A night of song

New Jersey Opera Theater gets ready for an exciting new season

By: Christian Kirkpatrick
   Isn’t this the way most opera lovers wish they had spent last Saturday night — eating a delightful meal and listening to glorious voices?
   New Jersey Opera Theater’s second annual gala was a feast for the senses. According to Scott Altman, the group’s artistic director, the event was less like a benefit than a concert with a lot of great food.
   Held on a stage at the front of the Hyatt Regency Princeton’s ballroom, this concert featured international stars Sharon Sweet and Allan Glassman, who appears regularly at the Metropolitan Opera. Each sang an aria from "Tosca," and together they performed a duet from "Otello." No mere ballroom can contain the power and emotion of these virtuosi.
   Fortunately, they will soon be heard together in a larger venue. On Sunday, March 4, on the Matthews Stage at the McCarter Theatre, they will appear in a semi-staged version of Puccini’s "Turandot." She will sing the title role, and he will appear as Prince Calaf. The performance will be repeated at 3 p.m. the following Sunday, March 11, at the State Theatre in New Brunswick.
   Joining Ms. Sweet and Mr. Glassman Saturday night were four rising opera stars: Chad Freeburg, Emily Langford Johnson, James Kee and Amy Shoremount-Obra, all of whom have appeared with companies throughout the United States. They performed selections from various operas and musicals, including several that NJOT will stage in the upcoming summer season — Gounod’s "Roméo and Juliet," Gilbert & Sullivan’s "The Pirates of Penzance" and Mozart’s "Die Zauberflote" ("The Magic Flute").
   Both "Roméo and Juliet" and "Die Zauberflote" will be performed in their original languages, with surtitles. NJOT’s production of "The Magic Flute," however, will premier dialogue translated into English by David Grabarkewitz, who was NJOT’s stage director last year.
   Mr. Altman hopes that the season will appeal to families. As an added incentive, NJOT will offer Saturday matinees, with discounted tickets for children.
   The company has always included young people in its plans. "It’s bringing up the next generation of singers and audience members," says gala chair Diane Parks of Princeton.
   NJOT’s director of education, Peter Hoyle, has just completed his second year of residency at Princeton’s Riverside Elementary School, where he worked with students in each grade to create operas based on something they were studying in class.
   NJOT has also helped schools across the state stage pared-down versions of "Carmen" and "The Magic Flute." Each school prepares 16 to 21 children to sing supporting parts, and NJOT provides sets, costumes, a stage manager, pianist and four professional singers to perform the leads.
   According to Scott Altman, the company brought opera to about 10,000 children last year, many of whom receive little training in classical music.
   By exposing doing this, NJOT builds an audience for tomorrow. And by training young singers, it nurtures future stars. Sharon Sweet said that one of the reasons she will be performing with NJOT in March is her enthusiasm for its Young Artist Program.
   Every year, the company admits new youngsters into the program. They sing in programs at schools and in concerts NJOT presents across New Jersey. They also receive training from renowned singers like Mr. Glassman and Ms. Sweet.
   Board member Andrew Moravcsik values NJOT’s Young Artist Program, too. The Princeton resident says he enjoys seeing singers grow in their art through good training. He also appreciates the company’s excellent programs and productions.
   "I travel around the country and the world listening to opera," he says. "The Opera Theater is really good." Better, he added, than comparable companies in the New York City area.
   Robert Teweles, president of NJOT’s board of directors, agrees. "We have exceeded our expectations of bringing world-class music to our community and the area," says the Princeton resident. "We are very optimistic about our future."
   Corporate supporters of the second annual "Celebrate Opera" gala included Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Steginsky Capital, Navigant Consulting and Verizon Wireless.
   On the Web: www.njot.org.