The Lowell Sun from Lowell, Massachusetts • Page 30

MARGOT FONTEYN AND Margof again By WILLIAM E. SARMENTO Sun Drama Critic NEW YORK With the exception of a one night benefit last year, it has been three years since Americans have had the opportunity of seeing the world's foremost ballet partnership, Dame Margot Fonteyn and Rudolph Nureyev performing on stage together For the past two weeks, in an engagement that might well have been their combined farewell to America, Margot and Rudy (lanced every night in a series of one act ballets that packed the Uris Theater with cheering fans. At 57, Dame Margot is one of the living wonders of the world Most prima ballerinas call it quits at forty. By her own admission. Miss Fonteyn had considered it.

But when Nureyev made his dramatic leap from Russia to the West, he became her partner at London's Royal Ballet and the results these past 13 years have been legendary. She has been in semiretirc ment the past three years dancing with small companies an assortment of one act ballets. She has not danced a full length ballet with the Royal Ballet since 1973. She will return to London in January to do a full iength and Juliet" with Nureyev in Janaury. NL'REYEV HAS all but adopted New York as his home.

He seems happiest dancing here. And he never stops dancing here. In July he was here with the American Ballet Theater. In August he danced nightly with the National Ballet of Canada. He recently concluded another engagement of American Ballet Theater's production of his own choreography to "Ramon These past two weeks he RUDOLF NUREYEV arid Rudy together for the last time? Sarmento has been holding court with his queen, Margot Graham Company For three weeks here.

Nureyev is filled with boundless energy and an enthusiasm to dance that is without parallel. All this having been stated, the two week engagement of Fonteyn and was not magical. i( memorable. The principal work performed was Ashton's "Marguerite and Armand" created for Konteyn and Nureyev at the Royal Ballet in 1963. It is the old "Camille" saga which as ballet resembles a second rate "Romeo and Juliet" Dramatically Fonteyn and Nureyev were superb as the lady of the camelias and her 6 SUNday, DECEMBER 7, 1975 DANNY KAYE FACE IT! DOROTHY HKLDB Jmc fdth Vitur WALSH MflBER VANCE COLE PORTER SONGS IWPEMIAL TNf CO 5 79fl.

ri Mtt.A.tt WFD. ant SAT. 1 34 It id it J2 75 It 1 0 I J2 75 J.II Hll. Mitt, "A VKRrtCT COMEDY" Atklnam.TlaiM Life with father trl th HOWARD LIP SAY. DOROTHY STICK HEY EMflRK, R'wiy A 40 St.

Tft Hnta at (I. in r.r. Mtu. WKU. aJid "The Tlneaf 'Mrbh' nf our Hc rUd Tiibunt MA RICK JI D1TH EVANS ANDERSON In Shakraprare'i AC8ETH The stage was set These productions, reproduced from the morning paper of the day, were among the 26 shows playing on a thriving; Broadwuy 34 yeaiVago.

Before the curtain was to 90 up again, another drama was to begin to unfold in 6 different theater. It was Dec. 7, 1941, and by early afternoon, World War II had begun for the United States. A successful Sunday shattered EDITOR'S OTK in iic JolUtUjUift cttlnmiu IT'iIlinm Gfover, Drtirnn ITn'ftr, rrralts llfutidwny an the dny tht JapuTifte twini'tr Pearl By WILLIAM GLOVER AP Drama Writer NEW YORK 'AIM Broadway was thriving that Sunday. Many of the 26 shows running would make the ali time hit chart.

Of course, nobody knew that yet. Three more were to open the next week. One never did. Balcony tickets cost 55 cents and some iheaters had a S2.75 top. A five spot bought a down front seat at most musicals.

The players were an array of established stars and. looking back, future celebrites. familiars like Boris Karloff, Ethel Barry more; hopefuls like her niece. Diana, and a chorus chap. Victor Mature.

The musical list included Varied program set for Hub opera company By ALFRED W. BURKE Suit Music Critic LOWELL Beethoven's Session's Puccini's Girl of the Golden and Verdi's "MacBeth" wilt be the vehicles offered for the 1976 season of the Opera Company of Boston, according to Sarah Caldwell, Artistic Director. The season will open with "Fidelio" in a scries of three performances on Feb. 15 17 and 19. This wilt be the premiere of the Beethoven piece, and it was selected to mark the Company's lath season Metropolitan Opera lover.

