a narrated concert performance of selections from “Esperanza”
with Artistic Director Karlos Moser
This concert is part of a larger event:
A grand celebration of…
* the 10th anniversary of the premiere of Wisconsin’s own political opera, “Esperanza”
* the 40th wedding anniversary of David Newby and Kathleen McElroy
* the Retirement of David Newby as President of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO
(although he does not plan to retire from the struggle…)
Wisconsin beer and Anniversary cake
&
a video retrospective of David's union and social justice work
Tickets for the Festival are $20.00.
Please contact the following for further information:
esperanzaopera@sbcglobal.net
This event is a party, a performance, and a fundraiser. It is a celebration of three important milestones, and a fundraiser in support of future performances of the Wisconsin-created opera, “Esperanza”. The opera is based on the blacklisted film “Salt of the Earth”. Kathleen McElroy and Karlos Moser led the creation and premiere of the opera in August of 2000, with the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO and the Wisconsin Labor History Society as the opera’s sponsors.
“Esperanza” tells a pro-worker, pro-union, feminist story in the unexpected voice of opera, and it does so brilliantly. Among the many positive reviews of “Esperanza” was this from the San Bernardino (California) Press-Enterprise: “This opera deserves attention. Fresh and eye-opening, the well-paced work tells of people struggling to make sure their lives matter.”
Newby chose “Esperanza” for this event because of the ideals it represents: authentic grassroots activism; collective action born of solidarity not only among union workers but within a whole community; and finally, the possibility of victory.
“A Retirement Festival” is co-sponsored by the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO,
the Wisconsin Labor History Society, and the South Central Federation of Labor.
More information on “Esperanza” is at www.esperanzaopera.com.
A biography of Paul Jarrico, producer of “Salt of the Earth”, is now in print. It is written by Larry Ceplair, emeritus professor of history at Santa Monica College and author of other important books about Hollywood and the blacklist. The biography recounts quite a variety of efforts to follow-up the splendid “Salt of the Earth” with films about its making or re-telling of the story itself. All failed, often from failure to secure Jarrico's support because he evaluated the projects as being flawed artistically or legally in some aspect. This chapter of the book concludes:
“Finally, in 1996, a ‘Salt of the Earth’ project reached fruition and an audience. Kathleen McElroy and Karlos Moser wanted to produce an opera based on the strike and the movie. Jarrico, the Wilson daughters, and Sonja Dahl Biberman agreed to provide them with whatever rights they needed. The opera, ‘Esperanza’, which was sponsored by the Wisconsin AFL-CIO and the Wisconsin Labor History Society, debuted in Madison on August 25, 2000.”
Sharon Kilfoy, a community artist in Madison, has been selected to create a major piece of public art for the 150th birthday celebration which Madison is having in March. A textile piece from “Esperanza” will be included as one of the artifacts in the fabric collage.
Kilfoy says of her work: “I've been collecting historic cloth artifacts from individuals, families and organizations across Madison. These will be sewn together at community-wide sewing bees at the Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center in January. The works that will be created will be displayed at the Madison Public Library during the month of March, with a public reception on March 8th. The fabric collages, or “Fabrications”, will be accompanied by a written guide, telling the stories of the artifacts.
“I'm hoping not only to present an exhibit that will be colorful, vibrant and celebratory of our history, but one that also can provoke thought in terms of what it is that's so special about Madison, and inspire a look at the human condition in general.”
David Newby and Kathleen McElroy attended Clint's memorial service, to remember and to bear witness. David was the only AFL-CIO labor representative to speak in Clint's memory. The Temple was packed with people, family and friends and colleagues, including several surviving compadres from the Mine-Mill strike in Silver City, New Mexico.
Clint really had had three lives: union organizer (blacklisted in the 50's); economics professor and union organizer at San Diego State University; and peace and justice activist during his 20 years of “retirement”. One speaker said: “Clint and I had just been together on a peace march the day that he had his heart attack . . .”.
David's remarks at the memorial included the following:
“Clint and I did not meet until late in his life. But back in the 1960s, I saw the film ‘Salt of the Earth’. For me, as for so many others, the film was a powerful inspiration. I saw Clint's quiet leadership as the union organizer in that film. And I heard him say of his companeros, ‘they donÕt work for me, I work for them.’
