January 30, 2004

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Palo Alto Online

Teen Cantatas

by Robyn Israel

Success was not immediate for "The Bartered Bride," a three-act opera by Czech composer Bedrich Smetana. It was a failure even in its fifth version of 1870, and struggled to find its footing.

But after several false starts, the comic opera eventually succeeded, achieving 100 performances in Prague during its first 12 years. Today, it is the most popular opera in the Czech Republic.

"Ask any Czech what "The Bartered Bride" is, and any Czech will tell you immediately what it is. They've seen it dozens of times," said Allen Cathcart, artistic director for the Peninsula Teen Opera. "It's like 'West Side Story' here."

Locals unfamiliar with Smetana's comic opus can experience it this weekend, when the Peninsula Teen Opera performs it, along with scenes from other works, at Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto.

But don't expect to sit through a three-hour production. Cathcart understands the vocal limitations of the group's 40 teenagers, and consequently creates condensed versions of operas. So Peninsula Teen Opera will present a 75-minute version, that, while abbreviated, still remains faithful to the complete opera, according to Cathcart.

"Not only is the repertoire appropriate for teenagers, it's specifically geared toward the singers we choose," he said.

"The Bartered Bride" centers on the young Marenka, whose parents wish her to marry someone wealthier than her true love, Jenik, a farm boy. The marriage broker Kecal believes he's found the "right" person in Vasek, the younger and dim-witted son of Tobias Micha, a rich landlord.

In an effort to protect the voices of the young participants, Cathcart has selected six young women to play the role of Marenka, with half cast as duplicates.

"These teenagers would never be able to do the whole role -- it's too dramatic, too demanding vocally," Cathcart said. "So it's very important we double-cast everything, so in the performances and the rehearsals, they're not singing more than 15 minutes."

One problematic scene in "The Bartered Bride" involves a circus number in the middle of the opera that is meant to be recitative -- half-sung, half-spoken -- which, Cathcart said, would prove too difficult for teenagers to execute. To circumvent that obstacle, the character (a circus director) will solely speak the part.

"Opera isn't teen-friendly," Cathcart admitted. "With condensed versions, there's several things that need to be cut, and then we fill that (the gaps) with dialogue."

Though somewhat challenging to stage, "The Bartered Bride" marks a watershed moment in Peninsula Teen Opera's six-year history.

"We would never have done it in the second or third season. We didn't have enough students, for one thing," Cathcart said. "But we've finally developed our students, to the point where they're ready for something like this. Besides, it's a very exciting and funny opera."

Cathcart, a retired singer, established Peninsula Teen Opera in 1998. A native of Hillsborough, Cathcart performed his first opera with Palo Alto's West Bay Opera, under the guidance of Henry Holt. By 20, he was singing professionally. Encouraged by Kurt Herbert Adler, the former director of the San Francisco Opera, Cathcart later worked in New York with the Metropolitan Opera Studio, a professional company that performed condensed versions for schools. He also worked in Europe for 20 years, and performed in "The Bartered Bride" with the Scottish National Opera, the Frankfurt Opera and the Saarbrucken Opera.

Running Peninsula Teen Opera is Cathcart's way of giving back to those who helped nurture his talent, such as Boris Goldovsky, a conductor, producer and the "best-known opera analyst," and Felix Wolfes, an assistant to Richard Strauss, who "spent hours and hours" teaching him lieder.

"I do it for the love of it," Cathcart said of his current job. "People like Boris worked with me and didn't charge me any money. I'm from the old school. I really wanted to give back to the people I learned from."

In its first year, Peninsula Teen Opera consisted of 18 students -- mostly boys who wanted to sing classical pieces, but weren't satisfied with what they were learning in high school. Cathcart was the voice teacher for the entire group.

Today, the program's 40 students meet at the Woodside Methodist Church in Redwood City for 12-week sessions. Ranging in age from 13 to 19, they have all been selected on the basis of their vocal ability, musicianship and personality, Cathcart said.

Three members have been in the group since its inception: Brandon Campanile, Lindsay Thompson and Palo Altan Vasilissa Derugin. Campanile started at the age of 11 as a boy soprano; now he is playing the role of Kecal, the marriage broker, and is currently studying as a baritone at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

But not all alumni have pursued careers in music -- which is OK with Cathcart.

"We really don't encourage our students to make a career out of opera," he said. "It's more that they learn the discipline of singing opera ensemble and opera in general. And also acting. Many believe opera acting involves just standing there and waving your arms. But if you've seen a good production, you'll see that the performers are excellent actors."

Cathcart also works in tandem with 20 voice teachers who coach the students (it's virtually a prerequisite to have a coach, Cathcart said). The teachers represent a number of Bay Area opera organizations, including San Francisco Opera, Opera San Jose and the Capitola-based Bay Shore Lyric Opera.

"They're all highly respected coaches," said Cathcart, who instructs a third of the students. "People who have seen our faculty are amazed that we've been able to get them. But they love working with us and with the kids."

And the kids, in turn, seem to enjoy the experience.

"I wasn't all that interested in opera -- I just wanted to perform," said Los Altos High School senior Jordi Kersten. "I liked being on stage and I like to sing, but not necessarily classical opera. But like any kind of art form, you really learn to appreciate it, especially when you have these triumphs, where you hit those notes."

In "The Bartered Bride," Kersten will play the role of Esmeralda, a dancer with a traveling circus. Her other roles this weekend include Susanna from the "Marriage of Figaro" and Mrs. Ansersen in "A Little Night Music."

Kersten said her three-years of participating in Peninsula Teen Opera have given her more self-confidence, while Andrew Saxe, a senior at Crystal Springs Uplands School, said he has loved the entire experience of his two-year stint.

"It's a unique combination -- you get to act, you get to sing, you get to prance around in costume," said Saxe, who will be playing the role of Jenik in "The Bartered Bride," Rodolfo in "La Boheme" and Tamino in "The Magic Flute." "And also for me, I'm naturally introverted -- I thought I would be doing crew, not opera. It's become a bigger part of my life than I envisioned."

Saxe's love of opera has even influenced his choice of college -- he selected Princeton over Stanford, as the former has an opera program.

While Cathcart laments the loss of the nine seniors who will be headed to college next year, he takes comfort in the latent talent possessed by the group's younger members.

"We always think, 'Good heavens, we're losing the best students.' But two of the Marenkas this year had small parts last year. They grow so fast, these teenagers, not only in size, but in vocal ability."

Who: Peninsula Teen Opera will present a condensed version of "The Bartered Bride," a comic opera by Czech composer Bedrich Smetana. The group will also perform scenes from "The Marriage of Figaro," "The Magic Flute," "Hansel and Gretel," "Mikado," "A Little Night Music" and "La Boheme."

Where: Spangenberg Theatre (Gunn High School), 780 Arastradero Road in Palo Alto

When: Tonight and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Cost: Tickets purchased in advance are $12 general; $8 for seniors and students under 18. Tickets purchased at the door are $15 general; $10 for seniors/students under 18.

Info: To purchase tickets, call (408) 226-9673 or (408) 504-6438 or e-mail info@teenopera.org

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