Experience The Art of Opera

SPRING HILL -

Nicole Benson compares operas to paintings. She said it is the best way she can think of to describe what opera is to the average person. "Set designers are like easels, singers are the paint, and the maestro would be the painter" Benson said. "When all of these come together they create an opera."
Benson will attempt to explain that again, in more detail, to the Opera Lover's Club on Saturday, January 19. After moving to the area from Wisconsin a few months ago, Benson found an ad in the paper for the Opera Lover's Club. She attended one meeting, and has since been involved with the club in everything from singing to educating members about opera.
Benson, who attended Luthor College in Iowa for vocal performance with an emphasis in opera, has been singing since she was a little girl. In high school she sang in musicals and started to experiment with opera singing and fell in love with it. "Operas are more in depth with feelings and emotions" Benson said. "When you see an opera you can experience every emotion humanly possible."
As a singer Benson must go through rigorous preparation just to sing a few songs. She usually spends an hour warming up her voice, and once she performs her songs she has to pay special attention to breath control, posture, and interpretation of the music. Benson can sing in English, Spanish, French, German, Latin, and Italian, but she takes time to translate and study each piece weeks before she performs them.
Benson's dream is to travel the world singing with an orchestra. She knows that dream will take time, however, and right now she's happy to share what she can of her experience with opera.
Benson's presentation on opera will be held on Saturday Jan. 19 at the Forest Glenn Retirement Community off Osawaw Road from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The program is called "Before the Curtain Performance" and it is open to the public.
Benson will talk about what is involved behind the scenes, and what goes into creating an opera. She will also perform three songs.
All Opera Lover's Club meetings are open to the public and admission is free.
For more information about the Opera Lover's Club, call Betty Beceden at 686-8535.