To learn about careers, students

at Starr's Mill were asked to follow someone around for a day and learn

about their career. Junior Nicky Capell is interested in pursuing a career

in opera and, after encouragement from her calculus teacher Cheryl Dukes,

Capell called the Atlanta Opera.

She hoped that she could watch

rehearsals for their upcoming production of "The Magic Flute"

and meet some of the performers, finding out what it takes to grace the

stage for a professional opera company. Atlanta Opera public relations

consultant Joe McKaughn took the call and was very impressed with Capell's

cold-calling of the company. He found out about her background in theater

and chorus, her determination and drive and set up an amazing two days

for her.

Capell was escorted through

the intense rehearsal process by Lauren Bress Johnson, the education director

of the Atlanta Opera. Friday, Capell met tenor Greg Jordan and several

of the show's primaries as they rehearsed the first act. Saturday, Capell

got to watch almost the entire cast rehearse one of the show's chorus

scenes. After the rehearsal, she met the entire cast at lunch and got

a good feel for how the members of the cast achieved their dreams of singing

with an opera.

"I fell in love with opera

after I saw 'The Marriage of Figaro' at The Atlanta Opera," said

Capell, who has been involved with chorus for eight years and drama for

six. "Once I saw that show I knew I'd like to one day be a part of

an opera."

After a weekend filled with

the cast and crew hard at work for the Feb. 27 opening of "The Magic

Flute," Capell is as determined as ever.

In order to pursue her dream,

Capell will continue with her participation in local and school productions.

Last summer Capell played a postulant nun in Fayette Players and Community

Theatre's production of "The Sound of Music" and also took part

in Starr's Mill's productions of "You Can't Take It With You"

and "South Pacific." Capel has also spent sometime backstage

as a stage manager and also working with light and sound.

"The Magic Flute"

was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and is one of his most famous works.

The story revolves around a prince and princess who fall in love, though

an evil queen tries to thwart it. Through a number of trials, the prince

and princess learn the virtues of reason and wisdom. In order to make

her dream come true, Capell will undoubtedly face a number of trials herself

but through hard work and wisdom, she is sure she will achieve her goal.

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