A week before Park City Opera’s latest production opens, singers Théodora Cottarel and Sarah Neal are rehearsing, their voices swelling in the sanctuary of a local church with operatic vibrato.
Conductor Ben Beckman is at the piano as they sing, stopping the pair to provide feedback as they polish the piece before the curtain goes up Dec. 17.
Cottarel is a soprano based in Seattle and Neal is a mezzo-soprano based in Houston. They are playing Della and Maggie in the nonprofit’s production of “The Gift of the Magi” by David Conte.
Park City Opera co-founder Lisl Wangermann is directing the production. She said the opera is based on the short story by O. Henry. It tells the story of a poor married couple, Della and Jim, who are willing to sacrifice their most prized possessions to buy each other a Christmas gift.
“It's a really heartwarming story. It's perfect for all ages,” Wangermann said. “Everyone can take away something from it, leave with a warm holiday feeling.”
After the success of the Park City Opera’s first main stage production in August, Wangermann said she and co-founders Ben Beckman and Lena Goldstein were inspired to keep going. While “The Barber of Seville” was planned a year in advance, “The Gift of the Magi” was organized in just five months.
The holiday production is about half the length of the summer production at just about 75 minutes. Despite that, Wangermann said the singers had to come prepared.
“We're also having a shorter rehearsal period, which means that all our singers had to come really prepared, which they all have, and the opera won't be stale by the time that the audiences get to see it. It'll still be really fresh and really vibrant,” Wangermann said.
Cottarel and Neal have similar methods to prepare for opera roles. Both said they listen to as many recordings of the opera as possible. This was more difficult for “The Gift of the Magi” as this is only the 45th production of the opera.
Cottarel and Neal then spend time with the text to get to know the characters.
As Cottarel and Neal are from out of state, another thing to prepare for is the altitude. Cottarel said being an Opera singer is like being a vocal athlete.
“You have to be mindful of the muscles in your neck, being rested,” she said. “It's also very dry here, so I have a steamer, a nebulizer, I drink a lot of electrolytes and coconut water.”
At their rehearsal, the pair was going over Neal’s favorite part of the opera. It’s where best friends Della and Maggie have a fight, but make up.
“The fact that we get such an insight, a 20-minute scene with these two friends that are women that have such a strong relationship, is kind of a rarity in opera,” Neal said. “It's a really tender, genuine depiction of the friendship.”
Cottarel’s favorite part of the opera is the depiction of young love.
“At the end of the day, what they find out is the best gift you can give somebody is your time and love,” she said.
“The Gift of the Magi” is playing Dec. 17 at Clubhouse SLC and Dec. 19 and 20 at the Park City Community Church.
There will be a holiday artisan market featuring local artists and concessions before each performance. Q&A sessions will follow each production.
