Classical Deejay Is Fast on His Teeth

D’ya ever wonder, stalled in gridlock, what that perky classical radio deejay is doing behind the microphone--perhaps, hidden from public view, delivering that chatty, animated spiel like an automaton?

Rich Capparela is no automaton. Lips inches from a bulbous mike, he gestured as if conversing with a friend during Thursday’s live broadcast of the Pacific Symphony, which Capparela hosted for KKGO-FM (105.1) from backstage at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa.

The classical music announcer for various Southland stations for the past two decades also sweats. Live is live, after all.

But, besides flashing an occasional deer-in-the-headlights look, he managed to maintain characteristic aplomb as he introduced the orchestra’s music director, Carl St.Clair, and interviewed composer Frank Ticheli. Ticheli’s latest work, “An American Dream: A Symphony of Songs,” which is built around poems by librettist Philip Littell, was played Thursday by the orchestra and sung by soprano soloist Camellia Johnson.

“Other than asking Camellia questions I meant for Philip,” he said, clammy but victorious after the intermission chats, “I think it went pretty well.”

Among other insights gleaned from inside Capparela’s makeshift broadcast booth:

* His worst fear is talking while the orchestra is playing, which he has managed to avoid since the Pacific Symphony broadcasts began in 1995 by watching the performance on a TV monitor. It’s a black-and-white the size of a toaster, however, and he can barely see when St.Clair lifts his baton. “I think ‘I Love Lucy’ was playing when this thing was made,” he said.

* Lest Southern California think Orange County doesn’t know its etiquette, Capparela makes an announcement to the crowd just before going live: “Your enthusiasm for the Pacific Symphony Orchestra will be heard throughout the region. However, we ask that you kindly . . . do not applaud between movements.”

* St.Clair likes to contribute background information during every broadcast. The hard part is that Capparela never knows when the conductor’s going to pop into the booth for a comment. “The good news,” he said, “is that I can’t possibly talk over the music if he’s in here.”

* What, no ever-present glass of water? Nope. Capparela quit smoking five years ago, but he’s no fanatic about vocal-cord lubrication. “It depends on what I had for dinner.”

* Think Capparela can’t enjoy the concert? Nah, the job’s not that stressful. Either he sneaks into the auditorium during long movements, or listens through his headphones. He and his two engineers, Phillip Richards and Ted Ancona, also manage to keep the humor going--off the air at least. “This passage is right out of Gorecki,” Capparela said at one point in Ticheli’s piece. Quipped Richards: “Get a copyright lawyer!”