F ebruary 12, 1997 • Tm P or h
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BLACK HISTORY
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Alexander Pushkin: Russia’s Mandela and de Klerk featured
on Showtime in february
Great Black Genius Of Literature
■
are to be found every type of institu­
tion and icon imaginable named tor
this national hero. The vast Pushkin
Museum in Moscow houses the fa­
mous "Trojan Collection' ol King
Priam’s Treasure discovered by
noted archaeologist. Heinrich
Schliemer. In the Portland Orego­
nian newspaper fur farm; mink fox
and sable.
And then there are the vast hin­
terlands of Russia which Andrei
Bitov - “one ol the Soviet Unions
most gifted stylists" -- describes as
“physical, moral and philosophic
landscapes of Pushkin, Lermonotov
and Tolstoy....beyond “ Pushkin
Pass”, where the biblical landscape
of Armenia begins to give way to the
warm, moist breath ol Georgia.
Russia took the black Pushkin to her
bosom in the same enthusiastic man­
ner that France embraced her Afri­
can sons, the Alexander Dumas tri
umvirate.
The English National Opera guide
says that “it is a Paradox of Russian
culture that Pushkin, that recklessly
ironic poet and master of the subtle
and swiftly moving scene, should
have proved so popular a source for
opera. And what a source for opera
indeed was this dusky genius, Alex­
ander Pushkin, for his narrative
poem “Eugene Onegin" became,
under the gifted com poser
Tchaikovsky, the world famous op­
era of the same name. There follows
one of Pushkins gentler excursions
into the human condition, “The
Muse.”
In my childhood she loved me
And handed me the flute o f seven
pipes,
Smiling, she listened to me,
And gently touching the sound
holes o f the hollow reed
I’kni. M c K in ley B urt
We have it from Gleb Strove,
noted translator of Russian litera­
ture “While a great many Russian
may still argue about the relative
merits of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky or
of Gogol and Turgenev, they are
practically as one in looking upon
Pushkin as the’ national genius of
Russia” (1799 to 1837.)
Two white school teachers from
Eastern Oregon stopped by to get
some material for Black History
Month. (1 made many lasting educa­
tion contacts when doing U S. For­
est Service Diversity Sem inars
throughout the Northwest). When
they finally pried themselves away
from my library section on ‘great
African Innovators on the European
Continent,’ they could only remark:
"Bill Cosby was right; if they had
been thieves or killers, every Ameri­
can school child would know their
names — white and black.’
Prof. Strove continues in the fore­
word of his book (Russian Stories: A
Dual Language Book, Dover 1961).
“.. .One is therefore justified in taking
Pushkin as the true starting point of
the short story in Russian literature.
Pushkin is, generally speaking, the
fountainhead and epitome of Russian
literature." Russia now joined En­
gland and France in stature.
Some readers may remember that
several years ago when McDonald’s
opened their first hamburger palace
in Moscow, Russia, I remarked here
that the location was the city ’ s lamed
"Pushkin Square”. And that directly
across the street in one of the most
beautiful parks in the world was a
huge statue of the Russian’s beloved
literary giant (African features and
all).
In fact, throughout this vast land
b \
W 1..I
'■
Jl-K
With my weak fingers, I played
already then,
Both solemn hymns inspired by
the gods
And songs o f peaceful Phrygian
shepherds,
From morn till evening in the
groves’ mute shade
I heeded diligently the secret
maiden's words;
And rejoicing me with unexpected
favour.
Having brushed the curls back
from her sweet brow.
She herself took the panpipes from
my hands,
The reed was animated by divine
breath
And my heart filled with sacred
enchantment.
—Pushkin the Muse Sidney Poitier (left), Tina Lifford (right), and Michael Came (playing de Klerk) star in Mandela and de Klerk.
But the Russian people also adored
and coming All lean-American film-
Denzel Washington. “Moonlight
him for another side of his passion­
Featuring month-long program­
makers.
Showtime
Networks
Inc.
&
V a le n tin o " with W hoopi
ate personality, his reverent revolu­ ming schedule to salute African-
also selected five short films from
Goldberg and “O thello with
tionary rhetoric -- fiery, reckless Americans including the Showtime
Laurence Fishburne.
the Showtime Black Filmmaker
polemics in defense ol liberty for the Original Picture Mandela and de
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI),
Grant
program
to
air
on
the
network
masses ol peasants. At times he was Klerk, and short films by African-
which
is a wholly owned subsidiary
in February. Additionally, Showtime
imprisoned or exiled and only last American filmmakers
of
Viacom
Inc., owns the premium
Networks Inc. will award one of
minute interventions saved him from
The Showtime Original Picture,
television
networks
Showtime. I he
these up and coming filmmaker a
the Czar’s executioners. But this Mandela and de Klerk, starring
Movie
Channel
and
Flix, as well as
$30,000 grant to make a short film
great man died at age 37. killed Sidney Poitier and Michael Caine,
Showtime
Satellite
Networks.
SNf
that will have its exclusive premiere
fighting a duel in his wife’s honor. will serve as the centerpiece pro­
operates
and
manages
the
new
pre­
on Showtime.
