Mad Macedonian

Dido and Aeneas: A Night at the Opera 2

So... There I was, first time Opera attendee extraordinaire, about to sit through a performance of Virgil's Dido and Aeneas, as interpreted in Henry Purcell's 17th century Opera, as staged by world reknown choreographer Mark Morris and The Mark Morris Dance Group, in collaboration with the Orange County Pacific Symphony, and the UC Irvine Chamber Singers, at The Barclay Theatre.

Let's see...that's 2000+ years of interpretation tossed into one stew pot, stirred, and served up in one hour, for dinner. ;-D

Not a bad pedigree for what appears to be the oldest English Opera still being performed in the world.

My 1st Opera and it wasn't even a standard Opera! ;-D

Late arrival? Just follow the Usher to an anteroom in the Lobby, and read Part 1...I'll wait. ;-D

Dean Corey, President and Artistic Director of the Philharmonic Society gave a short opening lecture on Purcell's music to get us all in the mood, and then...

Oh, wait, first, I hope y'all have read the Libretto and Synopsis (The text of a work for the musical theater), because you are going to need to! (Photos below, are in no particular order.);-D

If not, let ME tell you what happens. ;-D

The first thing you notice is the minimalist constuming, and stage scenery, and the few items used as scenery on the floor of the stage in various scenes.

The story is told in 5 scenes.

In Scene 1 the Trojan War has come to an end, and Aeneas and his people are hanging out in Carthage.

The Gods say he's to get his behind to Rome, but he's in love with the Queen, Dido.

Her Sister, and various hangers-on urge her to enjoy her good fortune to the fullest, but being a widow, and all, she isn't so sure.

He comes, he pleads, she listens...Love conquers all!

The lead dancers on the night I attend are a well-matched pair, beautiful to look at, athletic dancers, and emothionally invested in the parts they play:

Aeneas is played by Craig Biesecker, Dido and the Sorceress are played by Amber Darragh.

The Sister, Belinda, is well played by Maile Okamura, and various supporting roles such as the witches, sailors, and spirits are well danced.

Scene 2 has the audience hanging out in a cave with a Sorceress, and a pair of witches.

She's as antsy to destroy Dido, before sunset, as Dodger fans are to head for the parking lot at the Seventh Inning Stretch, in order to beat the crowds.

The Sorceress schemes to send a spirit, disguised as Mercury, to tell Aeneas that he simply MUST haul ass for Rome immediately, there's just nothing else for it, old chap.

The lovers are out hunting, however, so a storm is brewed, aimed at spoiling all the fun.

What's Opera without singers, right?

Well, this one has some good ones.

Aeneas is sung by the Baritone, Christopher Johnstone, Dido and the Sorceress are sung by the Mezzo-Soprano, Jamie Van Eyck, and Belinda, and one of the witches is sung by Yulia Van Doren.

Various other roles are sung, and the UC Irvine Chamber Singers lend their voices as well.

Dido and Aeneas: A Night at the Opera

When I think of Opera I think of Luciano Pavoratti, or others, in fancy costumes reaching high notes, undreamed of by mere mortals, in languages I don't understand...or The Three Tenors. ;-D

When I think of Ballet I think of the Bolshoi, and Dance brings to mind any number of Hollywood Movie Musicals I love, or a good, old-fashioned, Hoedown. ;-D

What happens when a performace is staged that can best be described as Operance, Operallet, or Ballopera?

You get the fascinating Dido and Aeneas, Henry Purcell's 17th century Opera, as staged by world reknown choreographer Mark Morris and The Mark Morris Dance Group, in collaboration with the Orange County Pacific Symphony, and the UC Irvine Chamber Singers, at The Barclay Theatre.

I'll admit to being a little leary of attending such a spectacle, but when I learned the thing would be in English, and read more about it, the more I looked forward to attending.

Dido and Aeneas is, they say, the first "great" opera in the English language.

It was written in 1689.

That means, folks, that it's OLD. ;-D

I did some reading, in preparation for my attending, and learned some interesting things.

