masquerade mask

In the 1990s, when Yugoslavia descended into the depths of ethnic cleansing and war, it was the final act in a drama whose curtain had risen in the nineteenth century. In the mid to late 1800s, the countries under the control of the Austro Hungarian Empire in Eastern Europe and the Balkans began to agitate for independence.

Nationalist fervour and pride received an outlet in the arts across the region. Today we might not think of Opera or orchestral music as revolutionary, but in the highly charged atmosphere of those times, anything with the whiff of nationalism was seen as provocative. Opera's written in the language of the people with lead characters who were barbers for goodness sake, (Barber Of Seville), or whose plots centered around the nefarious activities of the nobility (The Marriage Of Figarro), were considered nigh on treasonous by the ruling class.

However, it was orchestral music where the nationalist flag was waved the most vigorously. Composers looked to the folk songs and dances of their people for their inspiration. Bela Bartok was probably the most famous for this, creating pieces with names like Romanian Folk Dances. The only problem with their choices of music was that in some cases it was actually the work of their age's version of the non-resident aliens, gypsies, or The Roma, not ethnic Hungarians or Romanians.

Ranking below Lepers in social acceptance doesn't seem to have affected the popularity of Roma music. Bartok wasn't the only Eastern European composer who appropriated their music as a symbol of his country. Lesser known names to the West like Aram Khachaturian, Manuel de Falla and Isaac Albeniz all made use of various elements to emphasis their association with the "homeland".

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later I suppose, but it has fallen to the Romanian Roma band, Taraf de Haidouks, to get a little of their own back. Their latest recording on the Crammed Discs label Maskarada (Masquerade) sees them putting their own indelible stamp to some of those "folk" compositions with breathtaking results.

Those of you who have heard Taraf previously will know they are justifiably famous for being a band that's guaranteed to play with total abandonment. That doesn't mean they play at full speed all of the time, although on occasion it can seem that way. What it does mean is they always surrender themselves to the music completely. There's no way you think they can wring another iota of passion out of their instruments if they tried.

However, Maskarada sees them transcend all previous performances I've heard and obtain levels of excellence in music and passion I didn't think possible. On the liner notes, what they've done is referred to as "re-gyspyfied" the music. While that might be technically correct, I think it also does Taraf de Haidouks a disservice. This is a reclamation project on par with what's being done by indigenous peoples all over the world in reclaiming what has been stolen from them over the years.

When Taraf De Haidouks plays Bela Bartok's Romanian Folk Dances the wonder is how anybody missed out on not seeing them as the music of the Roma in the first place. (Romania and Roma have nothing in common by the way, as the words come from two separate language groups: Romanian is a Romance language derived from Latin, while it is believed the Roma language is derived from Hindi or Sanskrit. That the Roma ended up in Romania is just one of those weird jokes that the world plays on us periodically.) Of course, that's the point, these pieces weren't played like this before, � they were kept proper and civilized to appeal intellectually to its audience. In other words diametrically apposed to the way they should be played.

When Taraf De Haidouks gets their hands on them they reinvent them as they should have sounded all along. Instead of pretty folk dances that you'd see at some multicultural festival where everyone is clean and in bright costumes, they are played by people who have, until recently, lived a hand to mouth existence.

They know about real pain and real joy. When they dance, it is to elevate their spirits and leave their cares behind. Underneath the exuberance, there is the breath of sorrow that is their constant companion, but they are going to do their best to escape it, even if it is only for the moment. Let the music slow, just temporarily, and you can hear pain echoing in the sound of the clarinet or the loneliness of a violin.

On one of their songs on this disc, "Suita Maskarada", "Masquerade Suite", the mournful tin whistle that plays through the opening is perhaps the most revealing instrument of the whole recording. It's hard not to hear it and not think of the trials that the Roma people have undergone in the last century alone.

So, if there is a little swagger to the sound of the violins when they attack the Romanian Dance half of Bartok's "Ostinato & Romanian Dance" on the opening track of the disc, can you blame them? After more then a hundred years, the masquerade is finally over and they get to pull the off the masks disguising their music.

Some of the music will sound different from what you've come to expect from a Taraf De Haidouks recording. That's not surprising as it was written in a style different from what they normally play. But that doesn't stop them from making these songs sound as much their own as the music they have written themselves. Maskarada is a wild, tempestuous, musical ride that will leave you breathless by the end; pretty much normal for Taraf De Haidouks. New York City's famous theater-lined street may be four hours away, but currently Syracuse University students can look no farther than downtown for a Broadway-caliber production of famed musical "The Phantom of the Opera."

While the ticket prices -ranging from $32.50 to $72.50 - might scare away students on a budget, the elaborate two-and-a-half hour production is worth the splurge. Sunday afternoon's production played to a full house in the 463-seat Crouse-Hinds Theater at the Mulroy Civic Center, where the play runs until Oct. 7.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera," the longest-running show in Broadway history since it opened in October 1986, is a complex play, difficult to produce well. But the touring cast produced by the Famous Artists Broadway Theater Series offered an excellent show to its enthusiastic audience, which held first-timers and Phantom veterans alike.

"I've wanted to see it for forever," said Dawn Blaisdell, who drove from Fulton to see the performance. "It was just fantastic. I was blown away."

