IT HIS PASSION FOR OPERA INSPIRED MULTITUDES IN OUR REGION WHO MAY HAVE NEVER GIVEN THIS ARTISTIC FORM A CHANCE.

POET, AUTHOR AND HOST OF THE INTER-LOAD AT THE OPERA, PETER FOX SMITH IS MY GUEST NEXT ON "PROFILE."

>> PETER FOX SMITH WAS RAISED IN AN OPERA FAMILY IN CLEVELAND, OHIO, AFTER COLLEGE HE COMPLETED GRADUATE DEGREES FROM HARVARD UNIVERSITY WITH A PH.D.

THESIS ON THE RELIGIOUS DIMENSIONS IN VOGNER'S ART.

HE TAUGHT FLOSS PHILOSOPHY, AND LECTURED AT SCORES OF OTHER SCHOOLS AND ON INTERNATIONAL TOURS.

HE HAS RECORDED OVER 1500 OPERA PROGRAMS FOR VPR OVER THE LAST 27 YEARS.

HE RECENTLY PUBLISHED A WELL RECEIVED HOME, A PASSION FOR OPERA.

SMITH LIVES IN WITH HIS WIFE JOANNE, AND THEY HAVE TWO GROWN CHILDREN AND SEVERAL GRANDCHILDREN WHO MUST HAVE FUN AT YOUR HOME.

>> THEY DO, THEY VISIT SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR, AND WE CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THEM.

>> I BET.

>> SO YOUR GRANDPARENTS WERE PROFESSIONAL OPERA SINGERS, AND YOUR FATHER, ACTUALLY, COULD HAVE BEEN A PROFESSIONAL BARITONE BUT CHOSE NOT TO GO THAT ROUTE.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP IN CLEVELAND WHERE YOU HAD VISITS FROM PROFESSIONALS, FROM THE METROPOLITAN OPERA COMING TO YOUR HOUSE ON SOMEWHAT OF A REGULAR BASIS?

>> ALL I CAN SAY, FRAN, IS THAT FOR ME IT WAS PERFECTLY NORMAL.

I WAS BORN WITH A MUSICAL SPOON IN MY MOUTH.

AND IT DID NOT SEEM ODD TO ME TO FINISH A FOOTBALL GAME ON THE STREET OR A BASEBALL GAME WITH MY FRIENDS AND COME INTO THE HOUSE AND HEAR MY FATHER PRACTICING ACTUAL RIAS OR VISIT MY GRANDPARENTS, AND KNOW THAT RICHARD CROOKS OR ROSA OR LAWRENCE TIBET WAS THE GUEST OF THE FAMILY.

>> THAT MUST HAVE BEEN REALLY SOMETHING.

DID YOU TAKE UP SINGING?

>> MY FATHER GAVE ME A FEW SINGING LESSONS AND SUGGESTED THAT I CONCENTRATE MUCH HARDER ON MY PIANO LESSONS.

>> AND YOU STILL DO PLAY INSTRUMENTS?

>> I STILL DO PLAY INSTRUMENTS, BUT I ALWAYS ADD THE CAVEAT NOT IN PUBLIC.

>> OKAY.

SO YOU BECAME A SCHOLAR.

YOU -- AND ACTUALLY, AFTER YOUR DISSERTATION AT HARVARD YOU TAUGHT PHILOSOPHY AND THE CLASSICS THERE, AND THIS SEEMS LIKE A COVETED LIFE FOR ANY SCHOLAR TO GET A POSITION AT HARVARD.

WHY DID YOU MOVE TO VERMONT?

>> I ALWAYS HAVE LOVED THE COUNTRY AND LIVING IN THE COUNTRY, AND AFTER 12 YEARS AT HARVARD, I ASKED FOR A YEAR'S LEAVE OF ABSENCE WITH THE OPTION TO RETURN IF I WANTED TO, AND DURING THAT YEAR, MOVED OUR FAMILY, MY WIFE BEING ALL IN ACCORD WITH THIS, TO A LITTLE FARM IN NORTH POMFORT, AND WE NEVER WENT BACK.

>> AND YOU TOOK A NUMBER OF JOBS.

YOU TOOK A TEACHING JOB AT CANAAN COLLEGE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

AND THEN YOU WERE HIRED AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE VERMONT COUNCIL OF THE ARTS.

YOU WERE JUST THERE FOR TWO YEARS.

WHAT DID THAT JOB TEACH YOU ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHERE YOU WANTED TO GO?

>> I LEARNED VERY DRAMATICALLY THAT THE ART OF ADMINISTRATION IS SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T WANT ANY MORE OF.

I HAD BEEN AN ADMINISTRATOR AS WELL AS A PROFESSOR AT EMERSON COLLEGE AND HARVARD, AND TWO MORE YEARS OF NOTHING BUT ADMINISTRATION MEANT TO ME THAT I REALLY WANTED TO CONCENTRATE ON MY WRITING, ON MY LECTURING, AND ON MY TEACHING, AND LEAVE THE ADMINISTRATION TO SOMEBODY THAT PROBABLY WAS FAR BETTER AT IT THAN I WAS.

>> OKAY.

SO YOU KIND OF LEAP INTO FREELANCING.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COMES TO YOU RIGHT AWAY IS VERMONT PUBLIC RADIO STARTS, AND YOU ARE PART OF THE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT THE OPERA, COMES TO YOU.

HOW DID THAT JOB COME ABOUT?

>> I WAS DRIVING SOUTH IN VERMONT, AND ON ROUTE 14 WITH MY DEAREST AND CLOSEST FRIEND, DAVID H. CROOK, REGRETTABLY DECEASED, BUT WE WERE FRIENDS IN UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOL, FRIENDS IN GRADUATE SCHOOL, AND WE TALKED TOGETHER.

