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Show Summer Festival The King and Bringing entertainment, educational culture, and professional experience opportunities to local talent, the summer festivals which were begun in 1948, have steadily gained in popularity. The season's first production starred lovely Patricia Morison, Dorothy Sarnoff, and Jose Duval in the ever-enchanting musical-"The King and I." The Rodgers and Hammerstein triumph played six nights in the Stadium Bowl to record audiences. C. Lowell Lees directed the July show, with Maurice Abravanel conducting and directing the Summer Festival Orchestra and Chorus, and William F. Christensen in charge of the dancing. Jose Duval, the King of Siam, gave a commanding performance. Madame Butterfly A poignant tragedy-superbly told in the delicate yet powerful music of Puccini, "Madame Butterfly" thrilled hundreds in its Stadium Bowl presentation. The production starred newly-recognized Elaine Malbin of the New York City Center Opera, Thomas Hayward of the "Met," and Conchita Gaston, and was directed by C. Lowell Lees, Maurice Abravanel and William Christensen. The elaborate settings for both productions were planned and supervised by Vern Adix. The challenging task of designing costumes was accomplished by creative Sereta Jones. A scene from the eighteenth summer festival production-"Madame Butterfly." 106 |