Readers take up the fight for the arts and humanities
A round of applause for the arts
After reading your column [“L.A. Without the NEA: A Fight for Our Very Souls,” March 26], I just wanted to shout “bravo” and “absolutely” and reflect on how poor and dry my life would seem without the wonder, depth and thought processes inspired by the theater, music and visual art experiences I have had access to throughout my 62 years.
Anne Tryba
La Cañada Flintridge
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Charles McNulty’s piece in The Times is both beautifully observed and written, and I share his views entirely. Bravo for writing so beautifully and giving voice to so many of our shared concerns.
Joe Haj, artistic director, Guthrie Theater,
Minneapolis
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I have been a nun for over 50 years, most of them teaching English.
The great joy of my life is to take students to see a play, especially when they have never experienced live theater. When I read your inspiring column this morning, I felt that it could be deemed today’s spiritual reading.
The proposed budget to expand our military and cut healthcare and Meals on Wheels is immoral, but I truly believe that to deprive citizens of art and the humanities will cause another kind of death.
Sister Rita Yeasted,
La Roche College
Pittsburgh
Chuck Berry, in appreciation
I had a funny moment reading the Chuck Berry article “This Close to Rock Pioneer” [March 21]. When I turned the page to finish there was the Calder Quartet “Capturing the Spirit of Beethoven.” All I could think of was Chuck telling Beethoven to “roll over.”
John Densmore
Los Angeles
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I was Chuck’s agent for over 50 years. I read your article today and thought it was beautiful. I have mailed it to the family in St. Louis. I think they will appreciate it.
Dick Alen
Studio City
The wonder that was Yma Sumac
Carolina A. Miranda’s article [“Searching for Mythic Yma Sumac,” March 26] was a mind-blower. I was attending Santa Monica City College in the late ‘40s, and my tight little group of friends discovered Yma Sumac and immediately formed our Sumac cult, often referred to as Yma and Her Magic Sumac. We played her records and swallowed every bit of information about her we could. Eventually, we caught her at the Cocoanut Grove, and one of her last performances at the Cinegrill.
Conrad J. Doerr
Palm Springs
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Talk about déjà vu! While touring the U.S. by train in 1950, performing in a lavish musical production (“Red, White and Blue”), the real music buffs in the cast toted along a portable record player on which we could play the new technological wonder … LP records. One such was the extraordinary “Voice of the Xtabay,” which featured Yma Sumac making sounds we’d never before heard. What a wonder!
Sylvia Lewis
Thousand Oaks
