As Arthur Fonzarelli aka “Fonzie,” the consummate cool guy on the hit ’70s TV show Happy Days, he could change the song on a jukebox with a touch of his fist, start a car with a snap of his fingers.
This weekend, actor, director, producer and author Henry Winkler, now 72, brought his unique brand of magic to Dodd Auditorium for the UMW Philharmonic Orchestra’s Friday night season finale. Masterworks: The Hunt, a showcase of the group’s great musical prowess sandwiched between light-hearted performances, struck just the right chord with the packed crowd.
“I cannot be more excited to bring Henry Winkler to Fredericksburg …,” Director Kevin Bartram wrote in the show’s program. “I know you will remember this night for many years to come.”
Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, op. 67, opened the show, with Winkler as narrator. Specific instruments represented the fairy tale’s various animals, and the number gave a cheerful, engaging Winkler a chance to show off his comedic duck impression. The orchestra’s skillful performance of the musically challenging Symphony No. 4 by Anton Bruckner followed.
“To cap off an incredible year with a very fine rendition of Bruckner and Peter left me exhilarated,” Bartram wrote in a post-concert thank-you to Philharmonic members. The combination, he said, is what first got him “hooked on the great sound of a symphony orchestra.”
Winkler brought levity back to the show when he returned to the stage for the finale: Johann Strauss’ polka Thunder and Lightning. Introduced by Bartram as a “guest conductor from Germany,” Winkler toted an armful of batons, which he kept dropping, and in a staged confrontation, he demanded more energy from a drummer and cymbalist. A request for volunteer replacements from the audience brought a crowd-pleasing performance by a disguised Bartram on cymbals and by UMW President Troy Paino on drums.
“Last night was so much fun to stand on that stage with you and the orchestra,” Winkler told Bartram about the performance, which ended in standing ovations. “Thank you for making it so easy.”
From a modest beginning in TV commercials, Winkler’s show business career has spanned more than four decades. His iconic 10-year portrayal of Arthur Fonzarelli on Happy Days garnered two Golden Globe Awards, three Emmy Award nominations and a coveted star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
He has starred in such films as Night Shiftand Scream, directed actors like Burt Reynolds and Billy Crystal, worked 19 years as a TV producer, and claimed many guest star and voice-over credits.
Winkler would later turn his talents to writing, penning 33 children’s novels with co-author Lin Oliver and becoming a New York Times best-selling author. He also has served as a special needs advocate and a champion for children with dyslexia, a disorder with which he was diagnosed at age 31.
These days, he’s back in front of the camera as co-star of HBO’s Barry, andas executive producer and star of the NBC travel reality show Better Late Than Never.
He and wife Stacey seemingly enjoyed their stay in Fredericksburg, where they perused local sights. Allman’s Bar-B-Q, for example, posted a photo of Winkler on its Facebook fan page with a message:“What an amazing guest to have stop by our little restaurant.”
Winkler emailed Bartram multiple times throughout the weekend to express his delight with the visit.
“We had the best time on every level,” Winkler wrote.“We are still talking about how much fun that event was and how lovely each and every member of the Orchestra was.”
The Philharmonic’s star-studded 2017-18 season included appearances by the Irish Tenors, famed soprano Renée Fleming, vocalist Deborah Silver and trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, who joined the performance of Unearthing America’s Musical Treasures, the Library of Congress project led by Bartram.
Now in its 47th year, the University of Mary Washington Philharmonic Orchestra boasts approximately 80 members from the student body and the community.
