ANNE FRANK'S BIRTHDAY

KELLY FERJUTZ previews a Cleveland Opera
double bill which honours the event

The internet gets blamed for a lot of things these days, but sometimes it works wonders. An example of this will be on stage this weekend in Cleveland's Ohio Theatre, as Cleveland Opera presents a double bill in honor of the 75th birthday of Anne Frank.

Hard to believe, yet, had Anne Frank lived, she would indeed be celebrating her 75th birthday on 12 June 2004. To most of us, she remains in memory as the teenager who never lost faith with humanity, even as she lived a nightmare. We'll realize the significance of this reminder, take a moment to acknowledge her existence, and then go on with our lives.

To David Bamberger, however, General Director of Cleveland Opera since 1976 (although he's retiring at the end of this season) it was an anniversary that should not be ignored, and he decided that something special was needed to honor Anne's life. The obvious 'something special' was the mono-drama, The Diary of Anne Frank, by the Russian composer Grigori Frid. Taking up only an hour or so in performance, a companion piece was needed. But none came readily to mind. So, with the help of the internet, he created one -- Come to Me in Dreams, which will have its world première on Wednesday 9 June 2004.

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