Young & talented: Opera for beginners

A unique summer program is introducing New Jersey children to opera by having them do what they love -- getting up on stage and performing.

The Westminster Conservatory Youth Opera Workshop was held at Rider University in Lawrenceville from the end of June until Aug. 1. Forty-two students spent their evenings rehearsing and staging "The Emperor's New Clothes," a newly revised youth version of the Hans Christian Andersen story, featuring music by Mozart. The youngsters range in age from 6 to 16. Most of the students take voice lessons and are involved in musical theater productions at school and at community theaters in New Jersey, and many viewed this program as another performance opportunity.

Maggie Wardell, 11, of Lawrenceville, who plays a tailor, said, "This gives you a different experience. You don't get to see a lot of operas for children.

Maggie said she learned "it takes a lot of people to put on a production, and singing opera is not difficult when you have the right instructor."

Performances were held July 30-Aug. 1 at the Yvonne Theater at the university. The students will perform the show again Sept. 18 in Plainsboro and Oct. 24 in Monmouth Junction.

Danielle Sinclair, musical director for the workshop, created the program five years ago to introduce more children to opera. "Opera gives them a richer palette of expression," Sinclair said. "Our kids love opera once they know what it is."

Michael Jacobsen, a faculty member at Westminster and Sinclair's husband, wrote the opera, adapting the story and arranging the music of Mozart into his own pastiche. The opera was also revised to reduce the vocal demands on the performers and put it in a range for young singers, Sinclair noted.

Irene Donne, 14, of Kendall Park said it is fun to perform in a new show. "It's something different, and this is not a normal play that people do," said Irene. "I like performing in opera because it is a different way to express yourself, a different style."

Sasha Mesaros, 11, of Hopewell loves singing and dancing, and said she likes the opera workshop because it gives her the opportunity to do what she loves. Sasha hopes to become a Broadway director and said working on an opera helps prepare her for that. "You see how things are staged, how a performance works and everything that goes into putting on a new show," Sasha said. "It has also given me self-confidence."

It's exciting to be the first person to play a role in a new production, said Rebecca Wardell, 14 of Lawrenceville. "If the role has never been performed before, you get to develop your own character," she said. This is Rebecca's third summer with the workshop. "I can't tell you how much my voice has developed," she said. Rebecca, who takes voice lessons, said the program has made her realize that opera "is something I want to keep doing."

Samantha Friedman, 14, of Hillsborough, fell in love with opera at the age of 7, when she saw one at Westminster Choir College. "I saw a production of 'The Magic Flute,' and I turned to my mother and said, 'I am going to be an opera star,'" she said. "I am going to be a star at the Met." Samantha is now in her third opera at the workshop. The program "has inspired me to work harder, to think about what I am doing," Samantha said. "It also helps you get used to working with a cast, with people you like and people you don't like."

Anita Joseph, 15, of West Windsor, assistant director of the show, hopes the experience will prepare her for a career as a director. "Acting is one piece of the puzzle, I need to be involved with everything. I have learned how look at the bigger picture," she said.

The summer program cost $300 per child or $400 per family; $150 for students who learned to work backstage.

Sinclair selected two casts for the show to give more students an opportunity to perform. When one cast performs, the other serves as the chorus and understudies, she said.

The opera was conducted by Devin Mariman, director of the Westminster Community Chorus.

On Sept. 18, the students will perform "The Emperor's New Clothes" at 1 p.m. at the Plainsboro Municipal Center, 641 Plainsboro Road, Plainsboro. Admission is free. Then on Oct. 24, the group will perform with the Westminster Community Orchestra at 3 p.m. at Crossroads Middle School South, 195 Major Road, Monmouth Junction. Tickets are $10. Call (609) 921-2663.

As for next summer, the Yvonne Theater will be under renovation, so Sinclair said she is trying to find another location for the program. For information, call (609) 921-7104.

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