It is yet another one of those classic "ill-fated love" stories everyone from Virgil, to Shakespeare, to any number of later scribes has written, and staged, for public consumption.

In fact, Virgil originally told the tale in his Aeneid, and apparently Purcell got the hots for creating his own version of the story sometime, um, later. ;-D

No score (One source I read, though, says just the prologue score is lost), just the Libretto (The text of a work for the musical theater), survives from the Purcell original, which some might say is just as well, I suppose, since everyone who followed could thus create their own, and perform the opera in entirely new, and original ways, geared toward the sensibilities of the thoroughly "modern" audiences of their day. ;-D

Some say this presents problems, but others have said, through their efforts... Hey, just because it's Baroque doesn't mean that it can't be "fixed"! ;-D

One such "fixer-upper" was Mark Morris, whose group first staged the Opera to much acclaim, way back in 1989, in Belgium. and rarely since.

The Opera is the story of Dido, the noble Queen of Carthage, and the Trojan Prince Aeneas.

While Dido’s court celebrates the imminent hitching of the lovebirds, an evil sorceress, with her coven of witches, plots their doom!

Romance Interruptus leads to Principles being clung to, which eventually leads to heartbreak and tragedy.

All sorts of dancing, singing, and such goes on amidst all this excitement, and the audience is enthralled, and moved by the tale...or not.

Ahh, love...always worthy of building a good tale or two around. ;-D

Earlier this month The Barclay was the host to the Southern California premiere of the Mark Morris Dance Group version of this timeless tale.

After watching this production I'd say that lovers of Opera, and Dance as well, will find the experience a unique, and entertaining one, regardless of whether they enjoyed the performance as a whole.

Mr. Morris is considered one of the foremost experts on the operas and music of Henry Purcell, and originally performed in the lead role in what many consider his greatest work.

In this version he conducts, and others take the stage.

The Dance Group, formed in 1980, is known for its commitment to live music, a feature of every performance,  and is known as one of the world’s leading dance companies, performing across the United States and at major international festivals.

The Strange Death of William Jennings Wells 7: A Grandson to Grandson Hello

In 1937 an ordinary laborer met an unfortunate fate on a dark and lonely road on the outskirts of Owensboro, KY.

His wife and son arrived at the scene to learn of his horrible fate.

In the ensuing days and weeks of that summer, as William Jennings Wells was laid to rest, an arrest was made, and an investigation begun.

The local newspapers chronicled it all seeing, in this tragic story, excitement of a local nature worthy of sharing space with the search for an internationally famous female pilot lost at sea, and the marriage, and financial problems, of the actress Mae West, among other news of the time.

50 years later the young boys older sister told, yet again, the story as she remembered it, to her son, a 27 year old man coming late to an interest in the history of his family.

As reported in earlier chapters of this series I got my hands on the articles my Mother always said were there, and learned more than even she remembered. (READ PART 1.)

Older relatives, including my Grandmother, were long gone by then, and my Uncles, her brothers, only had memories similar to hers for me to work with.

Life has a funny way of sidetracking you sometimes, and the next 15 years saw me set my genealogy aside as I went on with my life, struggling to make a living, and maturing as my life changed in ways I never dreamed possible.

In 1998 I got a computer, and in 2002 I began to use it for genealogical research in a very limited way.

I took out those old articles, and other names and places I had gathered, on other ancestors, and shared them in various ways, online, getting help from various quarters regarding all sorts of questions I was coming up with not just on the other searches, but this particular story as well.

I found a missing Aunt in a paupers grave, learned that this Grandfather and his Mother had more mysteries for me to solve than the circumstances of his death, and got that little boy to tell me, and his children, HIS memories of that awful summer.

I had not done anymore research in about 2 years or so, and was planning to spend May, and June re-organizing for future efforts at continuing my research.

Spending a week in March visiting an Aunt, and cousins, not seen in 37 years will do that do you, I suppose. ;-D

On April 24, I received a communication to one of my long ago posted reports, from a most un-expected source, and was blown away by who it was, and by what he had to say.

