Standing in front of Gaston Hall on Saturday, it seemed that Georgetown students were taking advantage of Georgetown’s Arts Gala in order to punish their parents for all of those days of humiliating comments shouted from the carpool line. Now they were the ones heading out into the dark and interesting night, giving their parents hugs and directions before encouraging them to file inside. Despite the lack of student interest, the Gala was a great success for the many emerging arts groups here on campus.
However, much of the night was spent apologizing for the absence of Davis Visiting Professor Bobby McFerrin, a man seemingly essential to the new Program for Performing Arts. McFerrin takes his October Philadelphia sabbatical with his family very seriously, and so ironically was not present to enjoy the GU Concert Choir’s rendition of his song “The 23rd Psalm,” which he wrote for his mother. Even in McFerrin’s absence, the choir was able to put forth a moving performance.
Remember the opening scene of the Royal Tenenbaums, when that quirky instrumental wafts behind the classic narration of Alec Baldwin? The Georgetown Chamber Music Ensembles Program String Quartet performed an excellent rendition of this piece, Maurice Ravel’s “String Quartet in F.”
Harmony, an internationally focused women’s a cappella group directed by Georgetown student Dara Canzano, sang “Tumba,” a song originating from the African country of Benin. This performance, with its energy and unfamiliarity, offered a nice release from the other wonderful, but never the less “sophisticated” performances of the night.
Another highlight of the night was the performance of the GU Concert Band, who abandoned, in the emcee’s words, the works of those “dead Caucasian Germans,” and instead performed “Dedication Overture” by American Vittorio Giannini.
By far, the most unique performance of the evening was the Black Movements Dance Theatre. Directed by professor Alfreda Davis, these women’s strong yet elegant movements emitted a sense of power and determination that was inspiring in ways that ballets are not. For those awaiting the production of “The Cradle Will Rock” this November, select members of the cast offered a sneak preview of the show with the musical number “Freedom of the Press,” and ended the Gala with the show’s self-titled theme song.
The rest of the semester brings with it some excellent opportunities to explore the performing arts community. The Illusion, presented by the Mask and Bauble Society, will show in Poulton until Friday. The Cradle Will Rock opens November 13-15, 19-22. Also, G-PIG, the GU student improv group performs on November 15. Bobby McFerrin will be in concert with a variety of Georgetown’s performing arts groups on November 22-and this time, we promise he’ll be there.
