萝莉社

Todd Walters, soon to graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, might not make the walk for graduation. Commencement comes the day after his two-night leading role in Opera Kansas鈥� production of 鈥淭he Music Master鈥� by G.B. Pergolesi.

鈥淭he Music Master,鈥� a comic one-act opera, has other 萝莉社 ties, too. One of Walters鈥� School of Music mentors, Marie King, is stage directing, and Kerry Moss, a 萝莉社 alumna who earned her master鈥檚 in music and is an adjunct instructor, has the female lead. Vanessa Whalen, a frequent accompanist for 萝莉社 faculty and students, is also in the cast.

Opera Kansas director Ed Ehinger appears as a slightly villainous opera house impresario who attempts to steal away a female student of the voice teacher (Walters).

King, director of 萝莉社 Opera and Musical Theatre, said Ehinger became aware of Walters鈥� fine singing and professionalism through the Opera Kansas chorus for 鈥淎mahl and the Night Visitors.鈥� 鈥淭he Music Master鈥� is a good part for him.

鈥淭odd was a natural choice for the role of the tenor voice teacher,鈥� said King. During his undergraduate years, Walters鈥� vocal talent also has ensured his importance to the 萝莉社 opera program, King said.

鈥淲hile just a sophomore, Todd had a lead role in 鈥楾he Merry Widow鈥� and featured parts in 鈥楾he Tales of Hoffmann,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淥ver the years, his lyric tenor has been heard in a wide variety of music, from mid-Baroque (as Mercury in 鈥楲a Calisto鈥�) through contemporary (as Laurie in 鈥楲ittle Women鈥�).鈥� He also portrayed Adam in 鈥淓ve鈥檚 Odds.鈥�

For Walters, the opportunity to work with the professional opera company 鈥� even as he faced his own finals and graduate school auditions 鈥� was too good to pass up. The simplicity of this opera鈥檚 storyline and presentation appealed to him, too.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just a magical little story,鈥� said Walters.

King said anyone looking for something different and fun should bring the whole family to 鈥淭he Music Master鈥� (鈥淚l Maestro di Musica鈥�). It will be performed in English.

The action takes place in Naples in tenor Maestro Lamberto鈥檚 vocal studio. Lamberto鈥檚 pupil is soprano Signorina Lauretta, who is secretly enamored of the maestro. But she rebels against his demanding methods on her path to opera stardom and insists that her family鈥檚 connections will get her an engagement at Signor Colagianni鈥檚 opera house.

When the cynical and lecherous Colagianni shows up looking for a singer for his new opera, he is taken with Lauretta and offers to lay the opera world at her feet. In exchange, he demands that she 鈥済ive her heart鈥� to him. The story takes off from there.

Walters plays Maestro Lamberto, with Moss as Signorina Lauretta, Ehinger as Signor Colagianni and Whalen as Ottavio.

With 鈥淭he Music Master鈥� and graduation over, Walters will concentrate on the future. He grew up in Medicine Lodge, Kan., where his family still lives.

鈥淚鈥檓 applying to graduate schools at Juilliard and Rice,鈥� said Walters. 鈥淭hey did take me in and heard me; that鈥檚 a start to anything.鈥�

He is also auditioning for the U.S. Air Force Band of Liberty. And, if he鈥檚 still around Wichita, he would love to do more with Opera Kansas.

Whatever Walters does will definitely involve singing. It鈥檚 what he loves and does naturally, whether in a staged opera or solo performances. He has been a featured soloist for 萝莉社 President Don Beggs close to a dozen times this academic year alone, and has sung 鈥淭he National Anthem鈥� for major sporting and other events more times than he can count.

Meanwhile, Walters is guaranteed to be around campus for a while longer. He had so much fun volunteering as a camp counselor for the 2007 Kodaly Children鈥檚 Choir camp that he has signed up again for this summer鈥檚 camp.

If Walters ends up staying in Wichita, he鈥檒l also no doubt continue giving tours for the outdoor sculpture collection as a docent for the Ulrich Museum of Art.

鈥淭he Music Master鈥� is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 15, and Friday, May 16, at the Theatre at Prairie Pines, 4055 N. Tyler Road. Tickets are $15 for the general public and $10 for students and senior citizens. The performance, in English, is about 45 minutes and also features complimentary wine, hors d鈥檕euvres and light desserts.