Bennett woos opening crowd

Tony Bennett, one of the most recognizable icons in American music, was on hand to celebrate the reopening of a beloved campus landmark.

Students and community members came in fancy dress to see Bennett and the North Carolina Symphony perform for the opening celebration of the transformed Memorial Hall on Friday night. The time was filled with a sense of honoring the past.

Chancellor James Moeser opened with a speech that asserted his dedication to the University's arts programs and reminded the audience of Memorial Hall's historic role on campus.

"This place invokes memories of artists, intellectuals and statesmen," he said. "We welcome it back to the heart of the community, transformed for the 21st century."

Jim Heavner, chairman of the Carolina Performing Arts Series advisory board, and Emil Kang, executive director for the arts, echoed their mission to make the school's arts scene as well-known its sports.

Television legend and University alumnus Andy Griffith also spoke at the event, reminiscing about his undergraduate years and his first performing experience at Memorial Hall.

The North Carolina Symphony, formed at the University in 1932, preceded Bennett and was led by conductor William Henry Curry.

Their program emphasized the work of George Gershwin and Duke Ellington, two primary contributors to popular American music.

Then the American crooner took the stage, beginning the hall's diverse 2005-06 season on a note of tradition.

Bennett was accompanied by piano, bass, guitar and drums, and he highlighted his small, talented band throughout the set.

His performance was casual and intimate, partly because his style has remained conversational since his first hit appeared in 1951.

Bennett moved quickly through tunes, including some great American love songs, such as George and Ira Gershwin's "They Can't Take That Away From Me."

As on his recordings, his best moments were the sorrow-tinged ballads, such as "I'll Be Seeing You." The tenderness in his vulnerability is what distinguishes him from Sinatra, who sang sad songs with a perfect, painful coldness.

The lighting constantly put the audience on edge, and the singer's fans appreciated what seemed to be multiple encores.

Bennett's skill is subtle compared to today's "American Idol" pyrotechnics. But toward the show's end, when he sang without a microphone, his mastery was impossible to take for granted.

The performance was fitting to be the first on the new Memorial Hall stage.

 

Contact the A&E Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.