Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada • 42

fti 'i1 D6 77.e Edmonton Journal, Saturday, October 16, 1993 RECORDS i iliyivJ )HyilJ lull uim KiUAV This version of Barber earns its stars From the cast, to the musicians, to the recording: everything works D.T. BAKER Special to The Journal ing, performance quality, are all of high calibre. Though there is no shortage of recordings of this opera out there, this one still earns its stars. Edmonton through the work" (Italics added). When a relatively unmomentous occurrence is labelled a "major event," and when it is rather un-specifically said to happen somewhere or other into the piece, don't one's evebrows instinctively arch? The Kronos Quartet has championed other Feldman "size as art" works before, most notably their performance of a work which takes five hours to play.

The piece on this disc is pretty much a series of slowly played, ar-peggiated chords in the piano, with the quartet adding a cycle of their own chorded figures. The entire score is marked pianissimo, and the net effect is very beige. It is one of the few works I can think of that would likely suffer from five performance as opposed to a recording. It is neither unpleasant nor inaccessible. But saying what it is not is a long way from any positive affirmation of hat it is.

nous and generally vivacious recording, captured with nicely judged distance by the engineers. Hampson, not surprisingly, is a standout as the scheming and quick-witted barber. His diction and flexible tone are much at home in the role, hich he seems to relish. One needs look no further than the famous Largo al factotum melody to sense his grasp of the character. In the somewhat generic part of Rosina, Susanne Mentzer's vibrato and thicker soprano tone seems ungentle.

Hadley's Almaviva is well acted, his portrayal of the perplexed, twitter-pated man is nicely done. Samuel Ramey's rich and botto-my voice is well-used and clear, and his aria La calunnia un ven-ticello is a delight. The other facets of the recording: the supporting cast, the pac t-i 'j ft i X' Rossini: II barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) HampsonHadleyRameyet al EMI Classics3 discs (2 hours, 40 minutes) At first glance, this seems to be a disc that can't miss. Happily, it doesn't. With a stellar cast including three of the finest male voices going today Thomas Hampson (Figaro), Jerry Hadley (Almaviva), and Samuel Ramey (Basilio) EMI's new recording of this most famous of all bulTa operas is consistently bright and entertaining.

Gianluigi Gelmetti conducts the Orchestra della Toscana in a lumi Feldman: Piano and String Quartet Kronos Quartet Aki Takahashi Elektra Nonesuch79 minutes Perhaps I have missed the point of minimalism, but when 79 minutes of music have elapsed, and virtually nothing has happened, minimalism becomes mere ambience, and sheer scope becomes an end rather than the means. Morton Feldman wrote this work in 1985, a one-movement, unceasing cycle that even its an-notator seems unsure of. "One of the major events is a five-bar stepwise motif in the cello, heard a few times around halfway tilUlili-'i'I-' Politicians win thanks from intrepid comedians '4 Br rrJ tra ntr mrtrri to r.Twrn rA' The Canadian Press Parade of Pops '7m. 1 V. George Fox has won every country music award a man can win in Canada, hosted a bevy of specials and received a gold album for his latest "Mustang Heart" Come and hear why he's one of the country's most popular entertainers.

mum comic effect There was also some political commentary and even a segment where Mercer, playing a reporter, appeared to cross paths with Campbell in the middle of her campaign for the Oct. 25 federal election. Helping give the show a realistic newscast look is GeofT D'Eon, former executive producer of television news at CBC Halifax. The series is being shot before Halifax studio audience on Fridays, for broadcast on the national network Monday nights. That kind of shooting schedule makes the show fresh, with the cast constantly updating the material as news events unfold.

"The fact that it's immediate is what's so attractive about this show," says Mercer, a playwright and actor best known for his commentaries on CBC radio and television. Jones and Walsh, who made only a cameo appearance in the opening episode because of a bad back, are well known to CBC viewers as the stars of the long-running comedy show, Codco. Viewers might also recognize writer-actor Thomey as a semi-regular on Codco in recent years. A play written by Thomey, Han-Ion House, was adapted into a film comedy that won an award at the 1992 Atlantic Film Festival. He also recently had a featured role as a priest in the CBC miniseries The Boys of St Vincent.

