Harrington News

After a well-received “Grand Interlude” concert this past Sunday, the Harrington Opera House Society (HOHS) is preparing for three separate events this coming weekend.

Lincoln County artist Tina Lee Turner/Fisher will exhibit her work in The Art Room at the Harrington Opera House during the Harrington Fall Festival, Saturday, September 28, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tina’s tag line, “Your Idea Painted to Life,” gives a view to her clients’ cherished and personal memories. She paints on many surfaces and in different sizes, from miniatures to murals. Tina will meet and greet visitors and show some of her smaller art pieces in The Art Room.

Also on Saturday, the HOHS will hold a rummage sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. next door to The Art Room which is on the ground floor at the Willis Street entrance of the Harrington Opera House.

Then in the evening, at 7 p.m. in the upstairs auditorium, featured speaker James E. Clarkson will present “Northwest UFO Heritage – Significant Past and Present Cases.” Clarkson is the state director of the Mutual UFO Network in Washington state and will be introduced by local resident Peter Davenport, who is the Director of the National UFO Reporting Center. Dedicated investigators in the mysterious world of UFOs, they will present some of the most compelling cases encountered over 30 years of study.

The Pacific Northwest has a key place in the history of UFOs. From the famous Kenneth Arnold sighting in 1947 to strange craft appearing recently over Washington cities, what is this mystery that just won’t go away? What is a systematic approach to understanding UFOs? How do we know that there is way more going on than what we are being told about UFOs?

James Clarkson, who lives with his wife Joanne in Olympia, is a retired police sergeant with 20 years of criminal justice training and experience. Previously he served as an investigator with the Army military police. Upon retiring he became a child abuse detective and now works as a state investigator. He has a lifelong interest in the study of UFOs and he joined the Mutual UFO Network in 1986. He has lectured extensively on radio and before audiences across the USA and in Paris.

A minimum $5 donation at the door is requested for admission to the UFO presentation, proceeds, after expenses, to benefit the Harrington Opera House elevator fund. The auditorium is on the second floor. A video feed of the presentation can be “beamed down” to The Art Room. Call Linda at 509-253-4719 in advance to request the video feed or for more information about the HOHS, or visit http://www.harringtonoperahouse.org.

Plan to spend the day in Harrington! These are just a few of many Lions Club and Harrington Fall Festival activities. Visit http://www.harringtonbiz.com/FallFestival.htm

HOH performance wows audience

By MARGE WOMACH

Sunday afternoon, September 22, nearly 120 people supported the performance of “A Grand Interlude,” a fundraiser for the Harrington Opera House Society (HOHS) featuring a concert grand piano provided by Steinway Gallery of Spokane. The piano is said to contain over 12,000 parts and weigh 1,000 pounds. Billie Herron of HOHS reminded the audience that this was the second performance of “A Grand Interlude.”

The future opera house elevator, for which money was being raised, is still about $100,000 short of becoming a reality. Most of the evening was filmed by KSPS TV for Northwest Profiles, in preparation for featuring the Harrington Opera House in October. Performer Stephen Hardy spoke briefly of the wonderful improvements in the opera house structure since his last performance there, mentioning the staining of the woodwork and the wainscoting, finished interior walls, professional stage lighting and the acquisition of luxurious green drapes and background curtains. Dr. Jody Graves, who had been advertised to perform, was unable to participate due to an unexpected surgery.

Hardy introduced his wife, Rebecca Hardy, and she began the performance with three selections from Frederic Chopin, followed by Stephen Hardy, baritone, singing three numbers with Rebecca accompanying.

“It Would Have Been Wonderful” by Stephen Sondheim was rendered by Dr. Randel Wagner, baritone, and Stephen Hardy, baritone, with Rebecca Hardy at the piano. A duet by Riley Gray and Rebecca Hardy on the one Steinway entertained with “Spanish Dances” by Moritz Moszkowski. A short intermission allowed Rebecca Hardy a few minutes in which her hands were not in perpetual motion across the keys of the Steinway, as they had been since the opening of the event.

Joyce Hawkins, a Steinway representative, spoke briefly before the next series of musical numbers. Rebecca Hardy played “The Maiden and the Nightingale.” Dr. Wagner sang three numbers, with Rebecca at the piano. The Bella Noctis Trio performed an opus by Camille Saint-Saens. The group comprises Emma Mortensen, violin, Mikaela Elms, cello, and Rebecca Hardy, piano. They said this was “the first time strings have been heard in this opera house in a very long time.” As they left the stage, a beautiful baritone solo voice could be heard from the rear of the auditorium, as Dr. Wagner sang his way up the aisle toward the stage, singing out into the audience.

The final number of the program was an Overture from “The Barber of Seville”, a piano duet by Rebecca Hardy and Riley Gray. For the encore, Gray played while Stephen Hardy sang “The Best is Yet to Come.” Toward the end of the number, Stephen went offstage and reappeared playing his saxophone.

If quantity and volume of applause is an indicator of the pleasure received by the audience, the performance was a roaring success, with several standing ovations.

Wagner is both a professional singer and a director of vocal activities at Eastern Washington University and has performed internationally.

Stephen Hardy was raised in Harrington and played saxophone in the high school band, as well as participating as a vocalist in school functions. His baritone voice and diverse talents have granted him exposure at EWU and in the Spokane Symphony.

Rebecca Hardy, wife of Stephen, is a pianist who began playing at age nine. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in music and enjoys classical the most. She is currently working on her Master of Arts in music performance while also teaching.

Due to Dr. Graves’ inability to participate, three individuals were added to the program in the last several weeks, which was a remarkable feat. Emma Mortensen is a student at EWU working on a degree in music education and violin performance. She performs with the Bella Noctis Trio and Zora String Quartet.She has been requested to play for the Spokane Symphony and Coeur d’Alene Symphony, as well as the Washington-Idaho Symphony.

Mikaela Elms is a third-year student at EWU as a performance and music education major. She has performed with the Spokane Symphony Orchestra. Mikaela also teaches cello at the Cheney String Academy.

Riley Gray has a Bachelor of Arts in music from EWU and currently performs with several bands and the EWU Jazz Ensemble.