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The Audience and the Actor
William Charles Macready (1793-1873) was the son of a travelling player and theatrical manager who had once performed with Charles Macklin. Although Macready's childhood was spent in and around various theatres in London, he was not at first destined for the stage. He was sent to a college where he acquired a gentlemanly education upon which he prided himself for the rest of his life. His intention was to prepare himself for the bar, but at the age of 16 he found himself involved into the stream of theatrical life. In 1810 he made his debut in the role of Romeo.
From 1810 to 1816, Macready played many roles throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland, even supporting the great Sarah Siddons in several plays. At the end of this period he was given a five years' engagement at Covent Garden. As Edmund Kean faded from the scene, Macready earned the position of leading tragedian of the English stage. He was regarded as the actor under whose management the legitimate, classical stage could peacefully develop. Macready's "productions were marked by extensive rehearsals and careful attention to scenery and costumes.
Macready's repertoire included the great tragic roles of Macbeth, Othello, Richard and Coriolanus. Macready reduced the high passions of tragedy to the restraint of the drawing-room, he succeeded best in the plays of his own day, plays which infused the tragic with domestic touches that Macready pointed the way toward the refined drawing-room realism that developed in the middle of the XIX century. His artistry speaks for itself in the pages of his Diaries.
From circumstances that I do not remember, the season at Bath was a dull one, and the theatre suffered proportionately with the other places of amusement. But this did not prevent me from using as means of study for my improvement the practice it afforded me. A full attendance is too generally required as a spur to a performer's exertions, and to a beggarly account of empty boxes many have been in the habit of slurring over (or what is known as "walking through") their parts.
various— различный, разный; to destine— назначить, предназначить, предопределять; to acquire— приобретать, достигать, изучать; to pride — гордость, собственное достоинство; for the rest of his life— до конца своей жизни; intention — намерение; to make a debut— дебютировать; engagement — обязательство, дело, занятие; to earn the position— занять положение; to be regarded as— рассматриваться как; legitimate — законный, правильный; peacefully develop— мирно развиваться; careful attention— пристальное внимание; to succeed — преуспевать; to infuse— вливать, вселять; circumstance — обстоятельство; to suffer — страдать; amusement — развлечение, увеселение; improvement — улучшение, совершенствование, успех; to afford — давать, приносить плоды; быть в состоянии; attendance— услужение, сопровождение, свита,
посещаемость; выход на работу; to require — приказывать, требовать, нуждаться в
чем-либо; spur— вершина; exertion — старания, усилия; beggarly — бедный, бедно, нищенский, крайняя степень нищеты; to be in a habit of doing smth.— иметь привычку что-то делать; to slur— глотать слова, произносить неясно
DIALOGUE
a) Read and act the dialogue.
b) Make up the dialogue based on the models using as many words as possible dealing withtopic "At the Theatre ".
Dialogue 1
At the Theater
— Good evening, Mr. McDonald! Never expected to meet you.
— Good evening, M.Bailey! This is a small world. How are you?
— I am doing fine, thanks. How is life treating you?
— Never felt better in my life. Thanks.
— Pleased to hear it. Incidentally, where do you have aseat?
—In the box, close to the stage. So I don't have to use opera glasses.
—Fine. What do you think of the play?
—Frankly speaking I don't like it. The action develops slowly. Some scenes are dull. The cast is not very good. Do you share my opinion?
—Yes, Ido. That happens to be a rather poor performance. Have you been to this theatre before?
— I am here for the first time. The hall is beautifully decorated and the chandelier is wonderful.
—I advise you to see "The twelfth night" by Shakespeare at this theatre. I am sure you will be impressed.
—I had a chance of seeing the play at the Sovremyennik Theatre in Moscow. It was many years ago.
—It would be interesting for you to compare the two performances. Don't you think so?
— I fully agree with you here. I have been dreaming of seeing a play by Shakespeare in this country. So I'll do my utmost to see "The Twelfth Night".
—The lights are going down. In a minute the curtain will be up. We must hurry
to the hall.
