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How
did we get started?
(Richard Malone explains)
"The idea came when I was in rehearsal for the German opera Freischütz by
Weber. I was noted for the part of Kasper. We had a “pause” to have
lunch and in costume and make up I sat in the canteen with Eberhardt, a
singer in the extra chorus, and he asked me in German “Richard, wo
kommst du aus,” where do you come from? I answered “aus USA,” he asked
“aber wo in USA,” I answered “New York,” he asked “aber wo in New York,”
I answered “Brooklyn” he asked “aber wo in Brooklyn,” I answered “Coney
Island.” Well Eberhardt got very excited, it seems he always wanted to
grow up or at least visit Coney Island and see Jimmy Durante, Eddie
Cantor, Beverly Sills, Arthur Miller, Richard Malone.
I, of course invited him to come. On my next 6-week
vacation, I traveled to Brooklyn to visit my 85 year old loving mother
and I found time to walk along the streets of Coney and again I saw the
same wine drinkers from a brown paper bag and the prostitutes and drug
dealers. I said to myself “poor Eberhardt, would he be disillusioned; no
music, no real Western Music.”
So, we decided someday to start the European system
of theater in Coney Island.
We became incorporated in 2005 with a sold out performance filled with
singers, musicians and kids in the heart of Coney at PS 329.
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Heiner Bruns,
Intendant of the Bielefeld Stadt Theater |
Malone as Scarpia killed by Volkert playing
Tosca by G.Puccini. |
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Malone as Machinist Hopkins & cast
with John Dew & Paul
Esternhazy: 'Aber wo ist Eberhardt?' |
Surfside school invited a chorus of gospel singers from the university where
Malone is professor, a professional ballet by Covenant Dance studio and
the John and Mary Malone music festival performers singing opera
excerpts.
Then the idea came of starting a new group the Coney Island KIDnishes,
talented kids who sing, dance, play instruments and act. We will
arrange a concert for them to perform with the Vienna, Austria choir,
opera and concert halls in Europe where Malone sang.
A printed program was designed. A filmed historic concert which was a
diverse musical event with talent from our Brooklyn community filled
with food, gifts and good cheer.
We used Malone's Brooklyn residence as the Coney Island Cultural and
Training Center for the Performing Arts for rehearsals. |