The Strange Death of William Jennings Wells 6: Reader Response to Series

When I originally wrote the first 5 chapters of this series elsewhere, in 2005 (READ PART 1.), several people tossed their own 2 cents in on the proceedings, and here are what they had to say:

Linda Willet, of Michigan:

I want to tell you I have had such a great time reading the story about your Grandfather Wells. I linked here from the Kentuckiana list. It was very interesting to read. I have family from Kentucky(Patton) so I tend to read everything I can about the area. Wiish you all the luck in your endeavor and hope someone can shed some more light on it for you. Am looking forward to reading more.

Richard Beisigl:

When Oriville said his light snapped off, he may have ment it went out, instead of falling off.

Patti:

Before you try and guess or speculate any further, get a copy of all the police reports as well as the court records.

This is all public record and could shed new light to the case.

When the Union was trying to get established hundreds of individuals where murdered & hurt.

How vocal an individual was determined what happened to him.

The Ludlow Massacre is a prime example of how money and power gets there way.

M. Hasson:

Court records should still exist to show dispensation of the case No. in question. You have every right to examine these for yourself under the freedom of information act.

Another thought, is that it was most likely a story that would be picked up by other newspapers. Try finding it in the papers of a larger city close by. They may have had a different view of the mishap.

Over 2 years went by...

Then, last week, I received a correspondence that stunned me (A happy sort of stunned, I might add!)

The Grandson of the Coroner, in my Grandfathers case, contacted me on April 24, 2008. ;-D

What he had to say will be the subject of the next chapter in this series.

The Strange Death of William Jennings Wells 5: Reader on PT.4

Since the original 4 parter was posted elsewhere, in 2005, many folks have read this series, and I especially want to thank those who have left comments, and sent me e-mails.

It just confirms what I've learned since going online with my research in 2001: Genealogists are a curious, encouraging, and helpful species of the Human Family. ;-D

Coming in late? READ PART 1.

I now want to share with you the response I got, from a reader named Sharrie, regarding   Pt. 4 - Questions:

QUESTION 1: Why is the death of a simple farmer given such front page treatment and followed over several days?

ANSWER: Somewhere in your blog I remembered reading that they wanted to do away with the UNION at the  Brick Works (?). If so, what better way to discourage other workers than to have what could happen on the front page of the paper.

QUESTION 2: Why are the addresses of the 2 witnesses SPECIFICALLY reported, BUT those of the victim and perpetrator only given VAGUELY?

and

QUESTION 8: Were the witnesses REALLY bystanders happening on a scene by accident, or in cahoots somehow with Orville???

ANSWER: My guess, those two were just an involved as the others - why did they leave him beside the road if he was alive and not take him to a local doctor or hospital?

QUESTION 3: Why did Orville Faught return home by a longer route, instead of just turning around and returning the shorter distance home?

ANSWER: If he wasn't in the area he couldn't be shown as being near the scene of the accident.

QUESTION 1: Why is the death of a simple farmer given such front page treatment and followed over several days?

ANSWER: Somewhere in your blog I remembered reading that they wanted to do away with the UNION at the  Brick Works (?). If so, what better way to discourage other workers than to have what could happen on the front page of the paper.

QUESTION 2: Why are the addresses of the 2 witnesses SPECIFICALLY reported, BUT those of the victim and perpetrator only given VAGUELY?

and

QUESTION 8: Were the witnesses REALLY bystanders happening on a scene by accident, or in cahoots somehow with Orville???

ANSWER: My guess, those two were just an involved as the others - why did they leave him beside the road if he was alive and not take him to a local doctor or hospital?

QUESTION 3: Why did Orville Faught return home by a longer route, instead of just turning around and returning the shorter distance home?

ANSWER: If he wasn't in the area he couldn't be shown as being near the scene of the accident.

