response was a big poo-poo saying that I see Hungarian in everything good and everybody talented. Finally the singers showed up. Marika Schonberg was the first to come in. I complimented her on her talent and performance. Then, testing the waters, I asked if the name Marika is common in Sweden Marika jumped to answer the question explaining that it is not common at all, but her grandmother was Hungarian and she felt very strong on her having a Hungarian name. Grandmother wanted Mariska, then the family compromised for Marika. By that time in the conversation my wife was gasping for air, shaking her head. We also found out that Marika’s father, Stig Gustav Schönberg, is a composer, his studies included Bartók and Kodály. She went to Budapest with her father doing a concert and she fell in love with Hungary. At this concert she also sang a few songs composed by her father. With a hug, a kiss on the cheek we “Hungarians” said good-by. Next as planned, Tamara Mesic walked in. Still holding my strategic position, I talked to her expressing the well deserved compliments. Since some of her songs were written by Franz Liszt, testing the waters again, I told her, I was hoping that she would sing these songs in Roberta and Barbara visiting with Claudia Breakfast treat at the Hungarian United Church of Christ Page 4