Halifax Politicians are a renewable resource for This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Cast members of the new Halifax-produced TV comedy show (which airs Mondays, 10:30 p.m., on CBC-TV) say they couldn't do their jobs without the politicians supplying them with material. "They're our bread and butter, you've got to love them even when you can't stand them," says Greg Thomey, who along with Rick Mercer, Cathy Jones and Mary Walsh make up the news lampoon team on the show. Adds Mercer: "It's like in Newfoundland. The day that John Cros-bie resigned was a very sad day because he was so funny to have around, you hated to see him go." Not that the cast has forgotten completely about Crosbie, the longtime federal cabinet minister, lie appeared in the opening episode of This Hour Has 22 Minutes, as did Boris Yeltsin, Kim Campbell and Brian Mulroney.

The series, co-produced by Salter Street Films and CBC Television, uses a TV news desk as the setting for a comical look at the news of the day. In the first episode, there were satirical news documentaries, parodies of federal election ads and real news clips of politicians, repackaged and manipulated for maxi JURASSIC MMK (PC) uo 7 A 5) is tn tr nA AGE OF INNOCENCE PO gi- 7 a r.n WAI s-! S-N -W rg sce'es M-T SAT sjli ji PM 7 00 b-C. AGE OF INNOCENCE (PG in 7J3 94 SNEAK PREVIEW: RUDY (M) Ai 7 30 FM -W. GOOD SON H) Da 2 iaj 7 0S eThi WA! GOOD SON (M g'r; 7 30 9 25 pm MAT SuN 4 lu PW atsti'g ret bA'bjU 30 i-y aing scenes George Fox, October 16 8:00 p.m. Jubilee Auditorium MALICE (Ml jaii, 2 fl 7 10 fcntW Mil Sit.

MALICE M) Nigf-i, 7 26 9 60 Dm MAT SAT BRONX TALE N.gn:iy 7 15 45 WA" iAT st jt SuN 2 li- PM coa'se langjaae vi0'eri scenes MR. NANNY (PG) Dai 2 26 c- 4 ispv Don't miss this country music experience. 7 15 9 50 BRONX TALE viC c-a-se JUDGMENT NIGHT M) I.D FAiSfs ACO-fcP Niin, 7 2j i (u pn MAT SA" iJU 2 20 V. call 428-1414 for tickets FOR LOVE OR MONEY PG Da 2 20 7 25 9 40 'Ve hitf.il sa; so'. 4 ic PM BEVERLY HILLBILLIES (PG Wsis MR.

JONES (M) 2 lo 7 00 9 20 pm E.TPA MAI ACCttD) Vrr 7 10. 9'5pm MAT SAT'S. ROYAL HANK SAT Sun 4 26 PM Krwg coaie (fiO 7 00 SHOW IQ 'q-il SNEAK PREVIEW: RUDY AT 7 30 ON 10 16' CfWtTV U' Miiy; '0't. JURASSIC PARK (PG N.ght'y 7 05 9 30 Dm MA' jiinr.ucuT uir.uT tui r.r, 2 10 9 20 pn tTR MAT "sAT So, 4 35 PM UN 'ngnteirg scenes r.c BEVERLY HILLBILLIES (PG .1,0 3 UOIT'VE PG 7 oo 25 VAT SAT SU, ALfcPifcQl Ud.y 2 20 7 10 9 10 tXTRA MAT SAT SOU 4 4T PW THE GOOD SON (M) hr i 7 30 9 15 pm MAT SJf. ju pm Aar-mg a.slo'pr'g scenes noi mm IWitJ yirH'iflryn- i STRIKING DISTANCE N.g- ly 9 15 pn GOOD SON Jdi-y 2 A 7 A t'hA Ma' SuN 4 10 PM Waning Gisluting scenes not sjilaDe to' MR.

NANNY (PG qnliy 7 15 SlCpm MAT SAT.suN p-ptpp 2 15PV vic-ent 5Ceres AGE OF INNOCENCE PG Dai 2 "00 3Cr COOL RUNNING li.g-! 7 10 9 10 MA' f.riy SA. 2 2t it. a MR. JONES NJ BRONX TALE Da: 7 20 9 30 VAT 5A" S.N i'SP DEMOLITION MAN g-i 7 o5 9 25 pm MAT 1 if, 2 i1-'M p' veCe FOR LOVE OR MONEY (PC) 2 'PA i' 4 PM SA' JUDGMENT NIGHT (M P-ojrS iUiftL MR. NANNY (PG) Da.

