ENDACOTT SOCIETY — March 2007
Retired Faculty and Staff of The University of Kansas — groups.ku.edu/~endacottsociety
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SCHEDULED EVENTS
All activities meet at the Adams Alumni Center unless otherwise noted.
Notice: The Adams Alumni Center will be closed during the week of March 18 (Spring Break).
Afternoon Lecture Series
Roberta Spires (rspires@ku.edu, 842-6820), Mary Schweppe (schweppe@ku.edu, 842-1147), and Howard O'Connor (843-1884). Stan and Janet Roth (sdroth@ku.edu, jroth@ku.edu, 843-4764), and Ellen Gold (843-6933) are in charge of programs.
March 8—Program begins at 2:30; sherry at 2:00. Following the celebration of March birthdays, Lorraine Haricombe, Dean of Libraries, will focus on the changes in our profession and in libraries with the title: "What's the story? Where are we and how did we get here?"
Card and Game Theory
Ruth Ann Culvahouse (842-0626)
March 15—1:30 in the Paul Adam Lounge. The usual games of bridge and scrabble will be played. If you have an interest in playing a different game, please add it to the sign-up sheet at the Wednesday Coffee.
Cinema Studies
Grant Goodman (plim@ku.edu, 841-1066) and Fred Madaus (fmadaus@ku.edu, 841-4939)
March 27—Film at 2:00, coffee at 1:45, in the Paul Adam Lounge. The film will be Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence starring David Bowie. In the light of the apparent success of Clint Eastwood's Letters from Iwo Jima, it seems timely to show what is perhaps the best of the prior Pacific War films.
Computer Study
Jerry Niebaum (jniebaum@wizardofkansas.com, 842-3127)
March 7—9:00. Early users: Word Processing, part 1 (Jerry Niebaum).
March 14—9:00. Applied computing: Athletics {Susan Wachter).
March 28—9:00. Application software: Mapquest & Google maps (Jerry Niebaum).
Domestic Public Policy Study
Jim Drury (jdrury@ku.edu, 842-3308) and John Poertner (jpoertner@sunflower.com, 749-2599)
March 5—3:30. Sarah Hill-Nelson will speak about local 'green' energy and the Bowersock Mills and Power Company.
Drama Study Group
Arnold Weiss (ahweiss@ku.edu, 842-5502)
March 16—1:30 in the Music Room. Having successfully negotiated the final—not to mention bloodsoaked—scenes of King Lear, Drama Study Group moves on to a new vehicle—identity yet to be determined. Please note that this will occur one week later than the Group's usual second Friday meeting date. Reminder of this fact, plus revelation of the new play to be undertaken, will be forthcoming at Wednesday Coffee.
Evening Lecture Series
Tom Eblen (teblen@sunflower.com, 865-3634) and John Mullens (841-9658)
March 29—5:30 wine and cheese, 6:00 dinner, 7:00 presentation. The speaker will be Jim Seaver, who will reprise his presentation on "The Evolution of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire.".
Foreign Policy Study
Marilyn Bradt (mbradt@carrollsweb.com, 843-7751)
March 12—3:30 in the McGinnis Library. Jim and Danny Drury will lead the discussion on "South Africa: Facing New Challenges".
Gardening
Arno Knapper (knapper@ku.edu, 312-9422) and Dick Schiefelbusch (843-5869)
March 7, 14, and 28—9:00 in the Music Room.
Great Books Study Group
Dave Hiebert (gundave@sunflower.com, 842-8706) and Ellen Gold (843-6933)
March 14—1:45. The subject will be Poetry. Poems by Shakespeare, Sylvia Plath, Gregory Corso, and Gwendolyn Brooks. The discussion leader will be Don Chambers. Anyone who would like is welcome to sit in and simply listen or take part if you care to.
Music
Arno Knapper (knapper@ku.edu, 312-9422)
March 7, 14, and 28—Immediately following coffee.
