A noted opera singer will give a recital tonight in Catlett Music Center to benefit the OU opera program.

Mezzo-soprano Julie Simson will perform at 8 p.m. in Pittman Hall.Simson has sung leading roles with companies in Houston, Dallas, Santa Fe, N.M., and Memphis, Tenn.She has also won the world's largest operatic singing competition, held in Vienna, Austria.

The opera program always looks for singers at the top of their careers, said Paula Baker, OU Opera Guild public relations.

The fund-raiser will help pay production costs for the Opera program as well as raise funds for an endowment, saidBaker.She said that the School of Music hopes to raise $5,000.This is the sixth year for the annual benefit.

Without an annual benefit recital, the program wouldn't have the money to do some of the things it would like to do, she said.

Baker said the opera program attempts to make music students feel at home while performing.By providing elaborate costumes and sets, the program can help students get the feeling of working on a big production.

Over the weekend, Simson will also assist the OU School of Music by judging the Benton-Schmidt voice scholarship competition.She will also teach a masters class on Sunday.

The program will include songs by Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, Richard Strauss and Leonard Bernstein, Baker said.

Tickets for the recital are $35 at the door, or call Fine Arts College Ticket Office at 325-4101.


For more information, go to www.music.ou.edu.
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