Symbols: Two views

     Re Dan Rottenberg’s column on “Symbols and the Orchestra” (Editor’s Notebook)—
     As a very wise friend of mine, a college classmate who is an accomplished pianist and conductor, loves to say: “The score is not the music!”
     The “Jupiter” Symphony is what Mozart heard in his head and what you and I experience when it is performed. The symbols you refer to— the musical score— are instructions— ambiguous and imperfect ones, at that— for recreating that experience. There’s nothing symbolic about the symphony for somebody who doesn’t read music.
     I think the problem is that you are confusing two senses of the word symbol. For example, the integral sign is a symbol for a mathematical operation, surely not the same sort of symbol as, say, the Seal of the
President of the United States.
Dan Coren
Queen Village/ Philadelphia
May 11, 2011

     Re Dan Coren’s response above—
     A symbol is simply a pointer to something else, whether it’s a police chief’s bicycling, an integer, a presidential seal, a note on a score, or even the audio wave hitting my ear. I read music, but a symphony is as symbolic of other things to me as it is to a non-musician. At least I’m counting on that when I compose!
     I know what zero is. Wait, no, I don’t.
     Art, comedy, language, life itself involves turning things into symbols that weren’t intended to be symbols. We “read into” all the time. So I think the word symbol is apt.
     When our heart says Yes, then the symbol ceases to point and we call it Real. That happens at different times to different people (and at different times to the same person), so maybe therein lies the confusion?
Kile Smith
Fox Chase/ Philadelphia
May 18, 2011

My father’s story

     Re “Doing good through dance,” by Dan Rottenberg (Editor’s Notebook)—
     What a sweet and delightful story about your father and dance!!
Bob Levin
Berkeley, Calif.
May 18, 2011

     What a great story— bravo to your Dad!
Miriam Lewin
New York
May 20, 2011

Capucci’s ‘Art Into Fashion’

     Re Martha Ledger’s review of Roberto Capucci’s “Art into Fashion,” at the Art Museum—
     I too was puzzled by the title of this unusual show, which I agree might have been more appropriately called “Fashion into Art.” But whatever you call it, the Capucci exhibit of sculptured fabric is a masterpiece of invention, beautifully staged by the Art Museum.
     Two of my favorite pieces, although not as spectacular, illustrate the designer’s wit: the Morandi bottled-shaped dress and the little black dress encircled by strips of ribbon resembling film. If only we’d see that walking down the red carpet at the annual Academy Awards!
Jane Biberman
Society Hill/ Philadelphia
May 14, 2011

Kushner’s Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide

     Re Toby Zinman’s review of Tony Kushner’s Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism With a Key to the Scriptures—
     Thanks for this intelligent and interesting review. For those who didn’t catch the Shavian reference, the title is direct from Shaw: The Intelligent Woman’s Guide to Socialism and Capitalism.
Jean Brody
Hanoi, Vietnam
May 11, 2011

     Editor’s comment: Yes, and A Key to the Scriptures refers to the primary work of Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian Science.

A schoolteacher’s tale

     Re “School budget cuts: A view from the front lines,” by Candy Kean—
     This is heartbreaking—an important story, an eye opener. As a faculty member at Penn, I empathize so completely with this teacher and her students.
Beth Kephart
Devon, Pa.
May 4, 2011

     Plus ça change . . . Been there, seen that, done that-- half a century ago, but then as a substitute teacher.
     The worst of the urban schools, in Cleveland was torched during a race riot. I understood. Those who don’t, blame the teachers and cut the budget. Set those non-professional critics into a tough classroom for a week, if they can toughen it out. Then let’s hear from them.
(Prof.) Mary E. Hazard
Center City/ Philadelphia
May 4, 2011

     This is an outstanding explanation of what really goes on in some of the schools for no good reason. Why can’t this be on the front page of the Inquirer?
Bonnie R Slobodien
Cherry Hill, N.J.
May 4, 2011

     Candy Kean, you didn’t mention how it hurts children— only how it inconvenienced you. It’s an antiquated and unresponsive system; and it is ineffective. . . . but your essay failed to give specific examples of how it hurts children.
Debby Read
Wallingford, Pa.
May 4, 2011