Opera Study
Jim Seaver (jseaver@ku.edu, 843-4081) and Al Sellen (jnalsellen@aol.com, 841-7432)
March 2—1:30, on the second floor. Our final program in this series on French opera of the late nineteenth century will be Manon by Jules Massenet. The story of Manon was made into an operatic libretto by Meilhac (the librettist for Carmen) and Gille from the famous novel Manon Lescaut by the Abbe Prevost. His story had already been made into operas by the composers Halevy, Balfe, and, especially, Auber, whose opera was still popular when Massenet produced his Manon at the Paris Opera Comique in 1884. Massenet's Manon was an instantaneous success, and it has remained one of the staples of the repertoire ever since, even in the face of Puccini's melodious Manon Lescaut, which was produced in 1893. By 1957 Manon had been given more than two thousand times at the Opera Comique. Through the immense success of Manon, Massenet became the unquestioned leader of French opera, a position he maintained from 1884 until the time of his death in 1912. Most people consider Manon to be Massenet's masterpiece, although some prefer his Werther of 1892.
Manon is filled with beautiful melody, and the harmonics are pleasant. There is also continuous use of the Wagnerian leit-motif technique, and the music has great charm and is often more powerfully dramatic than most of Massenet's scores.
Our DVD of Manon comes from the Opera National de Paris in 2001. It stars the American soprano Renee Fleming, who is now one of the leading sopranos of the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. With her youth and beauty she is perfect for the role of Manon, which she also sings very well. The Argentinian tenor Marcello Alvarez, who also sings at the Met, is an excellent Des Grieux. The French baritone Jean-Luc Chaignaud sings the role of Lescaut, Manon's brother, and the great old veteran Michel Senechal is excellent portraying the old roue Guillot de Morfontaine. The chorus and orchestra of the Opera National de Paris is conducted by Jesus Lopez-Cobos. The five-act opera takes 164 minutes.
Metropolitan Opera Radio
Al Sellen (jnalsellen@aol.com, 841-7432)
Radio broadcasts of the Met at the home of Vic and Mary Wallace, 1509 Massachusetts St., continue. The Saturday broadcasts are received over the internet and played in comfortable surroundings. Parking is in the church lot next door. Jim Seaver comes with his expert knowledge, and with librettos. Snacks are served too.
March 3—12:30. Simone Boccanegra, Verdi
March 10—11:00. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Wagner. (Note early time!)
March 17—12:30. Faust, Gounod.
March 24—12:30. The Barber of Seville, Rossini.
March 31—12:30. Die Ägyptische Helena, R. Strauss.
Out of Town Travel
Ev Swartz (evswartz@ku.edu, 841-4065)
March 26—1:00 in the All-America Room. Jim Seaver will give a slide presentation: "The Dead Sea Scrolls and Their Importance." Jim will give important information as background for our tour of the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit on April 20. Anyone is welcome, even if not going on the trip.
April 20—Dead Sea Scrolls (Trip to Union Station and the Plaza). Bus leaves from Hillcrest Shopping Center at 8:45. (The trip is full.)
June 16—Second Annual Symphony in the Flint Hills: The Kansas City Symphony Orchestra and 100 voice chorus will perform a program of classical music and other music that reflects the American West. There is still room for anyone who wants to hear the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra play in Waubansee County. Cost: $66 per person. This includes the cost of the ticket ($35.00), bus fare (16.00) and commerative program and poster. Reservations must be made no later than March 4. Contact Ev Swartz at Wednesday Coffees, or phone or e-mail.
Singing for Fun
Roberta Spires (rspires@ku.edu, 842-6820)
March 1—2:00 in the Music Room or Paul Adam Lounge. Please join us for a fun-filled song fest. Winnie Gallup is our able, and now famous, accompanist! (We meet regularly on the first Thursday of each month.)
Ten O'clock Scholars, AKA “Wednesday Coffee”
Genevieve McMahon (841-2116).
March 7, 14, and 28—10:00.
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Endacott Society Membership
Copies of the Endacott Society membership list may be obtained from Bryan Greve at the KU Alumni Association.
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Endacott Society Newsletter online? Check groups.ku.edu/~endacottsociety.
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Newsletter Copy
Copy for the April Newsletter should be in the hands of the editor no later than Sunday, March 18. E-mail Vic Wallace (wallace@ku.edu).