(Photo by Robert W. Butts) OH CONSTANTA In recent years, Constanta, Romania, has served as a major commercial center for Black Sea transport and as a resort center. Above is an example of an Orthodox church in the area.

Imagine conducting a professional opera company with full orchestra and chorus, featuring internationally recognized soloists in elaborately staged productions in an old city on the edge of the Black Sea. For six aspiring conductors - including this writer and another New Jersey colleague - such a fantasy came true during two intensely challenging and exhilarating weeks in July at the first Opera Constanta Verdi Masterclass under Maestro Gheorghe Stanciu.

Almost by magic, three Verdi masterworks - Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, and La Traviata - came to life with conductors directing their respective acts for the first time and on a minimal rehearsal schedule!

For this writer, the experience was like a dream come true. Working on Il Trovatore, I learned a great deal not only about conducting, but also about Verdi and the dramatic impulse that was always at the heart of his inspiration.

The first orchestral rehearsal, though it went well, revealed just how much needed to be learned before simply walking into a production situation. Cues weren't always as clear as hoped for and tempo changes needed to be carefully delineated as effortlessly as possible.

Recitatives, always difficult to accurately conduct, needed precis timing and coordination between conductor, singers and instrumentalists. At the first choral rehearsal, one was immediately struck with how deeply the words and melodies were integral parts of each singer's musical soul. With faces reflecting re music's passion, the famed gypsy chorus - also known as the "Anvil Chorus" - provided moments of sheer pleasure.

The first rehearsal with a cast including a tenor who'd sung at Moscow's famed Bolshoi, a mezzo who'd sung at major opera houses in Europe and is a regular at Opera Bucharest, a soprano making her debut, and a baritone who understood the role, brought the entire opera to reality.

Each singer, eager to discuss the nuances of interpretation, contributed a wealth of artistry to the event. Though many of the conductors were new to fullscale operatic productions, there was an air of creative magic that sparked each rehearsal and had performers looking forward to the real magic of the performance.

Conductors literally traveled around the world to take advantage of the Verdi Masterclass under such a knowledgable and sensitive Verdian conductor. Maestro Stanciu's comments were well thought through and individually directed. For this reviewer, the knowledge of shifting meters so the orchestra understood, of preparing entrances after measures of orchestral waiting, of keeping the orchestra aware of where the recitatives were beginning and ending, and of directing the singers through the tricky solo passages were all carefully explained.

In addition to myself, New Jersey was represented by Fedor Kabalin of Maplewood. Also from the United States was Stanley Thurston, conductor of opera and chorus in Maryland.

Elvind Gullberg Jensen journeyed from his native Norway via his current home in Vienna. Germany's Matthias Manasi took advantage of time between seasons at his regular operetta conducting position in Passau. Traveling the greatest distance was Susan Robinson, all the way from New Zealand.

Perhaps because opera is such a complex art bringing together so many varied talents and specialities, the masterclass was more intense than similar conductorial offerings, most of which concentrate upon on choral, band, or orchestral repertoire alone.

In Constanta, conductors worked constantly not only on the opera they were to conduct, but on all three Verdi masterpieces. A typical day incorporated score study, video reviews, private instruction, chorus rehearsal and orchestra rehearsal. Depending on the schedule, there would also be a Cabina (rehearsal with soloists and piano), Sitzprobe (runthrough with everyone, but no costumes or staging), Generalprobe (dress rehearsal) or actual performance.

On some days, there would actually be two major rehearsals. In addition, where at most masterclasses conductors perform and work on an individual movement lasting 10 to 15 minutes, here each conducted two complete acts of about 90 minutes duration.

We were expected to know all scenes of each opera, even the ones they were not actually conducting. In the course of two weeks, this writer conducted major segments of Rigoletto and La Traviata as well as Il Trovatore! What free time was left usually found conductors seated on the Black Sea beach or in a pleasant cafe with eyes glued to well-worn scores.

A few words would definitely be in order regarding the productions themselves. For the most part, they are traditionally staged, with more than a few surreal touches giving La Traviata a distinctive flavor. Costumes and sets are quite elaborate, depicting scenes in rich detail and atmospheric design and lighting. Careful attention is given to every detail as courts, forests and monasteries are created onstage. Movement is often quite imaginative, sparked by an emphasis on the passion and intensity of the stories.

