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1961 production photo from News of the Day

News Of the Day 1961

August 12 - 18, 1961

Hindemith’s comic work…

…contemporary with Weill’s Threepenny Opera, also combines elements of musical revue, vaudeville, cabaret humor and social satire in a parable about publicity and modern image-makers.

Music By
Paul Hindemith
Libretto By
Marcellus Schiffer
English Translation By
Don Moreland

Synopsis

Act I

Laura and Edward, famous socialites, return home from their honeymoon. A violent quarrel breaks out and they decide to get divorced. Miss Pick, a reporter, enters unexpectedly. She quickly grasps the situation and snaps their picture for a possible news story. Laura and Edward then go to a divorce bureau to secure the necessary papers but are refused on the basis of having insufficient grounds.

Two other couples, newly divorced, recommend an agency which helped them – Universal Services, Inc., an international business firm directed by Mr. Dodo. At Pick’s persuasion Dodo agrees to help them in the person of Mister Herman, an extremely handsome young man skilled in furnishing legitimate grounds for divorce.

The Venus Salle in the Museum is chosen as a rendezvous. While Laura and Herman are rehearsing certain amorous preliminaries, Edward discovers them. Believing the “other man” would be old and ugly, he is enraged to find the handsome Herman. In a jealous fury, he smashes the Venus. A public scandal results and he is imprisoned. Laura seeks refuge in a hotel where she is shocked to find Herman in her bathtub eagerly offering further assistance. The ever-ready Pick snaps the scene and the scandal increases.

Artists

Marguerite Willauer

Marguerite Willauer

Soprano

Laura

Theodor Uppman

Baritone

Edward

Elaine Bonazzi

Elaine Bonazzi

Mezzo-soprano

Mrs. Pick

Loren Driscoll

Loren Driscoll

Tenor

The Handsome Mr. Hermann

Elaine Johnson

Soprano

Elli

Marcia Baldwin

Mezzo-soprano

Olli

James Wilson

Tenor

Ali

Don Yule

Don Yule

Bass

Uli

Richard Best

Richard Best

Bass-baritone

Museum Guide

Irving Pearson

Bass

Hotel Manager

Ron Bottcher

Bass

Headwaiter

Catherine Christensen

Soprano

Chambermaid

Paul Hindemith

Conductor

Don Moreland

Director

Henry Heymann

Henry Heymann

Designer

Scenery and Costumes

Robert L. Benson

Lighting Designer

Thomas Andrew

Thomas Andrew

Director/ Choreographer

John Moriarty

Chorus Master