Gentiles and Jewish history

     Re “Is it good for the gentiles?” by Dan Rottenberg (Editor’s Notebook)—
     I like to think my father, Samuel Glantz, who grew up in South Philadelphia, took Dan’s view of Jews in Philadelphia, Levitt’sTown and America to heart. His move to Levittown let him set up his solo law practice, where he was also able to celebrate his Jewish religion as head of the local synagogue. While there, he helped others – Jewish and non-Jewish alike.
     When the first black family moved into Levittown, he arranged for the comedian Dick Gregory to speak to the white police force so as to ratchet down the intensity. As a youth, he schlepped me down to Washington, D.C. to meet with Senator Joe Clark in a successful attempt to launch the local chapter of Head Start. He also helped start the first legal aid society. At the end of his career he shared office space with two women. And at the very end of his life, the joy of his life was a three-week vacation he spent in Italy with a non-Jewish woman because of the love of Italy he had from his days growing up in South Philadelphia.
     When I sought permissions for my book, Philadelphia Originals, I spoke with Mario Lanza’s brother, who wondered whether Mario and my father knew each other since they both grew up in South Philadelphia. I like to think the nature of both men is what Independence Hall and the Jewish Museum are all about.
Joseph Glantz
Levittown, Pa.
May 5, 2011

     As a gentile who is proud to be a “Founder Member” of the Jewish Museum (albeit at the lower end of the scale from that of my high-school friend Sidney Kimmel), permit me to say that the Independence Mall site is the only place where such a museum should be.
     You, yourself (knowingly) point out the vast contribution that the Jews have made to America. Remove all those contributions, and this would be a lesser and sadder country.
     And they did it knowing that while the laws permitted them to be Jews, society often did not. Therefore, your tourists from Kentucky and Kansas, as well as those from all over the world— and the native Philadelphians— must see what a small immigrant group has done, is doing, will do: believe in the American Dream and work at it to make it come true.
     Whether or not you were serious in asking your question (“But is it good for the gentiles?”), the answer is a deafening “Yes!”
     But I do wish the museum wouldn’t sell my name to all those other Jewish organizations.
Andrew Kevorkian
West Philadelphia
May 9, 2011

Dublin By Lamplight

     Re Jim Rutter’s review of Dublin By Lamplight—
     Had I not read BSR, I might have missed this truly original, highly entertaining play that is being staged on what might be called Philadelphia’s Off-Broad Street. The characters, in their painted white faces, were funny as well as moving.
     Only a few dozen people were in the audience when I saw it Friday night, providing an intimate experience but boding ill for its extension beyond its May 14th run. At the start of the performance, one of the actors reminded us, in verse, to silence our cell phones and to tell our friends that Inus Nua is hoping to extend the play if there is a demand. I hope there is.
Jane Biberman
Society Hill/ Philadelphia
May 7, 2011

Saturn Returns

     Re Theatre Exile’s Saturn Returns, reviewed by Pamela and Gresham Riley and Jackie Atkins—
     Depression is a serious illness that affects approximately 20 million people in the U.S. alone. For many of those in distress, admitting that they have a problem and consequently seeking help for it are steps that they are unable to take, while suffering from a malady that renders them incapable of making rational decisions on their own behalf. Such is the reality of depression.
     Professionals in the field acknowledge that there is no “normal” time limit on depression caused by grief over the loss of a loved one. Telling a victim of depression to “get over it” is a grossly insensitive reaction to a real medical problem, tantamount to telling a cancer patient the same.
     Fortunately for Philadelphia audiences, the young playwright and director of Saturn Returns (both in their 30s), along with a stellar cast of all ages, have the compassion and talent to bring this heart wrenching issue to Exile’s stage, and to characterize the pain of grief and depression with empathy rather than condemnation.
Debra Miller
Spring Garden/ Philadelphia
May 9, 2011

The Orchestra’s bankruptcy

     Your comments on the current state of the Philadelphia Orchestra (Editor’s Notebook) are a perfect crystallization of the shroud of mediocrity that has dampened the enthusiasm of the best and brightest artistic talents in our city for the past 20 years.
     Even bureaucrats in the Soviet Union put their lives on the line to preserve their highest art forms, which they knew fed the souls of the starving.
     Like a deer in front of oncoming headlights (or an adolescent boy facing a prom queen), certain people are terrified of Art, no matter how much money they have made.
     What is it about real Art that makes them slam on their emotional brakes and contort its emotional power into a pile of financial spreadsheets?
What scares moneymakers most is that Art (like prayer and enthusiasm) comes from an ancient wellspring inside all of us that remains essentially mysterious, ultimately sacred and, therefore, definitively free.
Margaret Chew Barringer
Penn Valley, Pa.
April 27, 2011

     Soundly reasoned and eloquently written.
     Who is going to step up to the plate and assume the role of Bobby Scott for the Orchestra?
Charlotte Phelps
Temple University
North Philadelphia
April 27, 2011

     Editor’s note: The writer teaches economics at Temple University.

