Cathy Compton spends summer working on opera study guides
If one of her music professors had given Cathy Compton a blank sheet of
paper and asked her to write up her ideal internship, it's doubtful she
could have imagined one quite like she participated in this past summer.
"It's an independent study, but it's an independent study for the Metropolitan
Opera," the senior music education and vocal performance major said
excitedly, "and I get to live in New York City."
This summer Compton interned with the Metropolitan Opera Guild in their
educational department. The department offers different programs for New
York schools in an effort to build new audiences for opera.
Part of that program is a series of 20 operas the Metropolitan Opera performs
every year at New York City's Lincoln Center. Schools bring in students
ranging from third grade to seniors in high school during the final dress
rehearsal to see an actual opera.
In preparation for those shows, the Metropolitan Opera Guild prepares study
guides for each of the operas.
That's where Compton came in this summer.
As part of her internship, the senior compiled study guides for elementary
and high school students for six different operas by such composing luminaries
as Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Puccini and Handel. She also developed classroom
activities that elementary school instructors in the New York City area
will utilize this year.
"'La Boehme' is performed every year so there is no need for a study
guide for that opera," Compton said. "So I had to write study
guides for some lesser known operas."
For the record, obscure operas such as "Simon Boccanegra," "La
Gioconda," "I Puritani," "Eugene Onegin," and "Giulio
Cesare."
Not exactly household names – even for an opera buff like Compton.
Compton researched the operas and eventually wrote a synopsis of the plot
for each. She read over the libretto and translated text of the opera and
then listened to a recording with the libretto.
Then she would research the historical perspective for each opera.
"The New York Public Library had a wonderful performing arts section
and the Met has a ton of resources I was able to use," she said. "It
was really cool to explore the big themes of the opera and relate it back
to the plot in the study guides.
"It was enjoyable for me to learn about the operas, especially breaking
down the plots to the level of elementary and high school students. Plus
I get to listen to all this great music."
On a more practical side, the internship also gave Compton what she wanted
– a foot into the door of arts administration.
"It's a really tough industry," she says. "I know I want
to work in the arts - if not as a performer than in creating audiences for
the arts.
"This internship has been pretty much an irreplaceable experience,"
Compton continued. "I've been able to experience what the business
is like and what New York City is like. It was an opportunity I couldn't
pass up."
Cathy Compton at New York City's Lincoln Center
Around LAS
August 21 to September 3, 2006