The Strange Death of William Jennings Wells 4: Questions

20 QUESTIONS regarding the death of William Jennings Wells - 7/8/1937 (READ PART 1.)

The only, DOCUMENTED AT THE TIME, detailed report of the incident and its aftermath that I have found, SO FAR, is from the Newspaper coverage of THE OWENSBORO MESSENGER, and THE OWENSBORO INQUIRER, and it DOES raise many questions.

So let's play 20 QUESTIONS!

Well, actually many more than that. :-D

1. Why is the death of a simple farmer given such front page treatment and
followed over several days?

2. Why are the addresses of the 2 witnesses SPECIFICALLY reported, BUT those
of the victim and perpetrator only given VAGUELY?

3. Why did Orville Faught return home by a longer route, instead of just turning
around and returning the shorter distance home?

4. Orville said the headlight snapped off. The sheriff said there was a dent
in the fender and the light was damaged. They can't both be right, can they?

5. If the light snapped off Orville MUST have stopped briefly to retrieve it
and put it back. If so how could he miss seeing a body?

6. Considering the damage, either way, how could he honestly say he didn't
know he hit someone?

7. Witnesses claim the truck almost stopped, then started ahead again. This
indicates an impact of some sort. Yet Orville claims he didn't know he hit
something. It's obvious that, at the least, the headlight DID NOT snap off
as he claimed, because he didn't stop long enough to get out of the truck to
retrieve it, and the Sheriff said it was damaged NOT missing. Why the
contradictions?

8. Were the witnesses REALLY bystanders happening on a scene by accident, or
in cahoots somehow with Orville?

9. Who were the 3 unidentified folks in the photo?

10. Why was Business Man George Medley there and identified in the picture?
Was he just at the Kentucky Inn, maybe a passerby, or was he called, or even maybe
aware of what could have been a planned encounter with Granddad?

11. Was Granddad just a victim of an incident of harassment gone terribly
wrong? If so, why?

20 QUESTIONS regarding the death of William Jennings Wells - 7/8/1937 (READ PART 1.)

The only, DOCUMENTED AT THE TIME, detailed report of the incident and its aftermath that I have found, SO FAR, is from the Newspaper coverage of THE OWENSBORO MESSENGER, and THE OWENSBORO INQUIRER, and it DOES raise many questions.

So let's play 20 QUESTIONS!

Well, actually many more than that. :-D

1. Why is the death of a simple farmer given such front page treatment and
followed over several days?

2. Why are the addresses of the 2 witnesses SPECIFICALLY reported, BUT those
of the victim and perpetrator only given VAGUELY?

3. Why did Orville Faught return home by a longer route, instead of just turning
around and returning the shorter distance home?

4. Orville said the headlight snapped off. The sheriff said there was a dent
in the fender and the light was damaged. They can't both be right, can they?

5. If the light snapped off Orville MUST have stopped briefly to retrieve it
and put it back. If so how could he miss seeing a body?

6. Considering the damage, either way, how could he honestly say he didn't
know he hit someone?

7. Witnesses claim the truck almost stopped, then started ahead again. This
indicates an impact of some sort. Yet Orville claims he didn't know he hit
something. It's obvious that, at the least, the headlight DID NOT snap off
as he claimed, because he didn't stop long enough to get out of the truck to
retrieve it, and the Sheriff said it was damaged NOT missing. Why the
contradictions?

8. Were the witnesses REALLY bystanders happening on a scene by accident, or
in cahoots somehow with Orville?

9. Who were the 3 unidentified folks in the photo?

10. Why was Business Man George Medley there and identified in the picture?
Was he just at the Kentucky Inn, maybe a passerby, or was he called, or even maybe
aware of what could have been a planned encounter with Granddad?

11. Was Granddad just a victim of an incident of harassment gone terribly
wrong? If so, why?

The Strange Death of William Jennings Wells 3: A Son Remembers

Arriving in the middle? READ PART 1.

