Tallahassee Democrat from Tallahassee, Florida • Page 91

Friday, November 10, 199531D Tallahassee Democrat OPERA Family-oriented 'Hansel is not simple-minded jj fall-. -Uki years. In between jobs here, he also worked with such national opera organizatons as Houston Grand Wolf Trap Opera, the Los Angeles Music Center Opera and many more. He recently returned from Houston's touring version of "Porgy and Bess." For "Hansel," Fisher and McConnell recruited designers Carey Wong (sets), Teresa James (costumes) and James Mead (lighting). Finale features special effects Four FSU graduate students will be taking turns singing the lead roles.

Arikka Gregory and newcomer Sherri Phelps will double up as Hansel while Tamara Watson and Bonnie Pepper will alternate as Gretel. Oh, yeah. If all that's not enough to hold it together, there's plenty of special effects in the finale of "Hansel and Gretel." "It just sort of rolls along," McConnell said, "and then pow, you have a witch flying across stage and an exploding oven, ifs all at once." "It's never easy, but there are a lot of potential pitfalls (with the special effects)," Fisher said. But is the new opera team worried with its big debut? "Magic is hard work," McConnell said. and Gretel' ELIZABETH HEFELFINGERDemocral vanced and demanding.

"To people who think the music is just a lot of folk songs strung together, I say, you get up there and it," McConnell said. "There are parts where you're singing along and it's like being on a high wire. Then you look down and someone has taken the safety net away." While all that is going on, McConnell tries to keep his lead singers reminded that they are acting the parts of childrea "They have to sing like an adult in a childlike way," McConnell said. "It's not easy." A gay community on. Fire Island is the Douglas Fisher, left, is the music director, and Michael McConnell is the opera's stage director.

I WHAT: Engelbert Humperdinck's "Hansel Gretel" by the Florida State Opera at FSU. I WHERE: Ruby Diamond Auditorium. I DATE: Saturday (8 p.m.) and Sunday (2:30 p.m.); also Nov. I PHONE: 644-6500. I COST: $14 general admission, but parents accompanying children under 1 2 can get tickets for a reduced price of $9.

Tickets are $5 for kids under 12. McConnell has been working with singers in acting terms, such as using memory and recall to make their characters real and lifelike. "After all, opera is a theater form," McConnell said. New director hails from Cleveland One without all that parking and barking, hopefully. McConnell comes to FSU after serving as executive director of the Lyric Opera Cleveland for 10 vears.

He was also the director of opera at the Cleveland Institute of Music for the past four years. Fisher, meanwhile, has worked with many operas at FSU for six it wit? Director encourages performers to avoid the "park and bark'" scenario. By Mark Hinson DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER Opera fans know this dreaded syndrome all too well: A singer in fine voice and grand costume enters the stage from the wings with a grand flourish. Music soars. Tension builds.

Then he or she stops, plants feet, locks knees and remains steadfast in that spot until the song or aria is over. "The students came up with a term for that," opera director Mi-cheal McConnell said. "They say, 'Oh, you mean you don't want me to park and And I say no. Don't park and bark." McConnell is the new stage director for the Florida State Opera at FSU. He replaced longtime FSU opera director Lincoln Clark, who retired this summer.

McConnell and music director Douglas Fisher have since formed a collaborative team to present FSU's first opera of the new season, Engelbert Humper-dinck's "Hansel Gretel." "Hansel," which runs this weekend and next, is being sung in English. It also clocks in at just under two hours, which is basical- ADOPT A CHILD jp2 Regardless of Marital Status FREE SEMINAR Sat Nov. 11th l-3pm at The Abbey 2425 Spoonwood Dr. FOR INFORMATION CALL 893-2772 BUY TOO FOOT-LONG SUBS SUNDAY FOR $5.99 ly a musical haiku by typical opera standards. Even though it is a family- oriented opera based on a fairy tale, don't expect a simple-minded kiddie opera, McConnell and Fisher said this week a.

break between Demanding score isn't kids stuff "My musicians in the orchestra pit have found out that it's not kid's stuff," Fisher said. "The score is very demanding and difficult After all, Humperdinck was a true disciple of Wagner's." The singing is equally ad i The Lab November 8-1 1 November $8 General Public I Subject matter not i i Li i unlikely setting for two" straight couples celebrating an unusual Fourth of July in this witty, contemporary comedy by Terrence McNally. Theatre 1 4-1 8 at 1 2 at Free to FSU Students suitable for Oiihren DO YOU HAVE A HEALTH QUESTION? READ DR. PETER H.GOTT NEED SOME TIMELY ADVICE? READ ANN LANDERS.