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(07/11/91 9:00am)
Not many Soviet submarine officers go on to become professors of music at American universities, but that is exactly what what University professor David Finko has on his resume. And Finko, who is an adjunct associate professor of music at the University, will break into the world of Mozart and Wagner Saturday, when three of his one-act operas will be performed by the Delaware Valley Opera Company, this Saturday at the Hermitage Mansion at 8:00 p.m. Finko, who was born in Leningrad, is also a Professor and Conductor-in-residence at the Combs College of Music. After leaving the Soviet Navy, Finko said he returned to his first love, music, and attended the Leningrad Conservatory. Finally, in 1979, he emigrated to the United States in search of religious and artistic freedom. Saturday' performance will consist of three operas, Polinka, Klezmers, and That Song. Polinka is based on Anton Chekov's story of the same name. It involves a love triangle and discusses the topic Finko refers to as "male psychological trauma." "Opera is like heaven in that it is a beautiful genre of music art," Finko said. "However, it is also damnation because it is expensive to produce. So far I am lucky." Klezmers takes place in a Jewish settlement in 19th century Russia. In this tragi-comedy, Finko tells the story of a dying klezmer band leader who relates the story of his life and then attempts to make peace with his wife and children. Lastly, in That Song, Finko tells the story of a female double agent who recalls events that happened to her during World War II including when she fell in love with a captured Russian pilot. She told him to endure the pain and torture subjected by the Nazis in order to save her identity, and now, as a grandmother, she feels guilty for her actions. Finko said he is pleased to have the chance to display his works to a new audience. "This is my first American opera company," Finko said. "I am grateful for the chance to work with such wonderful people and wonderful singers." But Finko was quick to point to the challenges involved in performing the ancient art form. "The operas have been written to require a smaller orchestra, and, therefore, save money," Finko said. "However, because there are three different stories, this requires three different sets and costumes and is, therefore, a lot of trouble." Finko said that in addition to writing the material, he is also responsible for conducting the performers. "There is a lot of excitement and nervous tension," he said. "But things will be well for Saturday." Jim Wiest, President of the Delaware Valley Opera Company, said he is "really looking forward to the performance," and that he expects many others to want to see it as well. "This is the first performance outside the Soviet Union of these operas," said Wiest. "We anticipate a very large audience." Wiest described Finko's work as "contemporary," adding that while this type of opera is not frequently performed by the company, they are excited by the challenge. "These type of operas are very valuable, and athough they are new for us, we are proud to do it," Finko said. "They are very important, and we anticipate a good, smooth performance Saturday."
(07/03/91 9:00am)
The Scott Paper Company, famed for its napkins and paper towels, has awarded University public service programs a half million dollars to help clean up the urgent problems of the inner city. The program, now in its eighth year, allows students at the University to work with West Philadelphians to find and implement solutions to urban problems. Scott chose the University as a result of its successful recruiting efforts here, and its committment to the communities in which it operates, according to Doug Bauer, Scott's manager of corporate contributions. "Our communities have to succeed with us," he said. "We look at children as the thing to focus on, and programs with children who are in need." The grant will fund the summer salaries of the 10 to 15 interns who participate in the program each year, according to University spokesperson Carl Maugeri. The participants research community issues and work with community leaders to solve urban problems. The program was created eight years ago by History professor Ira Harkavy, as a part of the West Philadelphia Improvement Corps. WEPIC works with Turner Middle School in West Philadephia as an experiment in public-private cooperation, Magueri said, attempting to turn public schools into community centers. "There are many efforts on the part of Penn to reach out to the community, but in this case the undergraduates use their skills to effect change," said Maugeri. "The critical difference is that this form of public service also helps in the learning process." Ira Harkavy, the program's director, said he is pleased by both the results of the program and Scott Paper's decision to endow the project. "The students do work and help urban Philadelphia," Harkavy said. "This benefits the University as well as society. There will now be a long term continuous contribution to the community." He said he expects the the program to be a model for future cooperative efforts. "This is the kind of activity Penn and other universities will be developing because it puts minds to work," he said. University administrators also said they are pleased with the progress of the program. "This generous grant from Scott will help us to make a permanent link between academically based community service and research and teaching at Penn," President Sheldon Hackney said in a statement. Joe Gaeta, a College senior who this year is spending his second summer in the program, said while challenging, the program is worthwhile for all those involved. "The program is intense," Gaeta said. "The students participate in active roles in the community and also participate in research oriented to the project." Gaeta added that Scott's donation confirms the importance of the project. "In Scott Paper endowing the project, they have recognized its importance, and now it will live on forever, a model for future relationships between communities and universities."
