Symphony Knows How to Opera-te

I'm no opera aficionado. Chances are, neither are you. But neither were most of the members of Duke's symphony orchestra before they took on the challenging task of perfecting Mozart's Don Giovanni for their season's closing performances this weekend.

Don Giovanni, one of history's most beloved operas, marks the first time the Duke University Symphony Orchestra will perform with professional opera singers and the first opportunity most of the students have had to play a full-length opera. Though the orchestra and the singers had not rehearsed together until Monday's dress rehearsal, the seamlessness of the performance was a testimony to the professionalism of Duke's musicians.

Be forewarned: This is not your typical opera. The 60-or-so-member orchestra is the main event--on stage rather than in a pit--with the eight vocalists perched on a platform behind them. Though not in costume, the singers interact with one another and add a dramatic touch to the performance. A bit more physical expression would enable the audience to understand the opera's plot without having to read the superscript flashed by a rather noisy projector onto a screen above the stage. But in this performance, the storyline is less important than the symphony's vitalizing instrumentation.

Harry Davidson, director of the symphony orchestra, commended his musicians--mostly students but a few faculty and community members as well--for rising to the challenge of mastering a nearly three-hour opera. "It's much more demanding in terms of concentration level," he said. "The sheer length requires a lot of stamina." This aspiring opera expert couldn't agree more.