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That choice no doubt will be heartily applauded by local audiences attending this week's K-W Opera Guild presenta- tion of Hansel And Gretel at University of Waterloo's Theatre of the Arts. “I started singing when I was seven. and although I didn't do any singing in high school I played trombone during those years. When I came to university, I eventually had to choose between trombone and voice. So I chose voice." Dam-1W“. mmmum 7 - iaried " ' In ttteta-ttnet prxtgrarrt.'ntesetttasttee+ xwmammawm can: at ow Thqg6q a! the Earl WWW “we 'gurttd2g Mtfh_frteree-r.-t,rtto-tt.ttttroerm ftrrtttetterfor-e. cm yttrlte, qKrighter a T 'e Performances new: 'tf:" Fm. M mm. rob an“. In Tho Sttgthttt Mom on an": itt the madienee "" mm at the 0mm ', q " 82"a4l"'"""'vid"t"t"" Recently. she also was a finalist in the Canadian Music Competitions. held in Toronto and London, Ont., and won another scholarship. “The scholarships pay for further training, as I am still taking lessons with Victor Martens at Wilfrid Laurier." During the summer. she and a singer As well. she sang the lead role of Kathie in a summer production of Kornberg Operetta. The Student Prince, in OriIIia. This led to her being asked to understudy Canadian Opera Company singer Catalyn Tomlin who sang the same role in the Opera Guild’s oktober. fest production at the Centre In The Square. Born in Fergus, raised in Guelph and a resident of Waterloo for most of the last half-dozen years. Donna acknowledges that it's unlikely a singer can find lull-time work in this area. "But you can always come back. “There are a lot of opportunities in Canada, and not just in the big cities, either. But that's where you have to make your own work. You try to sing with as amny conductors " possible. and not always go to the big names right away." "I was ready as a button, hut I didn't get to go on. During rehearsals, though. one night before the leads were brought in I sang the part with the chorus." Donna says that while she loves doing stage work, becoming a member of a major world open company isn't the over-riding goal in her life. _ "I Just .really want to do " much singing in " many places as I can. I'm eager to do whatever I can wherever 1 can, whether it's singing oratorios. cantatas, with orchestras or in operas." _ _ _ _ - mu year or so, she's hoping to go to Germany and find opportunities to sing Meanwhile, she's teaching singing once a week in Guelph and sings in area churches almost every Sunday. 'Wm really trying not to get a part-tinte job outside of singing. When I don’t have work I learn repertoire. I Just keep myself busy in music. It's too d1meult to work at something else." As for Hansel And Gretel, Donna says that the music (by late nth-early atth-eentury German composer Engel- bert Humperdinck) is "quite refreshing and really enjoyable." She feels ttuit it will appeal to most children. if for divverent reasons. "There will be those, like the children I teach singing to, who will come and realty listen to the music and the voices, while others will probably take to the things they can just watch. such as the witch being pushed into the oven. “I think, too, that being presented in a theatre like the Theatre of the Arts. where they can be close to the action. they’ll probably be on the edge of the seats during much of it. It can be exciting. it's being performed in English and of course the story and characters are very [amiliar and easy to under- stand. " Other WLU include lnina compllshed singer who is more widely known. however. for her costume do signs for local opera. ballet and theatri- cal productions. She also is doing the costumes for liansel And Gretel. The production is being direcied by Reid Spencer ot the WLU opera diploma program. The set has been designed by Earl sailor. and Leslie D'Ath is pianist for the performance. Jlertoreer begin at 7:30 pm. don Burnett as Father, Linda Erman- Johnson as Mother and Marilyn Cough In the dual roles of the Sandman and the Dew Fairy. 7 graduates Neufeld as , Father, l tld as Hansel, Gor- her, Linda Eyman- and Marilyn Cough Witch Fahldy, an ac- widely cast R Romanian-born 35-year-old Uri Mayer will be guest conductor for the two evenings. A graduate of the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv and the Juilliard School of Music, Mayer was invited by Leopold Stokowski, while Mayer was still a student at Juilliard in 1970, to act as assistant conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra. A recipient of several important scholarships and prizes, he has won the Audience Prize of the International Compe- tition for Conductors in Budapest, drawing an astounding half a the 100.000 ballots east. In addition to his appointment to the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in 1981. Mayer is conductor of the Niagara Sym- phony Orchestra. Spiced ‘by the brilliance of cellist Des- mood Hoebig and the flair of guest conductor Uri Mayer. the Kitchener-Water, loo Symphony Orchestra will perform the bubbly music of Haydn, Schumann and Franck for their "Main Series" concerts Friday Dee. no and Saturday. Dec. " at Centre in the Square. The ar-year-old Vancouver-born Hoehig is quickly gaining a reputation as a superb young cellist. Rarely is it to find "maturity of musical thought and appreciation" com- bined with “delicacy and sensitivity" in such a young performer, yet Hoebig has attained this praise and more. He is now recognized as a formidable cellist after placing as a tinnlist in this year's Tchai- kovsky competitions in Moscow. - Tickets are as. $10.50 and $8 with reductions for students and seniors and may be reserved at Centre in the Square. Hoehig has won numerous awards, among them a scholarship for study at the Juilliard School of Music, where he ob- tained both his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Performance. Mayer, Hoebig at KWSO Uri Mayer