What heights were reached by gram for Black History Month and
mium television network Sundance
The five finalists films will began
this great grandson of Abram will premiere on Sunday, February
Channel,
which is owned by SNr,
airing on Showtime on Monday.
Hannibal one of the hundreds of 16 at 8:00 p.m. (ET/PT). Shot en­
Robert
Redford
and PolyGram
February 10 through Friday. Febru­
black Africans brought into Russia tirely on location in South Africa,
Filmed
Entertainment.
SNI also
ary 14:
"as novelties in the sixteenth cen­ the film tells the story of Nelson
manages,
through
a
joint
venture,
• Fortunate Son, February 12 at
tury." Hannibal became General-in- Mandela and F.W. de Klerk, two
All
News
Channel.
Showtime
en
7:30 p.m. (ET/PT)
Chief of the Russian Army under men who changed the future ol
Espanol,
a
separate
audio
feed
of
• One Red Rose. February 13 at
Empress Elizabeth. Pushkin s de
South Africa. Mandela and de
Showtime,
is
also
available
for
the
7:30 p.m. (Et/PT)
scendants have married into the royal Klerk depicts the pivotal evens that
Spanish-speaking audience.
• Spark. February I4at 7:(X)p.m.
families of Germany, Russia, Lux
occurred in the final years ol Nelson
Showtime Networks also mar­
(ET/PT)
embourg, Italy and England. Al­ Mandela’s imprisonment to his
kets
and distributes spoils and enter­
Showtime’s month-long Black
most all of the Coat-of-Arms bear inauguration as the democratic
tainment
events tor exhibition to
History Month Celebration will also
African likenesses (see “Sex and leader of South Africa.
subscribers
on a pay-per-view basis
highlight such theatrical hits as
Race” Vol. I & II, J.A Rogers. Our
As part of a continuing commit­
www.showtimeonlme.com
“Devil In A Blue Dress" starring
children know not who they are!
ment to develop and support up
Ovation celebrates Black History Month
CHICKEN & BISCUITS
Salutes
Black History
Month
February programming includes
music and dance, commemorates
African-American heritage and art­
ists throughout the world
The Arts Network celebrates
Black History Month throughout
February with a programming lineup
focusing on African-American art­
ists. Masters of opera, jazz, blues,
soul, rock, reggae and modern dance
are honored, incorporating influ­
ences surrounding their lives and
work. Profiles of artists, playwrights
and musicians cap off the month s
tribute. Additionally, O vation's
Cable in the Classroom schedule
will be dedicated solely to Black
History Month in February, airing
every week on Tuesdays from noon-
2 p.m. ET
“We are delighted to celebrate
r ---------a-C MUST PRESENT THIS
Black History Month through our
programming and to recognize in­
dividuals who have contributed so
much to the arts in the U.S. and
abroad," said Ovation Chairman J.
Carter Brown, also Director Emeri­
tus of The National Gallery of Art.
Among February’s highlights:
• O peratic stars Barbara
Hendricks. Jessye Norman and
Shirley Verrett relate experiences
and recognize those that have shaped
their careers in The Three Divas, a
three-part series profiling each.
• Jazz and blues greats and B.B
King and Carmen McRae perform
fo r audiences and show off their
legendary talents in B B King-Live
at the Apollo and Carmen McRae
Live.
• The d ocum entary C urtis
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Mayfield: Darker than Blue profiles
Curtis Mayfield, who is considered
the father o f soul music.
• Voodoo Chile: The Music of
Jimi Hendrix remembers the late, ,
great innovator with performances
by Vernon Reid oj Living Colour,
Jack Bruce o f Cream and Jazz singer ■
Cassandra Wilson.
• The Darker Side o f Black docu­
ments views o f reggae icons Shabba
Ranks. Buju Banton, Monie Love.
Brand Nubians and Ice Cube on
such topics as violence and the per­
ception o f women in rap music.
• The Stack Up and Cry are per­
formed by the Alvin Ailey Dance
Company, and Bill T. Jones' criti­
cally acclaimed production Still/
Here, as staged fo r television, con­
fronts the subjects o f death, termi­
nal illness, and their effect on those
left behind.
• Biographies Frantz Fanon:
Black Skin. W hite M ask and
Josephine Baker--Chasing a Rain­
bow will air, tracing the lives and
careers o f Fanon, influential theo­
rist o f 20th century anti-colonial
movements, and Baker, an Ameri­
can dancer and film star who found
fame as one o f France's brightest
stars.
Other stories of personal struggle,
triumph and historical discovery
from the U.S. and abroad are pre­
sented. such as August Wilson, a
profile of the playwright, including
his exploration of the American
Dream from an African-American
point of view.
“The fact that we offer high-qual
ity arts programming of interest to
diverse communities has resulted in
Ovation’s rapid growth and positive
response from audiences and pro­
spective viewers,” said Dr. Harold
E Morse, President and CEO of
Ovation and founder and former
Chairman/CEO of The Learning
Channel.
Ovation airs seven days a week,
20 hours a day (7 a m. to 3 a.m. ET).
Ovation has |oined forces with
many of the most prominent cultural
organizations, national and interna­
tional broadcasters [PBS, Channel 4
(UK), NHK, ARTE, BBC] and arts-
oriented production companies [N VC
Arts, RM Associates) both to secure
and co-produce it programming
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