The company's justifiable pride in its productions was reflected in the jubilant responses of the participants themselves, from stagehand to star.

A special thanks and hearty "Bravo" must be awarded to Anthony Armoré. The masterclass was largely his idea. His attention to administrative detail, to scheduling, to pulling everything and everybody together was greately admired and appreciated.

Armoré, an American artist serving as assistant conductor at Opera Constanta and frequently guesting across Europe, set the tone with his own exuberance at sharing such wonderful music.

Yet there was some time for exploration of the historic city founded several thousand years ago by Greek traders. While little remains of Constanta's antique settlements, there were some reminders in the fortress ruins, the beautiful Roman mosaic, and the museums filled with artifacts. And there are still numoerous reminders of the city's most famous resident, the great author Ovid, who resided there during his years of exile. Even the opera house - named Teatrul Ovidiu - pays homage to the author of Metamorphoses!

In recent years, Constanta has primarily served as a major commercial center for Black Sea transport and as a resort center. Walking along the streets, one is never far from the water, a constant reminder of the city's industrial focus. On the horizon or around the bend at the large port, huge ships continue to trade along the sea routes that first inspired Greeks to found the city centuries ago. For the resorts, one has to travel a short distance outside the city center to enjoy the lively and enticingle beautiful beach resorts of Mamaia, Neptune, and Saturn.

On the beach, the action never lets up as beachfront discos invite one to dance practically all night long. One visibly very pleasant touch are the numerous sculptures that are placed practically everywhere within the city. Some are familiar statue-type creations depicting the famous people, most notably Ovid in a suitably toga-clad antique pose. More interesting perhaps are the semiabstract sculptures one imagines were created during the 20th century communist era. There is a fascinating human element to them, even though they are quite unrealistically human.

In front of a main governemnt building on the Boulevard Tomis (the major street in the less industrial part of the city), is a depiction of what at first appears to be two gymnasts performing an intricate maneuver. Closer examination, however, reveals two bodies share a single head.

As might be expected, the resort areas would probably be the most alluring to visitors, though in truth they could be seaside resorts just about anywhere and don't reveal much about being in Romania. Still, the beaches are sandy and the waves are small which makes for either pleasant swimming or just hanging out enjoying the sun. Boardwalks come complete with restaurants, discos, concert shapes, shops and even a casino.

The annual Jazz Festival is held in July on the beach at Mamaia. For those of us who made the trip, it provided a wonderful opportunity to experience a wide variety of music from Verdian opera to terrific cool jazz before dancing to the beat at one of the many discos where one simply steps aboard the wooden dance floor and joins the throng.

The American dollar is still strong in Romania which makes most experiences easily within almost anybody's budget. The most expensive meal any of the participants ate cost a little more than 300,000 lei, or just under $10.

One should be advised that the euro is currently gaining a greater return. One could consider exchanging dollars for euros when changing planes at Amsterdam, London, or Paris and then exchanging the euro for lei when arriving in Bucharest before heading out to the Black Sea.

Speaking of meals, the food in Constanta was consistently excellent. Restaurants featured fairly extensive menus with practically everything being served a la carte. A healthy serving of salad, chicken or pork (the most frequently encountered meats), a vegetable or two and a beer rarely cost more than $4.

Local soups - most notably a delectable array of what are called ciorba - are very inexpensive, very filling and quite tasty. A specialty of the region is a zesty garlic sauce which enhances just about any dish. A little surprise during the trip was the abundance of very fresh and very tasty produce. Salads of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives and local cheeses often served as complete satisfyingly excellent meals in themselves.

At the wonderful seaside restaurant La Forile, the stall went beyond providing service. They recommended the day's best dishes and explained the subtle differences between dishes prepared in Romanian, Moldovan, Bulgarian styles. Sharing their country's culinary as well as cultural heritage, even the restaurant owner spent time chatting while sharing plum wine or a platter of deliciously prepared local vegetables, sausages, and cheeses.

Getting to know Romania through four guest conducting appearances has been a constant source of pleasure, personally and professionally. But as great as the scenery, the food and the experiences are, the Romanian people remain the most memorable part of every visit.

By Robert W. Butts
Contributing Writer