     I’ve been looking from afar for some thoughtful analysis of how to regard this bankruptcy. Thank you, Broad Street Review, for this critique.
Eleanor Rubin
Boston, Mass.
April 27, 2011

     I couldn’t agree more with your well-made point. However, I must say, that, although small, the Academy of Vocal Arts is also a world-class organization, and is known throughout the opera world as a top producer of emerging opera stars (note that AVA singers have won the prestigious Richard Tucker Award three years in a row.) That is why aspiring opera singers come from all over the world to audition here.
Denise Stuart
Director of Marketing and Publications
Academy of Vocal Arts
Center City/ Philadelphia
April 27, 2011

     I’m not exactly sure where the Orchestra has gone wrong, except to say that I am a young person (mid-20s), living well within walking distance of the Kimmel Center (within five blocks), who has a bachelors degree in music and has made my living as a musician for the last few years.
     The fact that I’ve only seen the Philadelphia Orchestra once in the last five years is indicative of a huge problem. They should be banging down my door trying to get my attention, and they should be taking an interest in me from a programming perspective. Instead, I spend my money supporting the incredibly rich local theater scene.
     Yes, cultivating new audiences is probably only a small portion of the problem from someone’s perspective. But from mine, it seems like an indicator of a larger issue on the part of the Orchestra: time to think outside the box, or you are going to go the way of Blockbuster.
Daniel Perelstein
Center City/ Philadelphia
April 27, 2011

     How can we get this article to the Orchestra’s board?
Emily Starr
Roxborough/ Philadelphia
April 27, 2011

     The Philadelphia Phillies can (almost) afford a winning team because they pack the house each time they play. They were able to do so because of a huge public investment in a new ballpark.
     The public put up a lot of money for the Kimmel Center, too, but the Philadelphia Orchestra was a winner long before that. It isn’t going to get much better than it already is, and if it’s short of money, the reason is that cultural institutions, unlike professional sporting teams, seldom pay their way at the gate. That means permanent subsidization, public or private.
     The old WASP establishment beloved of BSR’s distinguished editor isn’t what it was. Reliance on the shifting interests of foundations or the vagaries of the public purse is no substitute. The worst of all comes when an oversized board that has messed up its management responsibilities for years declares a specious bankruptcy to void its contracts and to break faith with the musicians who are the Orchestra.
     You get what you pay for in this life, and you pay for what you value. The Philadelphia Orchestra Association’s declaration of bankruptcy is a sorry statement about what this city, its so-called leaders and ultimately its citizens actually do value.
Robert Zaller
Bala Cynwyd, Pa.
May 4, 2011

     So why not get the Philadelphia Phillies to support a day in support of the Philadelphia Orchestra? Maybe even have the Orchestra play before/after a game.
Joseph Glantz
Levittown, Pa.
May 15, 2011

     Editor’s comment: It’s been done.

Met’s Das Rheingold in HD Live

     Re Dan Coren’s review of the Metropolitan Opera’s Das Rheingold in HD Live (October 2010)—
     I absolutely agree with Dan Coren. I’ve been going to every live or encore view since Capriccio, and I’m just so tickled that we could enjoy these perfect treats at barely $22 (or $18 for encore). It’s the best thing that happened this otherwise dreadful spring!
     Thanks for the great review. Looking forward to read about what you thought of Die Walküre.
Nae Cho
Chicago, Ill.
May 15, 2011

     Editor’s comment: For Steve Cohen’s review of the La Scala Die Walküre in HD-Live (December 2010), click here.

     Dan Coren replies: I had planned to review of Walküre, but Alex Ross, the superb music critic for the New Yorker, scooped me, writing in his blog and the mag itself just what I would have about Walküre’s second act, only much better than I could have. As far as my opinion of the performance goes, I don’t have much to add to what I said about Rheingold; it was wonderful, for all the same reasons.
     Had I written a review, here’s one idea I would have expanded upon: The second act of Tristan, as I came to realize when I saw it live in Seattle last August, is hopeless as drama. Unless somebody has the courage to show a video of attractive people making love to accompany the singing, it’s always going to be two large people sitting on a couch singing about sex for 90 minutes. But the first act of Walküre, especially in the HD format, succeeds as erotic drama where Tristan fails, especially when the singers are as good and attractive as the ones in the Met’s performance.

WHYY

     Re “Bill Marrazzo’s WHYY pay package,” by Dan Rottenberg (Editor’s Notebook, November 2008)—
     My first contact with WHYY TV12 was in 1982. I became hooked by the top-notch programming and consistently fine shows and was a member until 2008.
     I cannot believe that TV 12 chooses to show programs like reruns of “The Lawrence Welk Show” on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights during prime time. Who watches this crap? I thought that folks who watched programs like this were on medication or already deceased.
     I am 64 years old and I couldn’t stand that stuff when my father watched it in the 1950s. Middlebrow and fatuous programs such as these, and the enormously inflated pay packages of WHYY’s upper management, compelled me to discontinue my membership.
Thomas D’Ulisse
Germantown/ Philadelphia
April 28, 20111