T.ipsdav. February 13, 19/9
Opera Company a
By Scott Singletary
If twelve talented, professional
artists perform an opera almost
every night — and in a different
city - that’s not only news, that’s
a miracle!
Miracle or not, the National
Opera Company^ the professional
troupe that has brought opera to
over one million people, has
missed only four performances in
twenty-eight seasons; twice when
a virus hit the troupe and twice
when snow storms kept the
audience away!
The National Opera Company
will perform LA BOHEME, one
of Puccini’s most attractive
works, at Dunham Auditorium on
February 15 at 8:15 p.m. The
production is sponsored by the
Brevard College Life and Culture
Series.
The professional ensemble.
PATRICIA TAKALA. soprano
Crystal Falls. Michigan.
Received BM degree from St.
Norbert College and MM from
Cincinnati Conservatory. Has
appeared with Milwaukee
Operetta Company, Cincinnati
Opera, and the University of
Cincmnati Opera. Her roles in
clude Magda in THE CONSUL
Fiordiligi in COSI FAN TUTTE
Liu in TURANDOT and others!
With the National Opera Com
pany she will sing the roles of The
Marchesa of Poggio in KING
FOR A DAY, Lady Harriett in
MARTHA, Isabel in EL
CAPITAN and will alternate as
Mimi and Musetta in LA
BOHEME.
Miracle
THE CLARION
Pages
founded in 1948 by A. J. Fletcher
of Raleigh, North Carolina, is
dedicated to presenting well-
known operas in the language of
the audience. They have proven
that “Opera in English” is both
fun and exciting by receiving
excellent reviews from students
and professional critics all across
the nation.
In annual tours covering most
of the United States, the Com
pany has performed over 2,000
times bringing opera to small
towns and communities that have
never before witnessed a live
operatic performance.
If the performance by the
youthful cast is like their others,
the audience will surely go away
saying, as one student did, “If
this is opera, let’s see more of it.”
Valentine’s Day
Inmate’s Idea
By Carol Miles
St. Valentine’s Day, the
traditional time for hearts and
flowers, is nearly upon us.
On February I4th, millions of
Americans will give and receive
Valentine cards with messages
like “Be My Valentine” or “I’m
Nuts Over You.” Even the
dedicated Brevard College
student will join in the spirit of
things. Flowers, candy, and
funny little cards will be the
order for the day.
Nevertheless, Valentine’s Day
is not all hearts and flowers. It is
the feast for St. Valentine, a
Roman priest who suFfered
martyrdom during the per
secution of the Emperor
Claudius. Historians also at
tribute Valentine’s Day to the
death of a Roman bishop and his
subsequent martyrdom.
The custom, however, of
sending “Valentines” has an
accidential connection with St.
Valentine himself. According to
legend, St. Valentine was in
prison awaiting execution when
he sent his true love a note ex
pressing his affection. The note
was signed “From Your
Valentine.”
So now that you know the true
meaning of the Valentine wish —
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
David Holt Impressive
E. McDowell talks about Brevard
By Tom Snyder
I was able to finally contact Mr.
Eugene McDowell via a campus
pay phone. He was kind and
patient in speaking to me about
his position at Brevard College,
The changes he’s noticed during
his stay, his involvement with
PTK, his advisorship, his plans
tor the future and his feelings
concerning the students here.
“I attended undergraduate
studies at Wofford College and
then completed my graduate
work at Yale. I wanted to return
to the Asheville area and had
always dreamed of teaching in
the mountains. Brevard has
proven to be the perfect place for
roe. There’s always been a little
part of me that’s wanted to be a
renaissance man, and here I can
each religion, philosophy,
mountaineering, and still have
time for study and research.
I ve been here three years
’'ow and I have noticed some
ranges. As a whole, I feel the
“hool is improving. The students
®''e a better understanding of
What they want out of college,
® they re enjoying being here
ore, I feel the academics are
ore challenging news and offer
''^™ty of subjects from
.choose, Brevard is
Peparmg them well if they
Dinttu couryes well and
K their directions carefully.
As for being an Advisor, this
snm^ year as one, and it
Sam*, hardest and at the
donp'v work to be
ou have to be on your toes
‘The Perfect Place for Me’
all the time and I’ll admit,
sometimes mistakes are made, I
enjoy it, though. It’s a very good
way to meet and get to know
students.”
At this point I noticed a
peculiar noise over the line and
stopped to ask him about it. It
turned out he had just lit his pipe
and was busily puffing away. The
interview continued:
“Yes, I’m married. We have a
little girl of about 9 months. Yes,
my wife teaches — and I suppose
there are a few problems having
a two-teacher household. You
see, teachers are used to being
out front and in control, and
having two people together who
are like this sometimes causes
friction. We both enjoy reading
and using weekends to further
our professions, and I suppose the
hours we keep are a little rough
sometimes, but there are ad
vantages too. For example, we
both have basically the same
professional problems and can
relate easily to them.
