Soprano Wen Is No Surprise as ‘Gypsy’ Lead

Johann Strauss Jr.’s operetta “The Gypsy Baron” ranks just behind his evergreen “Die Fledermaus” as the Viennese master’s most celebrated stage work. Because it is also Strauss’s most operatic opus, it is no surprise that San Diego Comic Opera Director Leon Natker chose Sylvia Wen to sing the female lead, Saffi, in his production of “The Gypsy Baron,” which opens Friday at Balboa Park’s Casa del Prado Theatre.

Wen, a Chinese soprano who settled in San Diego in 1988, possesses just the operatic credentials Natker needed. She performed in San Diego Opera’s 1989 production of Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov,” the company’s 1990 staging of Mozart’s “Die Zauberflote,” and last season’s production of Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro.” Wen’s first experience with operetta, however, caught her off guard.

“Singing operetta is not as easy as I thought, “ she conceded. But once she had a taste of comic opera, she agreed to sing a role in the Los Angeles Concert Opera’s “Countess Maritza” in January.

Wen came to San Diego with her husband, clarinetist Tan Hu, who had accepted a position with the late Zoltan Rozsnyai’s International Orchestra. From 1986 to 1988, Wen studied opera as an exchange student in Italy at the Milan Conservatory and La Scala’s preparatory school. Although she was working on her vocal technique during her studies in Italy, she said the main benefit was attending performances at La Scala.

Wen’s first mentor was her father, who also was trained in Shanghai in Western opera tradition (as opposed to China’s own high-pitched native opera).

“After I had been in San Diego for a while, my father came here for a year to help me with my singing,” she said.

Wen said she is content with her American career and has no desire to return to China, except to visit.

“I would like to perform for my friends there, but I won’t go back until there is a significant change in the political climate,” Wen said.

San Diego Comic Opera’s production of “The Gypsy Baron,” by Johann Strauss Jr. plays at the Casa del Prado Theatre, Friday-Oct. 4. Tickets: 239-8836 or 278-TIXS.

Bayside blues. The San Diego Symphony’s 12 weeks of SummerPops, which ended last weekend, set records, but not the kind the symphony had intended. Contrasted with 1991, the symphony’s first year at Embarcadero Marina Park South, attendance and gate revenue for SummerPops 1992 slumped. Total paid attendance for the 1991 SummerPops was 89,587; this year’s total of 83,921 was down some 6%. Gate revenue for 1991 was $1,376,416, while 1992 totaled $1,305,782, a 5% decline.

The most popular programs this season were the bankable standbys: the July 4 patriotic gala (attendance 3,466); three nights of Broadway at the Pops (3,421; 3,295 and 2,666); the last night of the annual Tchaikovsky spectacular (3,321); and the Aug. 29 salute to Glenn Miller (3,108). The least popular offerings included three nights of the “Vibes Alive” program (996; 949 and 1,227); two nights of a Beatles tribute (1,056 and 1,187); and the Sunday installment of the all-Gershwin program (1,100).

Among this season’s changes that proved successful were the addition of lawn seating, which allowed attendees to bring in their own lawn chairs to sit and listen in a restricted-view section, and allowing patrons to bring in their own food. Symphony spokesman Les Smith said the lawn seating accounted for a significant increase in single-ticket sales, although season subscriptions were down this year. And although bringing in their own food pleased many patrons, it cut into the profit from concession sales.

Smith said the summer season’s financial picture will improve when the revenue from the six special non-orchestral concerts is added to the above totals. For example, the June 30 James Taylor program brought in 4,451 patrons and the Sept. 23 Neil Young concert has already sold 4,000 tickets.

Music in the Golden Triangle. Mezzo-soprano Martha Jane Weaver opens the Good Samaritan Concert Series with a recital at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan. Weaver, who sang the title role of Virgil Thomson’s “The Mother of Us All” at UC San Diego in 1991, will make her Wagnerian debut next season with Arizona Opera in “Die Walkure.” The mezzo-soprano’s Sunday program includes lieder by Schubert and Brahms, as well as songs by Duparc, Granados, Elgar and Rorem. Weaver will be accompanied by James Tompkins-MacLaine, the church’s music director.

The remainder of the Good Samaritan series includes an oboe recital by Susan Barrett on Oct. 11, the Scripps Madrigal Singers on Nov. 8, and a Christmas concert with brass and chorus Dec. 13.

CRITIC’S CHOICE

UCSD WOODWIND QUINTET

Although woodwind quintets seem to be multiplying like rabbits on the local music scene, here is another worthy addition to the roster.

The newly formed UC San Diego Woodwind Quintet is made up of UCSD faculty and affiliate faculty members: flutist John Fonville, oboist Susan Barrett, clarinetist Robert Zelickman, bassoonist David Savage and French horn player Warren Gref.

On the ensemble’s debut concert, at 8 p.m. Friday in UCSD’s Mandeville Recital Hall, the musicians will perform works by Henze, Eisler, Birtwistle, Lerdahl and UCSD resident composer Will Ogdon.