Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1984. január-június (38. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)

1984-02-09 / 6. szám

Thursday, Feb. 9. 1984.

AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZO

IT.

ELLEN GOODMAN

Can World Survive Another Reagan Term?

II.S. Premiere of Hungarian Favorite“Bank Ban”

Bel canto Opera proudly announces the United States premiere of Ferenc Erkel's masterpiece, BANK BAN, considered to be the most popular of all Hungarian operas.

Ferenc Erkel, famous conductor, composer of the Hungarian national anthem and founder of the Hungarian national opera, laid the groundwork of his country's musical culture in the mid-1800's, when Hungary was struggling to overcome Austrian domination in politics as well as the arts. Like his fellow countryman, Franz Liszt, he drew on the beautiful folk melodies of his native land to create a uniquely Hungarian operatic idiom, and his eight operas are all based on Hungarian legends and historical figures.

BANK BAN, after the famous play by József Katona, has come to symbolize Hungary's struggle for independence from foreign rule. The story recalls the reign of King Endre II. in the early 13th century. While the king is away at war, Queen Gertrude, of German descent, rules in his place. She appoints her own friends - and relatives to high positions and allows the country to sink into poverty and discontent. Bank ban (ban is a title similar to Lord), as head of the Hungarian nobility and Regent in King Endre's absence, becomes the reluctant avenger when, in addition to her crimes against the Hungarian people, the Queen contrives the ruin of Bank's innocent young wife.

The score, filled with stirring ensembles and arias of great lyrical beauty, reflects the nationalistic fervor that was sweeping all of Europe in the first half of the 19th century and was finding its voice in the operas of Verdi (Italy), Moniuszko (Poland) and Glinka (Russia). Although completed by 1852, the authorities prevented its premiere until 1861, thirteen years after the unsuccessful Hungarian War of Independence in 1848. When Bank kills Gertrude in the key scene of the opera, he expresses the long-standing hatred of Hungarians for foreign oppression.

Bel Canto's production will be in English with a chamber orchestra under the baton of Igor Chichagov. Cynthia Edwards will direct, assisted by Roy King as set, and lighting designer and Chas W. Roeder as costume designer. Members of the cast include Mary-Lynne Bird, Barbara Schramm, David Bender, Roger Ohlsen, Stephen Oosting, Henry Lackowski, Louis Raymond, Brian Jauhiainen and Barry Carl.

All performances will be held at Robert Wagner Jr. High School, 200 East 76th Street, between Second and Third Avenues. Free parking is available behind the school on 75th Street.

Saturdays, February 18 and 25 at 8.00 PM.

Sundays, February 19 and 26 at 2:30 PM.

Single admission: $10.00

Senior Citizens/Students (under 22): $7.50

AN ARTIST

OF UNIVERSAL OUTLOOK

Of the many hundreds of beautiful, socially conscious people whom we have the honor of having as readers of our p$per, one of the outstanding one is András Ősze, the sculptor. In a recent issue of the New Hungarian Quarterly a poignant appraisal of his work was published. The following is an excerpt from article by Gabor Tüskés.

Ósze is a meditative sculptor of lyrical conception. For him the statue is not merely a means of self-expression, but one of the most significant methods of experiencing reality. With him a work of art is not only the only possible and final formulation of his notion of things - it is also an ethical attitude. In his view the statue is the manifestation of an intellectual demand, which drives man to self-consciousness. His forms are not determined by incidental events. He believes in every man having a mercilessly clear moment in his life when he lives through, surveys, indeed, must survey - his life. With his sculptures he aims at these moments and this conviction helps him realize forms in which man can find himself.

András Ősze is an artist of a universal outlook, sensitive to human problems. In his uncompleted and open works one encounters an artist struggling with the problems of space and form, aware of human attitudes and building outwards from within. While he tries to embrace the entirety of life, he attempts to find and portray that singular reality which gives sense to things. His recognition of the

fragmentariness of the world does not prevent him from expressing his demand, one which can only be met by absolute values. With him. the sorrow over the lack of something there does not lend to an overemphasis of this „ lack. In fact, he struggles against that false modernity which wants to force its own uncertainty upon others; he does so precisely by pointing to the possible way out of anarchy. In his endeavour to re-establish harmony, he evinces his faith in beauty and purity.

OÜR ENGLLISH PAGES Twice a month we publish English pages, one about Hungary Today and another one about literary and political comments. Send them to the young members of your family. For only $ 5.- a year, we will mail them first class. Order it now! Use the coupon below.

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When you're tallying up the campaign questions that we'll be asked in the next 12 months, put this at the top of the list: "Do you feel safer than you did four years

ago?"

This Administration has spent thee years bolstering our national "security" by proving that we have the will. The will to use force on a minuscule island in the Caribbean. The will to make and deploy nuclear missiles in Europe. Do we now feel more secure?

I don't think that this is an idle or a rhetorical question.

On Halloween a group of about 80 scientists added to our knowledge of what can happen with nuclear "strength." Halloween, after all, as scientist Carl Sagan noted, used to be dedicated "to the Lord of Death". The two-year study that he and Paul Ehrlich of Stanford described, is labeled "The Long- Term Biological Consequences of Nuclear War." But their long term is not very long.

In a nuclear war involving only one-third of the American and Soviet arsenals, a billion people would be immediately and another billlion would be' critically injured. The rest, the scientists reported, would be left under nuclear clouds in a world of darkness and cold and death. In the middle of July the temperature would be 40 degrees below zero.

Nuclear war would be the bleak finale to our world. Does this make us less safe today? Most of us have grown up under the threat of extinction. In the past we have behaved much like children who entrust their anxieties to powerful adults in the belief that responsible -grownups will take car of them. We entrusted nuclear anxiety to our leaders.

What has changed is that the adults who have been placed in charge today are not careful enough. Indeed, they are menacing. From the early bulletins of "winnable" nuclear wars to the invasion of Grenada the Reagan Administration has pursued security through an aggressive posture. The people who make our foreign policy see Reds in every conflict. The President himself divides the world into good and evil, and substracts complexity. His military men operate on automatic response, as if America had no independent reason or purpose. When told that it's the Russians tapping their knees, the Reagan chorus* line kicks.

This simplisistic belief in a world of light and darkness, in a Soviet power that responds only to American . might, gives us "very good reason to be scared". Believers tend to expect and plan for some huge cathartic conflict without contemplating the scientists' final darkness.

We are left in the awkward position of being a,s frightened by the actions of our own government as by the supposed "enemy". What are we deploying today? What are we invading now? Does it make us feel safer?

In 1980 there were many who wondered whether the economy could survive four more years of Jimmy Carter. But in 1984 we are wondering whether the world can survive four more years of Ronald Reagan»