CLASSICAL MUSIC : Young Tenor Sings Praises of American Opera Training

When Barton Green was a budding vocal student, one of his teachers advised him to “always keep a cool head and a warm nose.” Green translated this elliptical maxim as “being receptive to other people’s praise, but don’t let it go to your head.”

The 26-year-old tenor from New Hampshire will have ample opportunity to practice keeping a cool head when he makes his local debut in the title role of San Diego Opera’s production of Benjamin Britten’s comic opera “Albert Herring” (Feb. 9-17). As Green explained after a rehearsal earlier this week, this opera marks his first performance of a title role in a major company.

“This is a big steppingstone for me,” he said.

In the summer of 1988 for Canada’s Banff Festival of the Arts, Green performed the role of Albert Herring under the direction of noted British director Colin Graham, who is also directing the San Diego production of the Britten opera.

“Although I knew it was a comedy,” Green explained, “I began to look at it from a dark and intense side and forgot to see lightness about the character--what makes Albert likable to other people. In Banff, Colin began to take away the aggressiveness and the intensity of my approach, since most of that is already written into the music. He made me have a little more fun with the role.”

Although many younger singers aspire to sing the juicy Verdi and Puccini roles, Green keeps his eye on more contemporary opera. Britten’s “Albert Herring” was written in 1947.

“I like singing operas that are not as well known. I know I won’t be compared to the whole legacy of tenors who have sung the role. I have the feeling of introducing the music to the audience, and that’s very exciting.”

Although Green was born in New Orleans, because his father was in the Navy, he grew up in a handful of locations from San Diego to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., to Andover, New Hampshire. His mother was a frustrated opera singer, but he was not interested in following her unfulfilled aspirations. When he entered the University of Washington, his musical goals were centered on musical comedy.

But, once he decided that opera was his goal, Green pursued his musical preparation in a well-charted sequence. After completing his musical studies at the University of Washington, he entered Yale University’s graduate program in opera studies. He graduated from the Yale program last May and is now participating in the Pittsburgh Opera Center at Duquesne University.

“Each program I’ve been in has been scaled to 15 to 16 singers. The most important aspect is the large number of performance opportunities they provide. We were constantly performing arias, ensembles, duets--even Christmas carols for community groups. What you learn in voice lessons is really just a minute percentage of what you need to know in live performance.”

While attending the University of Washington, Green sang several comprimario roles at Seattle Opera and Tacoma Opera.

“It was important for me to get on stage and sing works in their original language. It also wasn’t bad pocket money for a college student.”

Unlike many singers who feel the need to study opera in Europe, Green chose the all-American route.

“It was a discussion I often had with other singers my age. In Europe, if you get a job with an opera house, you get to sing a wide variety of roles because the state-supported companies are always in production. But, if you stay in this country, then you can build up your American connections, especially through the various education programs some of the American opera companies operate. From there you hope the right people will see you perform and then take you under their wings.”

When Green was studying at Yale, Tito Capobianco directed some of the productions in which the tenor performed. Capobianco, a flamboyant opera director who is general director of Pittsburgh Opera, headed the San Diego Opera from 1975 to 1983.

“I auditioned for Capobianco’s summer program at Pittsburgh Opera when I was completing the Yale program. He accepted me, and I just finished singing the role of Steuermann in Pittsburgh’s ‘Flying Dutchman.’ ”

Green’s theory of connections continues to pay dividends. Later this season he will perform in Pittsburgh Opera productions of Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” and Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov.”

Return of Falletta. The ever ambitious Fallbrook Music Society is bringing back maestra JoAnn Falletta and the Long Beach Symphony to North County. Tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. in Bowers Auditorium, Fallbrook, the Long Beach orchestra will perform Schoenberg’s “Verklarte Nacht,” Strauss’ “Rosenkavalier” Suite, and Mahler’s “Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen,” with mezzo-soprano Janice Taylor.

Heart on his sleeve. UC San Diego music professor Janos Negyesy will present another of his popular “Soiree for Music Lovers” programs Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. in Mandeville Recital Hall. This month’s romantic fare includes the Brahms Piano Quartet in C Minor and Beethoven’s evergreen “Kreutzer” Violin Sonata with Negyesy accompanied by visiting pianist Aleck Karis.