‘Community Production Brings

Norway's Charm to Mt. Horeb

By ELIZABETH GOULD
(Of The State Journal Staff)

“Just pretend you’re in Ber-
gen. It rains every day there,”
said the smiling woman in Nor-
Wegian peasant costume who
was taking tickets for ‘‘Song of
Norway,” Mt. Horeb’s festival
musical, at Tyrol Basin Satur-
day night.

The rain, which had necessi-
tated an indoor performance in
the elementary school au-
ditorium on opening night June
24, had begun to splatter down |
again on the crowd assembling}
for the second Saturday night’s
presentation. But the brief
Showers that fell intermittently
throughout the play did
Nothing to dampen the spirits of |
the cast. on their uncovered
Stage, or the 250 or more en-
thusiastic onlookers who sat on
blankets or folding chairs, hud-
died under umbrellas on the hill-
Side, and watched this lovely,
colorful production.

“SONG OF NORWAY” is a
Musical based on the life and
music of the famous Norwegian
composer Edvard Grieg, whose
fishmonger father was disgust-
ed with him for preferring
music to the fish business be-
cause “not everyone wants)
music, but everybody eats

 

Grieg’s love for his hometown
sweetheart Nina Hagerup, his
friendship with the poet Rickard
Nordraak, his rise to fame as
the protege of the opera star-
concert singer Louisa Giovanni,
and his rejection of the glitter-
ing life she would have chosen
for him, to return to his beloved
Norway and marriage with Nina
in Bergen. :

Bits of Norwegian folklore and
customs, analyses of the N or-
wegian character, and descrip-
tions. of the Norwegian country-
side are woven skillfully into the
narrative,

NANCY STEARNS, the pro-
duction director, and Louis
Sherman, the music director,
have drilled their large cast so
well that their absorption in
their roles keeps the audience’s
interest at high pitch.

Dennis Hirschbein, p 1a ying
Grieg, is as able an actor as
he is a singer and pianist. Mo-
nona Rossol, with her effortless
soprano voice, is appealing as
Nina, and Moselle Sherman,
whose voice is also excellent,
has a professional grace and
assurance .as Louisa, the high-
handed opera singer. Both Ron
Forsmo, as the. poet Rikard
Nordraak, and Eleanor Arne-
son, as the forthright Mother
Grieg, have fine singing voices,

 

and Forest Johnson, as the
long-suffering Count Peppi La-
loup, and Dick Peterson as the
fiddler and dancer, Freddy,
have their moments to shine.

The exquisite costumes de-
signed by Oljanna Cunneen of
Blue Mounds — costumes that!
range from those of Norwegian
peasants to the elaborate,
hooped ball gowns of ladies of |
the 1860s — contribute almost!
as much as the acting, singing,
and dancing to the success of
the production.

SUSAN KOLLER and Dick!
Peterson of Mt. Horeb are re-
sponsible for the delightfu];

 

dance scenes. E. Corso as set
designer, Gladys Board as stage.
director, and James Engeseth
as light and sound director are
all from Mt. Horeb, and all de-
serve mention. Mike Kenny #
Madison, on the organ, pro-

| vides fine accompaniment.

The natural setting is lovely, |
with a small pond behind the
stage, and the green, wooded |
hills rising as a background for’
both stage and audience.

“Song of Norway,” as a com-
munity effort and a tribute to
the Norwegian heritage of many
of Mt. Horeb’s citizens, is a.
beautiful. production of which
the town may well be proud.

It will be presented every
Saturday night through July.

 

MONDAY, JULY 3, 1957