Detroit News
Dec 15 2004
What kind of kids love opera? 3,000 will find out on Friday
By Neal Rubin / The Detroit News
Ed Hingelberg, the first person I ever heard sing “Amazing Grace” to
the tune of the “Gilligan’s Island” theme song, approached me the
other day with a musical question:
What kind of kids love Armour hot dogs?
Those of you too young to remember the Armour jingle can surf
directly to Google on your hiptops and look it up. For everyone else,
stay tuned; the answer will be along shortly. If it helps, the verse
mentioned six types of children.
Meantime, consider a more elevated — yet eminently approachable —
musical format, all but gift-wrapped for the holidays.
The Motor City Lyric Opera will present “Amahl and the Night
Visitors” this weekend at the Music Hall. It’s in English, it’s
inexpensive as these things go, and it gives me a chance to answer
another musical question — what do you get when the 14th of 18 kids
marries the third of nine?
Nearly 28 years together, says Patrick Lynch, a lot of singing, and a
modest two children. “We just did the division and came up with two,”
he says, “and it seemed to work for us.”
His wife, operatic soprano Mary Callaghan Lynch, founded the MCLO in
2002. Since then, thousands of inner-city kids have seen their
productions at no cost. A robust 3,000 will attend “Amahl” Friday,
which is one of the reasons she’s hoping for a beefy turnout for the
public performances Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m.
“We desperately need to sell tickets,” she says, to make all the
charitable work possible. They’re $25 for adults and $10 for children
younger than 12; call (313) 963-2366.
This is beside the point, but the Lynches met at a funeral and were
set up by their parish priest.
His family owns five mortuaries. Patrick, a baritone, is frequently
asked to sing at services, but it was young Mary Callaghan who
provided the vocals at the funeral of a close friend of his family.
“I decided right then and there I had to have a date with her,” says
Lynch, 54, of Bloomfield Hills. Leaving little to chance, he let
future bishop Bernard Harrington of Holy Name in Birmingham do the
actual asking.
One other irrelevant but noteworthy fact: Mary Callaghan Lynch is
Aretha Franklin’s voice coach. And now on with the rest of today’s
non-sequiturs.
AMONG THE brothers and partners of Patrick Lynch is Thomas Lynch of
Milford, the noted poet. Because it’s an increasingly small world, I
found myself speaking last week to Thomas Lynch of Garden City —
also an undertaker, and no relation to the Milford Lynch, no matter
how often he’s asked.
“I met him a few years ago,” says the Garden City Lynch, “and I told
him, ‘Gosh, I’ve signed so many of your books.’ ”
THE FAMOUS Armenian vocalist Onnik Dinkjian will perform a selection
of hymns Jan. 15 at St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church in Dearborn.
They tell me he’s famous, anyway. I’d have no idea, but I figure
mentioning the show is the least I could do for the Nork Marash
Medical Center in Yerevan, Armenia, the beneficiary of the night’s
receipts.
If you’re thinking I just wanted an excuse to type the words Onnik
Dinkjian and Nork Marash a few times, well, what’s the harm?
Assuming you’re a big fan of Armenian music, by the way, you’ll want
to know that Ara Topouzian and Michael Mossoian will perform tonight
at 9 at Crave, 22075 Michigan Ave., Dearborn.
Topouzian plays the kanun and Mossoian rocks the dumbeg, an
hourglass-shaped drum. The kanun is sort of a Middle Eastern zither,
if that helps any.
I didn’t think so.
YOU CAN’T get enough lyric opera, I’ve always said, so be advised
that the Great Lakes Lyric Opera will hold a Christmas concert to
benefit Mom’s Place Friday at 7 p.m. at Beverly Hills United
Methodist Church.
Tickets are $10, or $25 maximum for parents accompanied by minor
children. Call (248) 646-9777 for details.
Chances are the program will not include the Armour hot dog song,
which went like this:
Hot dogs, Armour hot dogs,
What kind of kids love Armour hot dogs?
Big kids, little kids,
Kids who climb on rocks,
Fat kids, skinny kids, even kids with chicken pox
Love hot dogs,
Armour hot dogs,
The dogs kids love to bite!
Neal Rubin appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Reach him
at (313) 222-1874,
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress