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Show t t i Opera goes Country I j I .as .at.. HEBER CITY, Mar. 11, (LRJ) Glade Peterson, General Director, Utah Opera Company, and part of the many performers that entertain enter-tain opera goers in Utah, were guest entertainers and educators in the Wasatch High School Auditorium for three performances. perform-ances. The day began at 11:00 a.m. when high school students, many of them in dresses and shirt-and-tie, filled the auditorium to see and hear operatic performers do their thing on stage. Later the elementary students enjoyed some excerpts from "Little Red Riding Hood' ' by Seymour Barab, and the last performance was for the Middle School students. Before the performance teachers teach-ers prepared students for the experience by telling what opera is, by explaining some basic operatic terms, telling of some famous operas, and even playing some of the music from well-known well-known operas. The program was highlighted by famous excerpts: Abbondanza from "The Most Happy Fella;" Seguidilla or Habanera from "Carmen;" Summertime from "Porgy and Bess;" Duet from "The Marriage of Figaro;" and the Witch's Aria from "Hansel and Gretel." The finale from "The Barber of Seville" ended the program and brought all the performers on stage to fascinate and thrill the audience with song and drama. Students who had some hesitation hesita-tion before the performance went away commenting that it was better than expected. Performers left the stage and circulated among students involving them in the fun. Carmen even bestowed her rose on lucky individuals while others received her on their laps. The Utah Opera Company is just five years old, and the school programs are funded by the state legislature. Mr. Peterson said that they do about 100 school performances perform-ances each year all over the state. Two programs are done: Little Red Riding Hood, for the elementary K-6, and arias and excerpts are done for 7-12. The school fund also assists he Symphony and Ballet West. Claudia Ward is Mr. Peterson's assistant and the administrator of the Opera in the Schools Program. Royce Twitchell is the accompanist and her husband Noel has been with the organization five years. Laura Garff, Tom Williams, Greg Griffiths, Billy Lucas, Mary Billeter, and Cathy Edwards are other performers. The home of the Utah Opera Company is the Capitol Theater. In May will come the next full production of Die Fledermaus. Students with chaperones are invited to the full dress rehearsals May 9 and 10, just days before the opening and the cost is $1 per student. Usual costs are $6 to $20. Mr. Peterson was born in San Pete County, left in 1956 for New York to persue an operatic career and made his debut in 1958, with the NBC Opera Company, he sang in Madam Butterfly. In 1960 he left for Italy with his wife and two small children. His scholarship kept him there for about six months and then he received an opportunity to go to Zurich as the leading tenor in the Zurich Opera House where he spent fifteen full years. During this time he appeared in all the major opera houses in Europe. Eight years ago he made his debut in the Metropolitan Opera, the only Utahn to have had that opportunity. opportun-ity. In 1975 he returned to Utah and in 1977 he founded the Utah Opera Company. They have done fifteen major productions-two at Kingsbury Hall before they moved to the Capitol Theater four years ago. Mr. Peterson reported that there are some seventy-five opera companies in the U.S. presenting full time work. There is an opera boom right now. The Utah company is looked upon as a model for small, regional companies. compan-ies. Its growth has been good, and its artistic standards have been very high, and it has been rated very high by the Foundation for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC. Ticket sales alone account for less than half of the budget. The rest has to be raised through the private sector, corporations, businesses, busi-nesses, and grants. There is a full time professional staff of about nine people. Other performers are employed as teachers, painters, etc., and are contracted for production roles-none roles-none of them making a living just singing opera.- Performances are usually gauged gaug-ed for audience age and some presentations have been given for as few as 100 people. But full productions come to four per year. A great deal of community work is done for adult audiences. All kinds of groups-civic, church, etc.-are entertained and introduced to the opera. Mr. Peterson believes he has sung to every known group in Salt Lake County during the past six years. 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