Tuesday, October 29, 1996
OPERA:
Singers to perform ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ at SchoenbergBy
Karla Kelsye
Daily Bruin Contributor
One of opera’s most treasured gems is making his way to UCLA to
share his talent with aspiring singers.
World-renowned opera director Professor Michael Hampe will study
the famous masterpiece, Mozart’s "Le Nozze di Figaro" with opera
singers (including several UCLA students) in a two week workshop
program from Oct. 29 to Nov. 10.
The workshop will start with a lecture at the Goethe Institute
of Los Angeles (Oct. 29) and then move to the Jan Popper Theater
(Oct. 30-Nov. 7) for the workshop. To demonstrate the nuances of
the art, Hampe will work with the singers in front of a
participating audience. The two weeks will culminate with a
performance at Schoenberg Hall on Nov. 10.
The members of UCLA’s music department are enthusiastic about
Hampe’s arrival. "For him to come and work with us for two weeks on
a masterpiece like this  it is very exciting," says Peter
Atherton, a UCLA doctoral student and teaching fellow.
It takes a lot of experience and dedication to have a chance to
work with a master like Hampe, but Atherton has a long history of
professional performances all around the world. Recently, he toured
with "The Phantom of the Opera" for five years. He is now at UCLA
working on his doctorate degree, where he enjoys teaching and
helping the music department.
In the upcoming opera, Atherton will be performing the part of
Count Almaviva. He is well acquainted with "The Marriage of
Figaro," and has performed the opera many times before, but has
never worked on the role of the Count.
Despite the challenge of taking on a new role and working with
such a master, Atherton is not shaken by nerves. "You never really
lose nervous energy. You just learn to channel it in a positive way
by concentrating on singing and doing a great job  but there
is always anxiety about performing."
Atherton and the other opera students participating in the
workshop have been practicing their roles since August. During the
workshop they will refine their work under Hampe’s experienced
direction in preparation for the performance that will conclude the
workshop.
"The Marriage of Figaro" is a 350-page, four act opera that
typically lasts over three hours. The performance at Schoenberg
Hall will include extensive highlights of the piece. Major arias,
duets and ensembles taken from the entire opera make for a
performance that is shorter but hopefully has just as much impact
as the original.
Despite the smaller scale of the production, the workshop still
requires hard work from everyone involved. Students don’t mind
since they are working in a medium they love. Atherton has always
known that opera was his calling.
"I remember distinctly looking through my parent’s records one
afternoon. I put one on and there was this voice. The way I felt, I
knew it was what I wanted to do. I have been blessed in this
respect," he says.
Those watching the workshop will be able to observe Hampe work
with his students as he prepares them for acting and singing in
various scenes. They will also get a chance to participate in
discussions about opera led by Hampe. He will address topics on
arias, the dialect of duet, ensemble singing, the atmosphere of
opera, body movement of singers and role study.
"As trained musicians, the participants in the workshop know a
lot about the topics that Dr. Hampe will be discussing, but it will
be very interesting to see a European perspective on them,"
Atherton says of the discussion that will take place. "It will be
very informative for the audience. I hope that a lot of people will
come to observe," he says.
OPERA: The workshop begins Oct. 29 and finishes Nov. 10 with a
production of "The Marriage of Figaro." TIX for performance: $25
general admission, $10 students and seniors.