University of Virginia Library

Cooperation

One hopes, year after year, that
audiences will cooperate within
themselves for enjoyment of live
performances at the University. It
was disturbing to me, especially in
the Schumann Symphony, to hear
the buzz of conversation in the
audience.

If there is one acoustic that does
work in University Hall it is the
voice, not necessarily on stage, but
certainly off. Patrons should not
come to concerts to discuss pressing
business or give blow-by-blow
descriptions to each other of the
music performed. Television must
have a lot to do with this.

Cabell and University Hall are
not the same as one's living room;
conversation is tremendously
distracting to the people around,
and what one may think is an
"audience whisper" turns into an
irksome noise.

John Herring took a moment at
Intermission to remind patrons that
individual tickets to performances
within the Artists Series are not
available. This means that persons
wishing to see only one or two of
the attractions will have to buy a
season subscription, upon which
the University Union bases its
financial success with the Series.
This includes the musical "1776."
There are some season subscriptions
left at remarkably reasonable
prices, although by the look of the
size of the audience, one should not
tarry.