Here is what PAUL JENNINGS WELLS, age 68, oldest Son of William Jennings Wells ( 1898-1937 ), had to say, in a letter to family members on 3/26/02, about his Dad's death:

I know that you have heard a lot of stories about my dad's death. Well, do not believe all that you hear.

This event is one of my earliest memories......

I was 4 years, and 2 months old almost to the day. I remember Mom had gotten us kids ready for bed. I remember that because she always said our night prayers with us.
Just as we finished our night prayer there came a knock on our door. I remember Mom went to the door and I was holding on to her dress, she opened the door and a man was there, and there was a big black car.

The man said, "Are you  Mrs. IVA Wells?" Mom said, " I am."

This man said there has been an accident we need you to come with us. Your husband was involved! Mom started to cry and asked if he was dead.
The man said, "If he is your husband he is dead." Mom said that I had to go with her and my sister Mary Alice was to watch my brother who was the baby. She took me with her because I was the one who always caused trouble when she was not around.

It was warm that night and we rode for what seemed like forever to a 4 yr. old boy. The car stopped and we got out. There on the side of the road lay something covered with a canvas. As we got closer I will never forget that I saw 2 feet sticking out from under that canvas. One had a shoe on it, the other did not.

They lifted the canvas and I saw my dad's face lying there. My Mother became very upset and had to be prevented from getting down on the ground where he was. This memory has been with me very vividly through my life even today it seems like only yesterday......................
 
The newspapers were in error when they said dad was a farmer. You have to remember that the country was in the great depression at that time. Dad took whatever kind of work he could find. He worked on the RUDY FARM when there was work for him, or in the JOHN MCNULTY COAL MINES. Dad had been working at the OWENSBORO CLAY PRODUCTS CO. for about 6 months at the time of his death.

Dad belonged to the Union, and Orville Faught and Old Man L. N. Cecil wanted to get rid of the Union so they planned together to scare Dad so he would quit the Union. They were driving on the Highway and saw Dad, they were drinking a lot and when they drove the truck toward him they lost control and hit him.

He was wearing overall and the straps of his overalls got caught on the truck. They dragged him quite a ways.

I think the rest of the story was a cover-up by a bunch of good ol' boys to keep Orville Faught from going to prison. Remember all of them were in on the cover-up. Delbert Glen was the Coroner, and also owned the Funeral Home, Orville Faught's kinfolk were part owners and big shots at the brickyard.

When they came to my Mother and said sign this, and we will take care of everything for you, Mom signed away her right to do anything about what happened to Dad.

Anyway, I hope this helps you understand just what happened that night so long ago. Some of what I have written are just my thoughts, but what happened that night that Dad was killed is a fact and I will never forget what I saw that night.

I have never talked with anyone like I am talking to you about this because it hurt too much.

But I feel you have a right to know what I know. I am the only one left alive that can shed any light on what I saw that night.

Someday, when the time is right, you may want to let your children know what happened to their Great-Grandfather.

There is nothing that anyone can do about it now, it was such a long time ago, but I know there is a Just God that will handle everything in his own time.

Love always, Dad. :-)

Transferred to a WORD DOCUMENT by myself, from an e-mail sent to his children, and I, on 3/26/2002 BY PAUL JENNINGS WELLS.

Continue to Part 4.

The Strange Death of William Jennings Wells 2

READ PART 1:

The Strange Death Of William Jennings Wells & its Aftermath.

As Reported In The Owensboro Messenger JULY 9, 1937 Thru JULY 11, 1937 and In The Owensboro Inquirer On 7/13/37.

1. OWENSBORO MESSENGER 7/9/37—FRONT PAGE HEADLINE

Pedestrian Is Killed By Hit-Run Truck Here.

2. FRONT PAGE PHOTO HEADLINE

Hit-Run Truck Kills Pedestrian.

3. PARAGRAPH ACCOMPANYING PHOTO:

Coroner Delbert J. Glenn, at the extreme right, and others attracted to the scene of the accident in which William Wells, 35, farmer, was killed last night while walking along Highway 60, a mile west of Owensboro, are shown looking at the sheet covered form of the dead man. In the center, backround, with his hat on his knee, is H. T. Krahwinkle, a witness to the mishap. George Medley is between Coroner Glenn and Krahwinkel.