“When I finally met Clint I felt like I had known him for a very long time. We met in Silver City, New Mexico, in 2004. We were all there to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the filming of ‘Salt of the Earth”. I was honored to introduce and chair the conversation about unions in the 1950's. Clint and other mine-mill strikers reminisced about the strike and about the making of the film. People spoke freely and emotionally. They seemed to welcome the chance to tell their story, and to remember.
”We also talked about the attack on labor during the 1950's, and the red-baiting and blacklisting that made those days so absolutely poisonous. And throughout the conference, local people spoke of their affection for and confidence in ‘El Palomino’, as the Latinos called Clint. I remember one elderly striker who said: ‘I was afraid. But ‘El Palomino’ taught me how not to be afraid.’
“During those days in Silver City, I had a chance to talk personally with Clint about his experiences in that mine-mill strike, and about his remarkable life following the strike and the film. I learned of how he continued to be under attack. And I also learned how, with Muriel at his side for over 30 years, he continued the fight wherever he found himself.
“Clint's life was an extraordinary life of activism. It was a life of dedication to improving the lives of working people. I cannot tell you how proud I was one day in Silver City, to grasp his hand -- and to have him call me ‘Brother.’
“Si se puede!”
Pro-union concert featured in Overture Arts Center opening
Powerful classical music continues to lend support to workers' issues in Madison, with Professor Emeritus Karlos Moser leading local musicians in linking the just cause of working people with the unique power of opera music. As part of the opening festival for the new Overture Center for the Arts, Moser will lead a 14-member musical cast in presenting a rousing concert of songs about workers and unions from the rich literature of opera and musical theater.
Two 50-minute free performances will follow the South Central Federation of Labor delegates meeting to be held at the union-built Overture Center Monday night, September 20th. Moser will kick off the concert by singing Leonard Bernstein's “I Feel Like I'm Not Out of Bed Yet.” The rest of the concert will feature music from Madison's own labor opera, Esperanza (Hope). So if you didn't see the opera when it premiered in Madison in 2000, this is your chance to hear some of the stirring choruses and splendid arias.
Please note that the Wisconsin Studio Theater is small and seats are not reserved, so people will be seated in the order of their arrival at the theater. “Worthy Allies” is co-sponsored by the South Central Federation of Labor, the Wisconsin Labor History Society and the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.
********************
New Mexico's Silver City Museum is planning a 50th anniversary commemoration of the Grant County mine strike and the making of the film “Salt of the Earth.”
This 3-day conference/celebration, May 6-8, will culminate with music from “Esperanza.”
Karlos Moser has prepared our musical team:
Wendy Rowe of Madison as Esperanza;
William Alvarado of Valencia, Venezuela, as Ramón;
and Jane Peckham of Madison, accompanist.
With narration by David Newby, these three will present Esperanza and Ramón's arias and duets, and the scene between the two in which Esperanza declares “¡Que somos iguales! Tú y yo, yo y tú, we are equal!”
The one-hour presentation will conclude with the opera's finale:
“Share your riches with us, land of our birth,
With the children of the sun, the salt of the earth.
The salt of the earth.”
**********
“Moving Forward with Esperanza!”
Sunday, November 2, 2003 — 3:00 p.m. — UW Madison Memorial Union
Celebrate the 35th wedding anniversary of David Newby and Kathleen McElroy with an afternoon tea & beer party in celebration of future performances of “Esperanza”
Musical Program at 4:00 p.m.
Featuring Karlos Moser and the Esperanza Singers, and introducing Jonathan Townsend Wade, pianist
In lieu of gifts, please consider a donation to “Esperanza”
RSVP 608-238-8890 or by email, davidnewby@compuserve.com
********************
WANT A PERFORMANCE OF “ESPERANZA” IN YOUR TOWN?
We welcome inquiries concerning new performances of the opera Esperanza.
Esperanza is a full length, two-act opera. It has been performed successfully seven times for enthusiastic audiences in Wisconsin and California.
This opera is artistically demanding, and requires professional singers, orchestra and crew. It is also immensely rewarding, with rich melodies, vigorous choruses, sympathetic characters, and an inviting libretto.
The San Bernardino Press-Enterprise said of Esperanza: “With its flowing, multisensory stimuli of dance, acting and music and song, Esperanza provides an ideal way to tell an important story of overcoming prejudice and inequality...This opera deserves attention. Fresh and eye-opening, the well-paced work tells of people struggling to make sure their lives matter.”
If you are interested in performing Esperanza, contact us via our “Contact Us” page or contact David Newby, President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, at 414-771-0700 or via email at dnewby@wisaflcio.org.