(06/27/91 9:00am)
While economists from Washington to Wharton have complained recently that the nation's current financial downturn is the worst in years, several merchants in University City say they are already out of the woods. While some local merchants, including The High Rise Bar and The Athletic Department, have gone out of business recently, many University community vendors said they have been spared the current recession's negative effects. "Sneakers have become a necessity," Dandridge said. "If anything, the sales of higher priced shoes have shown a slight decrease." However, Dandridge did note that many consumers now "look for things on sale." Houston Hall's Muffins and More has also escaped the effects of the dreaded downturn, according to owner Don McKee, who said he has seen "no effect, at least not so far." "I don't know how [the recession] will effect the beginning of the semester," he said. "I don't expect the effects to be drastic." Many local merchants said the recession's true impact on vendors in the area can only be detected in the sale of luxury items, which are often the first things to be passed up when money gets tight. But Tony Hall, owner of Houston Hall's Discovery Discs, said his store has also sidestepped the slow down, and that, even in the worst of times, students still seem to crave the latest tunes. But consumers are also becoming more cost conscious, Hall added, and many are now selecting from the store's used disc selection rather than splurging on brand-new albums. It would seem that consumers cannot pass up the sharpest duds either, if the Shops at Penn's Attivo store is any indication. According to Assistant Manager Michelle Hamilton, Attivo is feeling no effects from the country's economic woes. "Despite some slow days with Penn and Drexel out, we are plussing last year's figures," she said, adding that the store "always has sales." Overall, area merchants said they are skeptical that the bottoming out of the economy will affect their bottom lines. "I don't believe there is a recession myself, and even if & there is, Penn students and their families don't seem to be affected," Hall said.
(05/30/91 9:00am)
Children were the star of the show at this weekend's seventh annual International Theatre Festival for Children held at the Annenberg Center. The festival, which ran from Wednesday to Sunday, featured a wide variety of performances and activities for children to observe and take part in. The shows catered to kids of all ages, and despite the heat, 28,000 showed up to take advantage of the entertainment. "It was excellent," said Marie Taylor, who traveled from New Jersey with her eight-year old daughter Samantha to participate in the festival. "Some things need a time limit. You don't want to rush the activities, but there are a lot of people." Samantha said she also enjoyed the shows, particularly the singing in the plays. The pair's only complaints were the heat and the long lines that were common in some of the activities. Among the numerous attractions, the act most eagerly anticipated by all spectators was The Soviet Acrobatic Review which played to the largest crowds of any of the shows. Besides the shows, the organizers of the festival also sought to educate through Playworks, a variety of arts and crafts workshops. Playworks was designed to allow the children to recreate with their hands what they had seen in the various shows, letting them apply what they had learned during the day. Bob Friedman from Medford, New Jersey, who came to the festival with his family said he liked the "variety of entertainment," adding that he keeps returning because "the kids have a good time." "It's a very nicely run festival," Friedman added. "You get very good people to come and entertain the children." Managing director Stephen Goff said he felt the festival was a huge success. "We are doing extremely well. We are playing to 95 percent capacity and so far we have sold 21 to 22 thousand tickets and are hoping to sell a total of 28 thousand." The prices of the tickets varied from three to six dollars, with depending on the number of tickets purchased. Goff said that the public received a discount "to get people to go to more than one show." The festival had played to its highest capacity during the week, he said, with attendance coming primarily from school groups. Ticket sales for the weekend were only slightly lower, he said, and mainly consisted of children who attended with their parents. Goff said he was proud that since the show, which is the first of its kind in the United States, began seven years ago, the festival has spread to five other cities in the nation. He attributed the great success this year to the weather as well as the quality of shows, saying that he would "rather have heat than rain."