4. ARTICLE HEADLINE

William Wells, Farm Worker, Is Mishap Victim.

Deputy Sheriffs Simon Smith and L. I. Dishman Arrest Orville Faught In Case; Fatality Occurs Mile West Of Owensboro On Highway 60.

The Strange Death of William Jennings Wells

For the Genealogist, or Family Roots Digger-upper as I jokingly call myself, researching ones family history involves more than just names, and dates, who married who, and a Good Book comparable roster of Begats.

There are the documents, and photographs, of course, but most importantly there are also the memories, and stories handed down from generation to generation, and the times you discover that your ancestor wrote a book, or two, or had some books written about them.

There are times when you find yourself wanting to take a trip back into the past, in Mr. Peabody's Wayback Machine, slap someone upside the head and ask...What the hell is going on here?

A Skelton in My Closet Because A Hesson Did Some Messin'?

There are also the times you discover your ancestor in the newspaper.

One such case of newspaper celebrity is at the center of the story you are about to read.

It is the fascinating story of the death, on a dark, and lonely road, of a simple family man, and farm laborer, one night in 1937 Owensboro, Kentucky.

It is the story of my Maternal Grandfather, William Jennings Wells.

It is also the story of a man named Orville Faught, and of a small cast of characters better known to the wider community than these 2 men ever were, or would be.

All of the known players in this saga are long since dead, as far as I know, except for my Uncle Paul, who was a pre-school age child at the time, and his even younger brother, and whose personal memories of that night are blended with the bitter perspective of their Mother and her memories ( My Mother was 8 years old that year ).

There is nothing to be done as far as rectifying any wrongs done my family.

No reparations are called for.

No apologies needed.

A Skelton in My Closet Because A Hesson Did Some Messin'?

GENEALOGY: Where U Confuse The Long Since Deceased, and Irritate The Hell Out Of The Living!

Since a Hesson did some messin' all's Wells may not end Wells because there may be a Skelton in the closet. :-D

I have my Maternal Great Granny to blame for this guy (A Skelton) even being connected to my family at all.:-D

The story centers around folks who lived in Howard, Perry, Ripley, and Warrick Counties, Indiana, between 1871 and 1920.

You see, between 1889, and 1920, Mary Hesson married 4, maybe 5, men from Indiana and Ky., and had children by 2, possibly 3, or all 5 of them, though each child has a different last name. :-D

I know very, very little about any of the folks in this little drama.

Anyway, this story begins with Margaret Jewell, a woman who died in Owensboro, Ky. on 12/11/1938, of tuberculosis, at the age of 44.

Her Mother signed the death certificate as Mrs. Mary Fields (hubby #4).

Margaret (Maggie) was born to a John West, and Mary Hesson, on 12/18/1893, in Indiana.

Here's where things get intriguing, and very messy.

First let me say that Mary died in 1957, at age 85, putting her birth at 1871/72.

Mr. West was hubby #1.

Maybe.

There is a story that she married, earlier, some guy last named CHENAULT in abt. 1889, and had a child named FLORENCE, who lived only maybe 3 years, but further research does not indicate this happened.

Mary Hessen DID marry John West on August 2, 1891, in Warrick County, Indiana.

Then, a month BEFORE the birth of Maggie:

Mary West marries ELIJAH MELVIN SKELTON on Nov. 11, 1893.

She,  (and Maggie West) seem to have left Mr. Skelton sometime in the next few yrs. because she appears (with Maggie West) as a boarder in the household of her next hubby, My Great-Grandfather, the widower, JOHN T. WELLS, in the 1900 Perry County, Indiana, census, under the last name of SKELTON.

This is interesting, in and of itself, because My Grandfather William Jennings Wells is on record as being born in 1898.:-D

Stay with me here as I explain what I found in the 1900, and 1910 census.