New World School of the Arts 18 member, college-level Opera Theatre Ensemble will visit and perform in China, April 24 - May 4, 2001. The trip comes at the invitation of theater directors in Beijing and Shanghai, where the students will perform a total of three public and several private concerts.

The unique "exchange" day planned between the Opera Theater Ensemble and students at the Peking Opera School on May 1, will include sharing of costumes and make-up techniques.

These 18 young "cultural ambassadors" ably represent Florida's multi-ethnic, multi-cultural community to the world.

The Opera Theatre's Ensemble's public concerts will include choreographed selections from Broadway hits, solos, duets and ensemble pieces excerpted from various operas and jazz favorites.

With the ensemble will be pianist Angelica Sganaga, a graduate of New World's music program, now attending FIU for graduate studies, who will perform duo piano selections with her partner, and jazz trumpeters David Howe and Jack Siegel, former interim director of jazz studies at New World.

Jack Siegel has arranged (for trumpet and voices) the aria from "The Evening Star", by Richard Wagner, in a wonderfully creative arrangement, accompanied by the voices of the ensemble, with the solo part to be performed by virtuoso trumpeter, David Howe.

Additionally, the program will include the debut of a new jazz piece, entitled, "A Little Here, A Little There", composed and arranged by Jack Siegel, in a jazz samba style. The ensemble will also present a Manhattan Transfer arrangement of "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square", emphasizing their versatility.

Almost two dozen interested South Floridians will join the students on this extraordinary adventure including members of the Florida Grand Opera Guild and the Coco Plum Women's Club.

(CIIC 04/20/2001)