“This is my second year
working with Phi Theta Kappa.
The kids have really come alive
about it lately, PTK takes people
who are good students, serious
minded, and know how to laugh
at themselves too. It gives them a
chance to meet people a,H
over the country. I’m proud of the
Brevard students - they tend to
stand out. We have one of the top
chapters in the nation, and you
can tell that by the way our
respresentatives handle them
selves, I like to see bright young
people taking a look around them
at the world and wanted to do
more than -just make a
living...Hello? ”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I explained,
“if you’re wondering about these
long pauses — I’m just trying to
get all this down. What about
your plans for the future? ’ ’
“Hmmm...I’d like to stay here.
Some students have told me that I
should go somewhere I can do
more research, but I like
Brevard’s attitude. I like
Brevard’s open-door policy. I can
be serious with the students, but I
can have fun too. There’s an
element of graciousness here. I
guess I learned about that
working under some professors
at Yale who were the same way. I
would like to go back Northeast
someday and get my PhD.”
“Is there anything you like to
say to the students at this time?”
“Mainly that they realize how
fortunate they are to be here at
Brevard. Theoretically, they can
come here right out of high school
not knowing what they want and
find themselves. They still have a
chance to be whatever they want
to be. They should hold on to their
dreams.
BREVARD MOTOR
lodge
Across From C> liege
Brevard, C.
Phone 883-3115
By Donna Mulford
Why does a pigeon-toed woman
love a bow-legged man?
David Holt, a mountain
folklorist, asked this question and
others in song and verse at the
Life and Culture Series program
on Feb. 1. He sang old mountain
songs such as “Ragtime Annie,”
“Goober Peas” and “Don’t Let
Your Deal Go Down.” Not only
did he sing himself, he had
Brevard College students singing
“I Wish I Was a Mole in the
Ground.”
Old time instruments such as
the hammered dulcimer, the
fretless banjo, the squeeze-box
and the autoharp were played
with an incredible display of
coordination. The hammered
dulcimer brought to mind pic
tures of warm summer days,
bright flowers and clouds over
mountains. When he played
“Cripple Creek” on the banjo,
every foot in the house was
tapping.
It is surprising that someone
able to play mountain music the
way David Holt does, doesn’t
come from the mountains
(originally.) He was born in
Texas and developed an interest
in traditional music through old
cowboy ballads. While going to
college in California, he heard of
a fiddler’s convention in the
mountains. After coming east, he
became deeply interested in
mountain folklore. He kept
coming summers till the call of
the mountain music made him
decide to move here. Most of his
contacts for learning this music
came from going to old time
music festivals.!
Perhaps this shows the heart of
this music because most of the
songs were made up by people
getting together to play and sing.
He learned many of the ballads
and songs by just listening and
recording the old-timers as they
played. He had no trouble getting
them to play or teach him
because they don’t want their
music lost out of disinterest.
Listening for one short hour to
this lively and sometimes just
plain beautiful music made me
hope too that there are others like
David Holt who will try and keep
oldtime mountain music alive.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14
Delphians, 6:30 p.m., West Beam Study Parlor
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15
Westminster, 5:30 p.m., Weaver Room
S.G.A., 6:30 p.m., MG 118
Social Board, 7:00 p.m., MG 138
(Jeneral Judicial Board, 7:00p.m., MG 118
Life and Culture: “La Boheme”, 8:15 p.m., Dunham
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17
Visitation Day, 10:00 a.m.
S.G.A. Disco Dance, 9-10 p.m
SUNDAY, FEBURARY18
Contemporary Church Services, 7:30 p.m., F.U.M.C
Chapel
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Christian Council Prayer Breakfast, 7:00 a.m
Weaver Room
PTK, 5:30 p.m., Rutherford Room
Spanish Club, 7-8 p.m.. Library Seminar Room
F.C.A., 8:00p.m., S.U. Lounge
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Art Series: Randall Jaxell, 6-8 p.m., MG 125
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Kappa Chi, 5:30 p.m., Weaver Room
Delphians, 6:30 p.m.. West Beam Study Parlor
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Westminister, 5:30 p.m., Weaver Room
S.G.A., 6:30p.m., MG 118
Social Board, 7:00 p.m., MG 138
General Judicial Board, 7:00 p.m., MG 118
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25
Disco Dance, 9-12p.m.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25
Contemporary Church Service, 7:30 p.m., F.U.M.C
Chapel
S.G.A. Movie “It Lives Again”, 8:00 p.m., Dunham
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26
Christian Council Prayer Breakfast, 7:00 a.m
Weaver Room
PTK, 5:30 p.m., Rutherford Room
F.C.A., 8:00p.m., S.U. Lounge.
Hubbard’s
Dogwood Plaza
Phone 884-2500
' See me for your
Real Estate Needs.
Jessie €. Crane
Realtor
Office: 883-8261
Home: 877-4484