Also in 1947, Ojai Festivals, Ltd. was established to create a "successful international event of the highest order." They were successful. Using a different Music Director each year, the Ojai Music Festival promotes creativity and innovation.
The Sound of Music
The first concert of Ojai Festivals Ltd. was on May 4, 1947. Martial Singher, accompanied by Paul Ulanowsky performed in the Nordhoff High School auditorium. (It’s now Matilija Middle School.) Singher was a baritone opera singer from France. His recital included music from Rameau to Ravel and was very well received.
Now known as the Ojai Music Festival, their official name remains Ojai Festivals. Yes, Festivals, plural. That's because the original idea was to have multiple festivals. Similar to the Salzburg, Austria festival there would be concerts, theater, and dance. The 1947 festival included two concerts and a play.
Music soon became the primary focus even though the idea for the festival came from the drama field.
It was English actress and play writer Iris Tree and her acting troupe who came up with the idea along with John and Helen Bauer. The acting troupe was formerly known as the Chevok Players of Devonshire, England. They were renovating an old barn in Upper Ojai into the High Valley Theater.
John Bauer was a veteran classical-music concert promoter. The Ojai Festivals organization was formed with Bauer in charge. He soon recruited a volunteer committee of socially prominent music lovers to build support.
Many of the same people bringing back the Country Club and the Tennis Tournament also volunteered to help the Festival. Charlie and Val Raymond were sponsors of the first Festival season. So were Rawson and Mary Harmon, along with Irene Dunne and her husband.
Two weeks after Singher’s recital, the organization staged a play. It was Iris Tree's troupe in Macbeth. The Festival ended with a chamber orchestra concert on June 15. Thor Johnson conducted the Ojai Festival Chamber Orchestra. They were an ad hoc group of musicians from various Los Angeles orchestras recruited by the violinist Sol Babitz. All three took place at the same venue.
Immediately after each performance, Festival subscribers were invited to the Ojai Valley Inn. There they would meet the artists and enjoy a buffet supper.
Now known as the Ojai Music Festival, their official name remains Ojai Festivals. Yes, Festivals, plural. That's because the original idea was to have multiple festivals. Similar to the Salzburg, Austria festival there would be concerts, theater, and dance. The 1947 festival included two concerts and a play.
Music soon became the primary focus even though the idea for the festival came from the drama field.
It was English actress and play writer Iris Tree and her acting troupe who came up with the idea along with John and Helen Bauer. The acting troupe was formerly known as the Chevok Players of Devonshire, England. They were renovating an old barn in Upper Ojai into the High Valley Theater.
John Bauer was a veteran classical-music concert promoter. The Ojai Festivals organization was formed with Bauer in charge. He soon recruited a volunteer committee of socially prominent music lovers to build support.
Many of the same people bringing back the Country Club and the Tennis Tournament also volunteered to help the Festival. Charlie and Val Raymond were sponsors of the first Festival season. So were Rawson and Mary Harmon, along with Irene Dunne and her husband.
Two weeks after Singher’s recital, the organization staged a play. It was Iris Tree's troupe in Macbeth. The Festival ended with a chamber orchestra concert on June 15. Thor Johnson conducted the Ojai Festival Chamber Orchestra. They were an ad hoc group of musicians from various Los Angeles orchestras recruited by the violinist Sol Babitz. All three took place at the same venue.
Immediately after each performance, Festival subscribers were invited to the Ojai Valley Inn. There they would meet the artists and enjoy a buffet supper.
Martial Signher
|
Thor Johnson
|
Sol Babitz
|
Ford Rainey and Iris Tree in MacBeth
|
John Bauer
|