Oklahoma Today Winter 1983-1984 Volume 34 ... - Digital Collections

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26 .c "+" 1; 7 ,*< s gg MANNER ' Susan Everi\ Oklahoma TODAY
ack when Oklahoma was known mostly for its crude oil, cowboys and Western swing, a bunch of highbrow Tulsans who'd rather sing along with 3Verdi than Bob Wills formed the Tulsa Opera Club. Opening night, 1948, featured "La Traviata" staged in a high school auditorium. a The result was an enthusiastic hometown sell-out, but:a admittedly oiltown opera, rather than grand. 9. That was 35 years ago. Today, national critics and season ticket holders, some of whom travel more than 500 miles for a performance, call it brmk.0. Tulsa opera knows the score, producing the only fullscale grand opera between Dallas and Chicago. As an opera hub, its reputation is greater among buffs nationwide than in Tulsa itself. Still, standing-room audiences, I posed primarily of Tulsans, have thrilled to I the likes of Beverly Sills. And the diva, whc sang two ~erformances of Bellini's "I Puritan? as $ncipal artist with the local company, returned the compliment. The Tulsa production, she said, "could have gone anywhere in the world." Still, it's not so much superstar singers but the frequently adventuresome bill of I . fare that's gained Tulsa national attention. A full-blown Wagnerian opera is a rarity in America. The Tulsa Opera accepted the challenge in 1980 with a I $230,000 production of "Die Walkuere," the first time that a ~agnerian opera had been performed uncut on an I Oklahoma stage. d 5 The marathon production ran from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. And the ~os-An~eZes Times, which flew a reviewer in for I the occasion, glowed: "Tulsa had mustered a perfor- Left. i9e beautifulgeisha Cio-Cio Sun (Diana Sowiem) mourns the faithlessness ofher American husband, in a tragic moment from "Ma- dama Butteffi'y. "Above. EdwardC. Purrington, Tulsa Opera'sgeneral director, addresses the tmupen before a performance. Winter 27
Page 1 and 2: WINTER WINTERTIME IN BIRDLAND: GREA
Page 3 and 4: Winter 1983-'84 COVER IE2 - bnghtly
Page 5 and 6: The Stingiest Man in Lawton the for
Page 7 and 8: Shemqer'.r memories include a housm
Page 9: As the man responsible for virtuall
Page 12 and 13: places the image of the visitor ove
Page 14 and 15: 14 Oklahoma TODAY
Page 16 and 17: widgeons, goldeneyes, buffleheads.
Page 18 and 19: i "YOLI can identify them by the br
Page 20 and 21: By Kate Jones Photographs by Steve
Page 22 and 23: $ Bett)"~ reproductions are based o
Page 24 and 25: man dollmakingfinns like Kestner an
Page 28 and 29: Oklahomans center stage: Leona Mitc
Page 30 and 31: "Madama Butte@y" amives forher wedd
Page 32 and 33: 32 hst fag, we asked photographen t
Page 34: - ? RIGHT Woody Gaddis. 'Bird Feede
Page 37 and 38: YES! Enter my subscription today! R
Page 39 and 40: '-- a crowned heads of Europe. His
Page 41 and 42: empire which then surrounded Mul- A
Page 43 and 44: years there. That should give some
Page 45 and 46: DUNCAN December People travelling t
Page 47: I BIRDS Nov 20-Feb 15 Quail, Pheasa

Oklahoma Today Winter 1983-1984 Volume 34 ... - Digital Collections

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