VOA慢速英语2010年-Education Report - For 'Cabaret Stars

This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

(MUSIC: "Cabaret")

The word cabaret brings to mind images of singers in nightclubs, or maybe Liza Minnelli performing years ago in the movie "Cabaret."

What the word does not bring to mind is college dormitories, dining halls and early morning classes. But for the past eight summers, hopeful singers have come to the International Cabaret Conference at Yale University.

Think of it as a cabaret training camp in New Haven¹, Connecticut.

The artistic² director is Erv Raible, a club owner in New York City. He says cabaret is a deeply emotional experience for a singer.

ERV RAIBLE: "The intimacy³ of it, I think, is the most important part. The fact that, unlike any other genre⁴ in the entertainment world, you actually go into a room where you go out of there feeling like you know the person. You know something about them. They have touched your heart."

Learning how to touch the heart may be the main goal of the conference. But the students also learn how to dress and do their hair and makeup⁵. And they learn about sound, lighting⁶ and marketing⁷.

Instructor⁸ Tovah Feldshuh, left, with Nancy Gair at the International Cabaret Conference held at Yale University

The thirty-eight students this year were ages sixteen to sixty-six. They came from all over the United States and other countries.

Harold Sanditen is from the state of Oklahoma. He began his professional life as an investment banker.

HAROLD SANDITEN: "Then I became a theater producer for twenty years in London and I gave that up three years ago to start singing, which is what I wanted to do in the very first place, but I never had the confidence."

Harold Sanditen and his classmates had the chance to spend nine days working with top music directors and cabaret artists. They included Laurel Masse, an original member of the singing group Manhattan Transfer, and Faith Prince, a Tony Award-winning actress.

So now it is time for the first performance session. Mr. Sanditen tries his own version of a Beatles song.

(SOUND)

Faith Prince likes it, but ...

FAITH PRINCE: "I need you to not close your eyes. I feel like you're closing your eyes on the most important contact."

Mr. Sanditen nods his head in agreement and tries again.

Lindsay Sutherland Boal trained in opera, but is now interested in cabaret singing

His classmate, Lindsay Sutherland Boal, is a singer from Vancouver, Canada. She trained in opera. But she changed her mind and became interested in cabaret singing.

(SOUND)

The teachers think she sounds too theatrical⁹ at times. They work with her through a week of fourteen-hour days. Ms. Boal says:

LINDSAY SUTHERLAND BOAL: "It's not important, frankly¹⁰, to be a singer to be a cabaret artist. It's all about storytelling and while I, of course, I knew that before, I understand that at a much deeper level now."

On the last night, all the students have three minutes to show what they have learned in front of a paying audience. The concert is called "Cabaret Stars of Tomorrow."

And that's the VOA Special English Education Report. I'm Steve Ember.
___

Reporting by Jeff Lunden

 

1 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

2 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

3 intimacy   

n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行

参考例句：

• His claims to an intimacy with the President are somewhat exaggerated.他声称自己与总统关系密切，这有点言过其实。
• I wish there were a rule book for intimacy.我希望能有个关于亲密的规则。

4 genre   

n.(文学、艺术等的)类型，体裁，风格

参考例句：

• My favorite music genre is blues.我最喜欢的音乐种类是布鲁斯音乐。
• Superficially,this Shakespeare's work seems to fit into the same genre.从表面上看， 莎士比亚的这个剧本似乎属于同一类型。

5 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

6 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

7 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

8 instructor   

n.指导者，教员，教练

参考例句：

• The college jumped him from instructor to full professor.大学突然把他从讲师提升为正教授。
• The skiing instructor was a tall,sunburnt man.滑雪教练是一个高高个子晒得黑黑的男子。

9 theatrical   

adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的

参考例句：

• The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果，叫人失望。
• She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。

10 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。