Re: Doug Nelson's letter last Sunday about the Guthrie Theater's "Peer Gynt"
I fear Mr. Nelson's letter might give readers an unfair view of live theater in general and this production specifically. The performance he criticized was the first preview, a week before the show opened. Preview performances are part of the rehearsal process, and have a lower ticket price to reflect that the show is still a work in progress. With new scripts such as "Peer Gynt," the week of previews is a time to see what works in front of an audience and make potentially major changes.
I was particularly upset that Mr. Nelson's letter denigrated the work of an understudy who gave a heroic performance as the Troll King. Typically, understudies at the Guthrie are hired less than a week before the first preview. They watch tech rehearsals and attend previews, but do not rehearse until the show has opened. On Jan. 11 -- the day before the first preview of "Peer Gynt" -- one of the actors became ill. The company spent several hours Saturday afternoon doing a "put-in" rehearsal for the understudy, running all the scenes in which he appeared. Then they did their first and only run-through of the show prior to having an audience.
Of course the understudy carried pages from the script during the preview -- he had had less than 24 hours to learn what the rest of the cast had been working on for a month. This actor's skill and professionalism under pressure were remarkable, and the changes and refinements made during the following week by director Tim Carroll, playwright Robert Bly and the cast and crew of "Peer Gynt" were nothing less than astonishing. I hope this provides a little insight into the process of live theater.
MELODIE BAHAN, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, GUTHRIE THEATER
Re: Chris Riemenschneider's obituary for the CD
R.I.P. the CD? Not yet, anyway. Sure, I can read the writing on the wall. CD sales are decreasing as online procurement of music (legitimate and not) is increasing. I suspect we may be only a few years away from the time when CDs are unavailable at "brick and mortar" stores. That, however, doesn't mean the format is dead. I suspect that the Internet sales of CDs will maintain the viability of the format for several more years.
In the meantime, I don't appreciate the rhetorical "shove into the grave" that your article provided. And although you mentioned it, I'd appreciate a bit more emphasis on the "CDs do sound better." MP3 files, played over a good stereo system, are harsh and lifeless compared with a well-recorded CD.