Anchorage Opera's chorus master Andrew Sweeney had a premature debut as an opera conductor on Friday the 13th.
Late that Friday he got word that William Hicks -- who had led the first two performances of the company's recent production of "The Barber of Seville" -- was ailing but still intended to take the podium for the sold-out show.
"At 7 p.m., an hour before curtain, our stage manager Ann Aurbach called me from the theater and said, 'You're on.' I said, 'OK, do I have time to run home and get something to wear besides the Carhartts I'm currently sporting?'
"I ran home from the opera office to quickly fetch my tux. I arrived at the theater about 20 minutes before the curtain. There was no time to think about it or second-guess myself. This was really happening."
Sweeney had prepared the choral singers for the "Barber," but those sections are only a small part of the whole work.
"The initial idea of going out there and conducting the opera with no rehearsal was daunting if not shocking. Fortunately in my singing days in California, I had performed the title role (Figaro) to the tune of some 300-plus times with a small company called Orange County Opera. This is probably why I knew the score well enough to conduct it."
Sweeney said he couldn't have pulled off his "Cinderella" moment without the professionalism of his colleagues, especially the orchestra. "In one night, I had learned a whole new respect for them. The crew, the director, (general manager) Torrie Allen and everyone was there rooting for me and giving me incredible support."
The on-the-fly performance, with a shouted cue or two, turned out well. Sweeney huddled with concert master Dawn Lindsay and bored into the score the next day and led a final performance on Feb. 15 that fans tell me was among the best they have ever seen in this town.
Sweeney has conducted choral work before, including the Community "Messiah" in 2006. But live on-the-stage opera is a far more complex challenge.
"I was going to make my conducting debut with the opera next season in an operatic concert slated for spring 2010," he said. For that prepared program he hopes to include some of his favorite selections including the finale of Gounod's "Faust" and the last act trio from "Der Rosenkavalier."
Last chance to see 'Wives'
An intriguing updating of "The Merry Wives of Windsor" featuring an all-youth cast, winds up today with performances at 2 and 7 p.m. at Sydney Laurence Theatre. Alaska Theatre of Youth has a mission of making the Bard's plays work for juvenile players and audiences.
At Alaska Pacific University, more Shakespeare with pre-adult actors, with TBA Theatre's more traditional reading of "Romeo and Juliet" at 3 and 7 p.m. in Grant Hall.
Anyone who's caught either of these shows may want to tell us more by posting their reviews at "You Be the Critic" at adn.com/artsnob.
UAA organ debut
The University of Alaska's annual Symphony of Sounds concert, featuring college talent in an unbroken stream of performances, will repeat Saturday night's performance at 4 p.m. today in the Fine Arts Building recital hall. The program features the debut of a new organ for the space.
Youth acting tryouts
Speaking of kids in the spotlight: Tryouts for a new youth acting academy will take place Saturday at the Wild Berry Theatre. Lisa Owens, who recently started a music training program, is arranging the effort.
"We will be bringing up casting directors, agents, managers and acting coaches from Los Angeles who are working with kids on Disney, Nick and other kids, teen and young adult shows including 'Hannah Montana' " she writes in an e-mail. "It is a five-month program, and at the end we are bringing up a name star from Disney Channel to do a meet-and-greet and autographs."
The program will take 30 kids, age 4 to 22. Audition times are 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, go to www.talentgps.com or e-mail Owens at lisa@talentgps.com.
Watercolor scholarships
The Alaska Watercolor Society is taking applications for the AKWS and Alaska Woman's Club 2009 Scholarship Awards. Two scholarships in the amounts of $1,000 will be awarded. Applicants must be currently enrolled in a visual arts program at any of the University of Alaska campuses and must have completed at least one year of its program. Applications must be received by April 6. Forms are available at UA art departments and can be downloaded from www.akws.org. For more information, call John Beebee at 333-2563 or e-mail afjcb@uaa.alaska.edu.
Slides are required, so start early. And, despite my headline, the sponsors stress, "Concentration on water media is not required."
Peninsula art contest
The Kenai Peninsula Art Guild has put out a call for entries in their Biennial Judged exhibit. Up to three pieces by adult residents of the Kenai Peninsula may be brought to the Kenai Fine Arts Center, 816 Cook Drive in Kenai between noon and 6 p.m. Thursday to Saturday.
"All original pieces suitable for display will be accepted," says the press release, and there will be cash awards for the wining entries.
An artist reception will take place at 6:30 p.m. March 6.
Find Mike Dunham online at adn.com/contact/mdunham or call 257-4332.
By MIKE DUNHAM
mdunham@adn.com