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By GARY DEMUTH

Salina Journal

Not many math teachers sing opera, but Craig Masters is the exception.

The math professor, who is in his third year at Kansas Wesleyan University, will be singing the role of Count Almaviva in an upcoming production of Mozart's comic opera "The Marriage of Figaro."

Masters, a baritone with a background in oratorio singing, said he enjoys the mathematical aspects of music.

"I don't know music theory, but I know a lot of physics and math are behind it," he said.

Besides, he said, he just loves performing Mozart's passionate music.

"It's a fun experience to bring out the more emotive side of me as opposed to the logical," Masters said.

"The Marriage of Figaro" will be performed Nov. 6 to 7 at the Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts, 151 S. Santa Fe. There also will be a school outreach performance at 9 a.m. Nov. 5 at the Stiefel.

This is the fifth annual fully staged opera production mounted by Kansas Wesleyan University in collaboration with the Salina Symphony. The cast features a combination of Kansas Wesleyan students and faculty members as well as select community singers.

Previous opera productions have included two Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, "The Mikado" and "The Pirates of Penzance," the tragic opera "Cavalleria Rusticana" and the Mozart opera "The Magic Flute."

"The Marriage of Figaro" is a sequel to an earlier, equally famous work, "The Barber of Seville." In the earlier work, Count Almaviva woos and wins the lovely Rosine with help from the comic barber Figaro.

The sequel is set in Count Almaviva's castle in Seville in the late 18th century. The Count has married Rosine, but their marriage is on the rocks because of his constant philandering. Figaro is now engaged to Suzanne, Countess Rosine's maid, and is desperately trying to prevent the Count from seducing young Suzanne.

Add to the mixture a slimy music master, an amorous teenager, a scheming old maid, a drunken gardener and a score of misunderstandings and mistaken identities, and the result is comic chaos -- all set to a classic musical score by Mozart.

Despite its light tone, "The Marriage of Figaro" just might be the most difficult and ambitious local opera production yet, said Ken Hakoda, conductor of the Salina Symphony and KWU music professor, who will be orchestra conductor for this production.

"Mozart in general is very difficult," he said. "It's very delicate and written so sensitively. You have to do it beautifully and do it right. You can't hide mistakes."

Barbara Marshall, chairwoman of the department of communication studies and theater arts at KWU and director of "The Marriage of Figaro," said there is a major difference between this and the previous Mozart opera staged by the university, "The Magic Flute."

"There was a lot more dialogue in 'The Magic Flute,' and a lot more spoken parts," she said. "This is all sung and quite a challenge for our students."

What makes this particular opera so difficult, especially for students, is the specific style of singing required, said Leslie Mangrum, vocal music and choir instructor at KWU.

"It's recitative, which is speech-like singing," said Mangrum, who also plays the role of Countess Rosine in the opera. "It's not tuneful or melodic like songs. It's basically spoken words on pitch, which is difficult to memorize. Students almost have to memorize it by rote because there's no melody to guide them."

Kansas Wesleyan senior Matt Schwan has played major roles in the last three opera productions, but said the role of Figaro is by far the most challenging for his voice.

"It's definitely testing my lower range," said Schwan, a baritone. "It's really a bass role, and I have to hit a low G."

No matter what the challenges, Schwan, who plans to be a music teacher, said he loves performing opera, especially for young students.

"The kids really get into opera," he said. "And this is a fun show, it really is."

nReporter Gary Demuth can be reached at 822-1405 or by e-mail at gdemuth@salina.com.

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