We had lots of both, as the winners of our "Guys and Dolls" ticket contest attended opening night at yesterday's "WCLV Day at Ohio Light Opera" event in Wooster. Last night's performance of one of American's greatest musicals was beautifully sung and great fun. And you could understand every word of every song. How often does that happen?
Several listeners were photographed wearing "The Tiara of Traffic," on display at the WCLV table. They all looked like Miss America. They looked so regal that afterward they were practicing their waves.
Before the show, I chatted with one of OLO's best-known actors, Ted Christopher, and OLO Artistic Director Steven Daigle. Those interviews will be aired soon on WCLV 104.9. Keep listening.
Actress Ann Rutherford, who visited WCLV during a trip to northeast Ohio in 2010, died Monday at the age of 94. When she visited WCLV in 2010, she was in town to attend an event at the Kent State Museum. You can find her interview from that date, with a "web extra" feature, plus a 2009 phone interview, on www.wclv.com. Click on "Arts Resources," then on "Interviews."
She tells how she got into radio, and how she happened to run into producer David O. Selznick on a train, which meeting led to being cast as the youngest O'Hara sister in "Gone With the Wind."
Saturday's "Parade the Circle," in Clevleand's cultural hub of University Circle, was all about Nature, including this depiction of cold north winds, about which everyone in Northeast Ohio has an opinion. But not all cold north winds have a mug like this, not to mention that of the blue-faced sibling bringing up the rear.
At left in the Radioquarium is Joshua Lauretig, who plays oboe in the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. Joshua just graduated from Beachwood High School. He described his COYO audition, held many years ago in a darkened Reinberger Chamber Hall, as one of the most nerve-wracking things he's ever done. This fall, he'll continue his oboe studies at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.
COYO will embark on its inaugural European tour June 13-21, with a preview concert Saturday night at 8 Eastern Time. You can attend the concert at Severance Hall or listen to it live on WCLV 104.9 and wclv.com, hosted by WCLV's Robert Conrad.
In the middle is COYO manager Ashley Smith. At right is your announcer.
This was the scene about 3 Tuesday afternoon, June 5, as local astronomers set up their viewing stations in preparation for the historic Transit of Venus, in which Venus crossed the face of the sun. About 2,000 took the opportunity to see the transit through these specialized optical devices. The next opportunity will be in 2117. You and I will miss that one.