Dancing they were fine. The ballel itself is not much. THE PAS DE DEUX from "Le Corsaire was an unfortunate choice. Dame Margot is no longer to execute the de mands of the role properly. She looked confident but her dancing was not able to withstand the ravages of time in this role.

Nureyev, on the hand, soared across the stage his usual brilliance. Miss Fonteyn was belter in a less demanding work, the pas de deux from "Floresta never before Seen in New York. The section lasts only five minules and it is notable only in that it was the Fonleyn partnership together again for perhaps the last time in New York. Ethel Merman in Cole Porter's "Panama Hattie," and George Jessel and Sophie Tucker in "High Kickers." The biggest sOng and dance success was "Lady in the Dark," starring magnetic Gertrude Lawrence. A youth who opened to discovery raves with her had recently been installed in a showcase of his own.

"Let's Face it!" His name: Danny Kaye. The largest number of attractions around Times Square, however, were dandy melordramas and elegant comedies. Top chillers were "Angel just arrived with Vincent Price and Judith Evelyn, and "Arsenic and Old Lace." the K.irloff opus. At the top of the comedy parade was "Lift: With Father." which would keep Howard Lindsay Hulling paternally thro'jgh an all time, straight play record run of tenor Jon Vickers will sing the role of Florestan. Also from the Metropolitan will be soprano Teresa Kubiak as Leonore, Donald Gramm as Rocco and in his American debut, Richard Van Allan as Pizarro; Mac Morgan as Don Fernando and Joey Evans as Jacquinto.

The Harvard Glee Club under the direction of F. John Adams will provide the group ensemble pieces. will he on March 31 and April 2 4. Sessions, who is an American composer, will view the American premiere of his work, as presented by the Boston Company. The score will be sung Kngiish.

Donald Gramm will appear as Bernal Diaz, the narrator. Puccini's of the winndrrfully Jnyooa mimical YIN TOS FREEDLEY'H MuOi. n.inf Ipn T'S VRHRBBJIT En Btnny Riry ARDEM and BAKtR Audience preference forpo lite laughter was also very successfully being served with "Claudia," which had Dorothy McGuire and Donald Cook, and Noel Coward's just opened "Blithe Spirit," Starring Clif tun Webb. Peggy Wood and Mildred Natwick. first anniversary was "My Sister Eileen," which or a later generation would become "Wonderful Town." One of the few holdovers from a past season was "The Corn Is Green" with Ethel Barrymore.

"The Land Is with Miss Diana, was trying for popularity. Also in the stellar parade were Helen Hayes doing "Candle in the Wind," and Grace George and C. Aubrey Smith with "Spring Again." For more solemn dramatic tastes there were Maurice Evans and Judith Anderson in "MacBeth." and Paul Lukas fiolrien West" is scheduled for May, Soprano Arlene Saunders and Giorgio Tozzi will sing leading roles. Miss Saunders will be returning to the Company for the second time. Mr.

Tozzi is well known to New England opera circles. He has been a Metropolitan star for many years. Verdi's "MacBeth" will close the season in June. International star Shirley Verrett. who will debut with Miss Caldwell's company, will appear as Lady MacBeth.

Ryan Edwards, who will sing in Bostun for the First time, will sing the title role. Mr. Toi2i will sing Banquo. Miss Caldwell will conduct all of the performances. 2: la, '3 Dac.

2i. in "Watch on the Rhine." which won Lillian Heilman Lhc annual Critics Circle citation. There was, though, no Pulitzer Priw for a play that season, There was no opening either the following Wednesday for The Admiral Had a Wife," starring Uta Hagen and featuring newcomer Alfred Drake, it spoofed romping among naval personnel in Hawaii. Shortly a Her noon that day, the cast of "Junior Miss" and players from some other shows gathered for a jovial day off lucheon. It had hardly begun when someone brought the radio report which was to jolt Broadway and nation from serenity Japanese warplanes, lhc suddenly hushed throng learned, had just bombed Pearl Harbor.

The date was Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941..