High note for opera

MANY opera lovers look forward to the tenor’s aria

for its nine high Cs, but the tale is an accessible light-hearted love story that everybody can enjoy.

It’s about an abandoned baby girl, Marie, who is adopted by a regiment of the French army. The tomboyish teenager then meets Tonio but she has already promised to marry a regiment member.

Tonio enlists just to marry Marie but one royal lady discovers Marie and declaring her as her long-lost niece, takes her to be properly educated and married.

But as Marie is about to wed the Duke of Krakenthorp, her royal patron finally understands Marie’s love for her regiment and Tonio.

Donizetti’s popular opera, with its hummable melodies, has a happy ending.

For soprano Jane Soong, who plays Marie, knowing the story behind the opera well helps her to deliver the emotions with impact.

“Opera is a big challenge. The music is beautiful yet difficult to sing,” says the 33-year-old from Seremban.

Discovered by her primary school headmaster, who also recommended a vocal coach, she adds: “I was 12 then and reluctant to get into opera as I wanted to be a pop star. But after a few years of vocal training, I grew to like it and wanted to conquer it.”

She started by singing arias at Universiti Malaya, only performing in her first opera at the Louisiana State University, United States, where she got her advanced degree.

With Soong for the show are her husband tenor Yap Jin Hin as Tonio, Shawn Liew as Sgt Sulpice and Regina Neoh as the Marquise of Berkenfield.

Executive producer Danny Chen is proud that the Kuala Lumpur City Opera (KLCO) production features a local cast. Along

with performers for the Opera Gala Spectacular concert on June 9, he says the event will see 13 principal singers, two pianists and a 45-member chorus.

The gala concert marks the fifth year KLCO, formerly known as The Eat, Sing & Travel People, since its establishment in 2012.

“The gala will be a night of the best opera music from famous operas such as

and

“It will feature eight artistes, including sopranos Sandy Cheng, Evelyn Toh and Yeoh Ker Ker; tenors Solomon Chong and Tan Chee Shen; baritone John Tan and on piano, Soon Kun Ming and Tomonari Tsuchiya,” says Chen, 44.

He points out that this will be the first time KLCO is bringing its production to Penang.

“It’s a big challenge to stage an opera production. “As in life, you can choose to do the same old thing or something different,” says the KLite.