Talk about a Spoleto nail-bitting session.
Until a week before the actors were to arrive in Charleston to perform the play Tristan and Yesult, Spoleto Festival USA producer Nunally Kersh was chewing her fingernails to the quick wondering if Tristan Sturrock, who plays the title role of Tristan, would be given a visa to enter the United States.
"It was really scary and we were frantically searching for a possible replacement," says Kersh, who survived a similar incident several years ago when there was a question of Russian dancers getting visas.
"We called on a connection we had in Scotland Yard and he helped, but the real hero was Norman Redden, former consul general to the American Embassy in London, who worked so hard to get the visa in time."
Was it pure luck that Norman Redden also happens to the be father of Spoleto Festival general director Nigel Redden? The answer is "yes."
"It was luck that my dad was able to facilitate this," said Redden. "And in full disclosure, I should say that my brother David is vice president at Sotheby's auction house and he facilitated the showing of the three flags from the Revolutionary War that were displayed at the Old Exchange Building over the Memorial Day weekend."
As one who sat by David Redden at the opening ceremonies Friday, I would like to say that if you close your eyes when you talk to David, you would swear it was Nigel speaking. The same elegant British accent prevails.
Both Redden brothers frequently visit their parents in London, so that keeps their accent polished.
Also at the annual Spoleto board meeting, Charles Wadsworth, director and host of the 33 chamber music perfomances at the Dock Street Theatre, gave a little pep talk about his latest chamber musician.
"Let me tell you," he told the 55 board members in attendance. "I've been around a long time and I've worked with many harpists, most of them not all that good and some plain bad. But I have found someone who is going to knock your socks off she's so fantastic. Her name is Catrin Finch and she was nominated in 2004 for a Classical Brit Award. You gotta come hear her, and she's great-looking to boot!"
Indeed, if you attend the chamber music, Finch will catch your eye with her cute, short haircut. She was also winner of the Echo Klassik Award in Germany and appeared with the Boston Pops. Most impressively, she held the appointment of Royal Harpist to HRH the Prince of Wales and performed at Prince Charles' 50th birthday.
And she has to lug around a heavy harp all day, always perform in long pants, because of her position at the harp, and still remain ultra-feminine.
Go Catrin!
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