— Be seeing you later.
frankly speaking— откровенно говоря; to share one's opinion— разделять мнение; chandelier— канделябр, люстра; to compare — сравнивать; to dream— мечтать
EXERCISES
I. Answer the following questions:
1. Can you say what is the theatre?
2. Where are the best seats in the theatre, at the front or at the back?
3Does the interior of an English (American) theatre look like that of a Russian one?
4. What is the difference between a cinema, and a theatre? Which do you prefer?
5. Which of the two, the theatre or the cinema, is more popular in our country? Why do you think so?
6. What role does the theatre play in our life?
7. How often do you go to the theatre? When was the last time you went to the theatre?
8. Which Russian play appeals to you deeply?
9.Who is your favourite actor (actress)?
10.Which plays that are on now in your city (town, village) are a success?
11.What is a puppet theatre?
12.Are you fond of a ballet? Which ballet do you like best of all?
13. When and how do you book seats for the theatre?
UNIT 3
MUSIC
Many books have been written on the mysteries of musical form, yet few make it clear that form is not a mould into which the composer pours his music, but a logical process of presenting those ideas most effectively.
In most symphonies, concertos and other compositions there are three or four movements, each of which has its own form. It is the business of the composer to choose a suitable form for the movement of his composition and if he knows his job, the logic will be there.
As the world-famous composer Shostakovich said, "Music is a weapon and I have endeavoured to vest my symphony with those feelings which grip our people. We fight for light against darkness, for freedom against tyranny, for humanism against barbarity. Let us muster all our strength for an active and decisive struggle in the name of triumph and righteousness".
When the audience heard the inspiring first performance of Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony, they followed the composer's train of musical thought which he had embodied in his work. It cheered them up and moved them deeply.
During the Great Patriotic War music helped our people to fight the enemy at the front. A large number of patriotic war songs written as one of the immediate responses of the musical world to the Hitler invasion heartened our people and our warriors too.
Now we live a peaceful and creative life. The musical life in our country is not limited to the activities of composers alone. Our singers and composers, pianists and violinists make concert tours of our country and abroad.
But speaking about music we must mention about some of the most outstanding representatives, such as Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Mikhail Glinka.
The traditions established by Glinka were brilliantly developed by Rubinstein, Balakirev, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov.
Tchaikovsky's name is closely connected with our today's life. It was Tchaikovsky who wrote music that changed the ballet art. The wordless but expressive language of the dance has appeared with "Swan Lake" and "The Sleeping Beauty". His many compositions include10 operas, 3 ballets, 6 symphonies, 4 concertoes, romances, songs as instrumental pieces. He won renown as a conductor, a teacher and a critic. Tchaikovsky's music can be heard in every corner of our land.
mould — форма, шаблон; effectively— эффективно; symphony — симфония; movement — движение, темп; composer — композитор; suitable— подходящий, соответствующий; weapon — оружие, средство; to endeavour — пробовать, стараться, прилагать усилия; to vest— одевать, облекать; to grip— овладеть вниманием; to fight for light against darkness— бороться за свет против тьмы; tyranny— тиранство, тирания; humanism — гуманизм, гуманность; barbarity — грубость, бесчеловечность; to muster— собирать(ся), собрать все свое мужество; decisive — решительный, имеющий решающее значение; righteousness — праведность, справедливость; to inspire — вдыхать, вдохновлять; train — вереница, шлейф, ряд последствий; to embody — воплощать, заключать в себе; to cheer smb. up— утешать, ободрять; response — ответ, ответное чувство, отклик; invasion— вторжение; warrior — воин, боец; violinist — скрипач; to make concert tours— гастролировать; outstanding— выдающийся; representative — представитель; to be closely connected— быть тесно связанным; the "Swan Lake"— балет "Лебединое озеро"; the "Sleeping Beauty"— балет "Спящая красавица"; to include— включать; instrumental pieces — инструментальные произведения; renown — слава, известность; unforgettable— незабываемый