"Phantom of the Opera," based on French writer Gaston Leroux's 1911 novel, explores strange events within the Paris Opera House in the late 1800s.

The play opens in 1911 at an auction of old opera memorabilia, but quickly flashes back to the year of the opera house's mysterious disaster, which left its beautiful chandelier in ruins.

The play follows the rise of chorus girl Christine Daae, whose beautiful soprano catapults her past opera diva Carlotta. Her voice also brings her to the attention of the opera house owners and childhood friend Raoul, who is now a nobleman and patron of the opera.

But her joy is short-lived. Her "angel of music" turns out to be the opera house's legendary Phantom, who lives beneath the opera house. The Phantom, a musical genius who hides deformities underneath a white mask, quickly becomes obsessed with his musical protege. Classic "Hollywood glam" is the look for tonight's Great Race masquerade ball - Waikato's premier social event of the year.

About 2000 people are going to the black-tie event following today's Great Race between Waikato and Harvard University boat crews on the Waikato River.

Hamilton designer and womenswear boutique Thistle Fashions owner Nedra Pickering said the look this year was red carpet glam and sleek. She and a friend are dressing as Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe.

"Most of the women are going for full-length. We've had a whole range of colours go," she said.

At Rodney Wayne Hairdressing in Chartwell, manager Kate Cox said they and the Centre Place hair salon were almost solidly booked.

The look this year was "classic".

"Nothing spiky or avant garde. It's really classic French rolls and curls pinned to the side."

She said one regular ball-goer had booked her hair appointment in April.

At Hamilton mask shop Marguerites there's a myriad styles, from peacock feathers, sequins and glitter to authentic Venetian and papier-mache masks.

Owner Julie Carson-Enright said men were not nearly as conservative as their wives expected them to be, often returning a mask bought by a partner and trading it for something more flamboyant.

"One of them picked a mask that's 3ft (90cm) tall. It's a face with ostrich features."

While many of her masks are copies of those found in Venice they are not as expensive, though most are hand-painted and made out of papier-mache in the traditional Venetian style.

"I import a lot from New Orleans, the mardi gras capital of the world," Mrs Carson-Enright said.

But it's not cheap to go to the ball - a rough survey by the Waikato Times revealed it could cost about $2000 for a couple. However, one of the event organisers, Matt Taylor of Boathouse Events, said the ball promised to be better than ever.

"That's been reflected in how we've gone about decorating the rooms and the attention to detail."

Mr Taylor said through this year's theme, `Ballrooms of the World', organisers aim to enhance the experience with seven separately-themed rooms.

Among the great ballrooms will be the Russian Gypsy Tea Room, a New York-styled Electric Ballroom and a London-themed Ballroom Blitz.

There will be 15 live acts and 80 performers including bands, DJs, iconic Kiwi singer Rikki Morris, latin dancers and comedy.

Canapes will replace dinner on the menu and specially imported boutique beers Zipher from Holland and Kaiser from Germany will make up some of the fare. Montana wines also feature.

One thing the 8.30pm to 3am ball has not allowed for is coverage of the first All Black Rugby World Cup game against Italy which starts around midnight.

Mr Taylor said it was a conscious decision to exclude the match from the ball, which is being held at the WEL Energy Trust Academy of Performing Arts at Waikato University.

Meanwhile, the two Harvard rowers who appealed through the Waikato Times for dates to the ball have chosen Hamilton 18-year-old friends Katie Hennebry and Christina Hawes

A Masquerade Ball is being hosted by Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc. on Thursday, Sept. 27. The ball will be held at the James Union Building in the Tennessee Ball Room from 8 p.m. to 12 p.m. The cost is $3 per person and $5 per couple.

"The ball will be a chance for students to enjoy music, get dressed up and celebrate [their] culture," said Maryin Chavez, junior electronic media production major and vice president of Lambda Theta Alpha.

They are hosting the ball "for two reasons," said Luisa Padro, senior public relations major and president of Lambda Theta Alpha. The first being "that the organization needs fundraisers and two, is to bring something a little different to campus."

Padro said that students are always asking what they can do on campus. She said that there is not much people can do here.

"This is an event that people can go to at MTSU," Padro said.

The proceeds from the ball will go to help fund future programming for the Ladies of Lambda Theta Alpha. Next semester the ladies are hosting a universal pageant with the proceeds funding the Multicultural Women's Scholarship.

Wearing a mask is not a requirement, "but I think that would be the fun part," Padro said.

The best female and male mask will receive a surprise gift and dress is cockail attire.

"You don't have to go out and buy a prom dress or tuxedo or anything, but something nice and presentable," Padro said.

Members of organizations are encouraged to represent their group on their masks with their symbol or, for Greek organizations, their letters.

People who are not in an organization or do not want to represent it may choose to wear a mask representing their culture or just represent to who they are.

"I think everyone should come to meet new people, get dressed up, and it will be fun and get to know the ladies of Lambda Theta Alpha," Chavez said.

"Students should definitely get involved in what's going on, on campus and this is something not to be missed," Padro said. "Most people know that this is a suitcase-type campus, [where] people go home every weekend. We don't have the community that other universities have."

This event will be an opportunity "for people to come out, meet other people that go to their school, just have a good time, and have a reason to get dressed up," Padro said.