2 30 i pa 4 25 PM vm ent ce's N.trty 7 lo 9 20 pm MAI SA: SUN 2 '0 PM MR. JONES (MJ Dai 2 10 7 3.. 9 45 tm MAT I iLz SAT bL.N 4 20 ''M toming cpa-se ana.aac iNC7.Ji:, BEVERLY HILLBILLIES (PG UO FAfSE: ShC.jv mi ih.iiii A.ofci- U.Di 0'it 00 aijOpm MAT SAT 2 ji PM DN 10 SNEAK PREVIEW: RUDY 1 1 7 15 pm MA SECRET GARDEN (PG) SAT 3cTy 2 IjPM MAUCE 2 20 7 2C Ac pt MA" Si' 6c 4 3r PM not BEVERLY HILLBILLIES IPG) pt; 2 1-. 'l fc'P- MA" SA" 4 WHEN PEOPLE SAY DREAMS DON'T COME TRUE, TELL THEM ABOUT RUDY. "AN UNFORGETTABLE REAL-LIFE 'ROCKV thai generates tears as well as cheers.

One of the best movies of the year. 'Rudy' reminds us why we love movies." Michael Mtihcd. PRIA IV. "YOU'LL STAND UP AND CHEER FOR IT'S A WINNER." Lam R.llill.l SCHAM 1 REVERBERATES WITH THE PURE ENERGY OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT. Sean Astin is astonishing and David Anspaugh directs with skillful vitality and enthusiasm." "'RUDY IS PURE MAGIC! It's a 'Rocky' for the 9()'s featuring a knockout performance by Sean Astin." -Icll Craig.

S1XT SH OSU PRI II Vy "TWO THUMBS UP!" JUDGMENT NIGHT (M) TO, DH 2 Oo 7 20 9 5c sr. En'OA Hi- i3- 4,5 py Aanng wiem scenes and c.ja'se angjape BOX OFFICE OPENS AT NIGHTLY OFFICE OPENS AT IKK) MATINEES ALADDIN dW Sv 2 PM vJTD JURASSIC PARK PG Vg-tiy 7 JO 920 Dm Aa-nng vr l-l 9 lb MAT CLIFFHANGER S' 2 I. 'M STRIKING DISTANCE I. 7 10 9 1c coa'se a' gTage scenes FREE WILLY 6 45 pm MAT SAT ScN 1 Si ROBIN HOOD, MEN IN TIGHTS (PG) 3 AGE OF INNOCENCE (PG) ry 7 9 35 pm MA" 7 15 4- Vli 6' SlN 2 25 PM bA-spN 2.AV Nc rot jh. soyy'1 sce-es "ft so'ar 'c yr--g cnc" JUBILEE AUDITORIUM WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27 8:00 PM.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28 8:00 P.M. Tickets available at TICKET MASTER outlets. Charge By Phone: 451 -S000 Ticket: $10.00 (Plus applicable taxes and service charges) MALICE (M 7 30 9 45 pt MA" iA" SoN 2 05 WISING SUN (R) 9 30 pm PM lamina SO I MARRIED AN AXE MURDERER (PG) JUDGMENT NIGHT (M) Unii ACcfP-fDl Vj 9 00 pm MAI SAT SUN 2 30 PM 'yiam 7 15 9 'Jo pm MAT SAT 'SDN 2 26 PM (NO 715 Oce SKVy 'Oi- i-i i UNDERCOVER BLUES PG) VjMy 9 1 nm HARD TARGET (R) 7 05 9 2c pm BEVERLY HIUBIUIES (PG) AootP'i ttort 7 05 9 pt MAT jA' SoN 2'iV Journal I I I I I "pi Tift 4 1 1 1 IBW fJlH WOO 1 1 -i-4 -v 'v-. I I 1 Dr IBJLJI ivlif rjiy mm'i- ,111 w. imii i i I'll Hi J'-'-tl irJIM l'.

SPECIAL STiEAX PREVIEW ON TONIGHT AT 750 RM. A TWE rT OO" OUf rr TO KM Kats Newbg photographed eour THEM STAY AS OUR QUEST TO SEE THE REGULAR PERFORMANCE OF "MR. JONES" THt Or MVOCcJHC -J-nTr -c fr irti Mn'. fct fc fcfc fc lifc fcfchfct fc M. i a I.