Aspiring opera singers in the U.S. are in a predicament similar to that
of aspiring comedians; they have a hard time getting onto a musical
borscht circuit where they can develop their vocal patter. A year ago,
an opera-loving Cincinnati adman named John L. Magro decided to remedy
the situation, organized American Operatic Auditions, Inc. Its purpose:
to hunt down fresh operatic talent for a summer of seasoning in Italy.
Winners would get round-trip fare to Italy and a living allowance, free
coaching in Milan and a crack at singing professionally on Italian
opera stages. Last week five of the first batch of eight winners had a chance to show off
their talents in a student production of La Bohme in Florence's famed
Teatro della Pergola. The winners were hampered by shaky
Italian diction and an occasional tendency to overact from sheer
youthful exuberance . But audience and critics were
impressed by the Americans' voices and technique. The best voice in the
group, many thought, belonged to Tacoma Baritone Roald Reitan,
who sang briefly last year with the San Francisco Opera. Ohio-born
Tenor Jean Deis, who was told when he was nine that scarlet fever would
prevent him from ever speaking again, also got a generous round as
Rodolfo. The most popular Americans were Texas Soprano Sara Rhodes
Hageman, 25, whose Mimi Italians found “delicious,” and Manhattan
Showgirl-Soprano Marjorie Smith, who was in Most Happy Fella and is now
being pursued by Italian film makers.