DAVID WAS ONE OF THE FIRST FRIENDS OF VERMONT PUBLIC RADIO.

DURING OUR DRIVE, A CONVERSATION OF VPR CAME UP, AND I SAID I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A WEEKLY OPERA PROGRAM.

HE SAID YES, INDEED.

AND I SAID WHO IS DOING IT.

AND HE SAID WE CAN'T FIND ANYBODY.

NOBODY CAN PRONOUNCE ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT NAMES.

AND WE DROVE A LITTLE FARTHER, AND THEN DAVID LOOKED AT ME, AND HE SAID, YOU DO IT.

AND THE IDEA STRUCK ME AS PHENOMENALLY DELIGHTFUL, AND HE GAVE ME THE NAMES OF RAY DILLY AND BETTY SMITH, AND I CALLED THEM AND WENT AND TALKED TO THEM, AND I GUESS THEY SAY THE REST IS HISTORY.

>> INDEED, AND I DON'T THINK YOU MISSED A SHOW IN 27 YEARS.

>> I HAVEN'T.

>> WONDERFUL.

>> THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OCCASIONS WHEN WE'VE BEEN PREEMPTED FOR SOMETHING, BUT IN PRODUCING THE MUSIC, EVEN IF I AM NOT THERE LIVE, I HAVE NOT MISSED.

>> INDEED.

AND THEN YOU WENT TO DARTMOUTH, AND THE FIRST THING YOU START DOING THERE IS COACHING WOMEN'S TRACK.

YOU WILL ALSO COME TO A POINT WHERE YOU HAVE A REGULAR APPOINTMENT, AND YOU ARE TEACHING OPERA AND PRODUCING CONCERTS, WHICH MAKES SENSE, BUT TELL ME ABOUT THE COACHING AND WHY THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO YOU.

>> WELL, I ALWAYS LOVED ATHLETICS.

I PARTICIPATED IN ATHLETICS AS A YOUNG MAN.

I COPIED A LITTLE BIT WHEN AT DENNISON, AS WELL.

AND I WAS COACHING AT WOODSTOCK UNION HIGH SCHOOL.

OUR CHILDREN WERE BOTH WONDERFUL TRACK ATHLETES.

AND DARTMOUTH COLLEGE WAS IN DESPERATE NEED THROUGH TITLE 9 FOR A WOMEN'S TRACK COACH.

THEY HAD A WOMAN COACHING THEM, AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR SHE JUST SAID I CAN'T DO THIS ANY MORE.

AND SO THEY CALLED ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR AND SAID, CAN YOU BAIL US OUT UNTIL JUNE.

AND THAT JUNE LASTED ABOUT 20 YEARS.

>> FANTASTIC, AND LUCKY FOR THOSE WOMEN.

THEY DID VERY WELL.

>> THEY DID VERY WELL.

WE, IN CROSS COUNTRY, ON TWO OCCASIONS WERE NATIONALLY RANKED.

>> FANTASTIC.

SO AFTER TEACHING OPERA, THROUGH RADIO, LECTURING WIDELY IN SCHOOLS AND ON TOURS, YOU WRITE THIS BOOK.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL, HEFTY, A WONDERFUL, VERY READABLE BOOK.

HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER BOOKS?

>> THAT'S WHAT ALL OF THE PUBLISHERS WANT TO KNOW BEFORE THEY DECIDE, OR BEFORE ONE DECIDES TO DO THE PUBLICATION.

THE BOOK FUNCTIONS ON THREE LEVELS, FRAN.

IT CAN BE USED AS THE STORY OF OPERA, THE GREATEST COMPOSERS AND THE GREATEST MUSIC.

IT CAN BE USED ALSO AS A TEXT FOR AN OPERA COURSE.

IF A LIBRARY GROUP OR A BOOK GROUP OR A HIGH SCHOOL COURSE OR COLLEGE COURSE WANTED TO UTILIZE A BOOK FOR AN INTRODUCTION TO OPERA, IT WOULD SERVE, I THINK, WELL FOR THAT.

AND IT ALSO WORKS AS A REFERENCE BOOK IN THE SENSE THAT LET'S SAY FOR EXAMPLE A FRIEND INVITES YOU -- I KNOW YOU KNOW ABOUT OPERA, BUT PRETEND YOU DON'T, YOU LOOK UP IN THE INDEX AND THE TABLE OF CONTENTS AND FIND OUT ABOUT THEM, AND YOU READ ABOUT IT, AND YOU ARE A LITTLE BIT BETTER PREPARED TO GO TO THE OPERA.

THE BOOK ALSO WORKS ON THREE OTHER LEVELS, AND THAT IS -- I WROTE IT CONSCIOUSLY TO WORK FOR THE BEGINNER WHO KNOWS VERY LITTLE OR NOTHING ABOUT OPERA, AND ALSO, I WROTE IT SO THAT THERE COULD BE INSIGHTS FOR PEOPLE THAT DO KNOW OPERA AND GO TO THE OPERA, AND I AM TOLD, AND THIS WAS QUITE CONSCIOUSLY ATTEMPTED, ESPECIALLY IN THE VOGNER CHAPTERS, THERE ARE REVELATIONS FOR THOSE WHO KNOW QUITE A BIT ABOUT IT.

>> YOU ARE SUCH A SCHOLAR, AND YOU PERSONALLY KNOW SO MANY SINGERS AND PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS.

THEY ARE WONDERFUL STORIES IN HERE, AS WELL AS INFORMATION.

>> ONE, YES, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE ANTIDOTES ARE VERY INTERESTING, AND CHARMING PARTS OF THE BOOK.

THOSE ARE NOT MY WORDS, I JUST PASS THEM ALONG TO YOU, AND I DO HOPE THAT'S TRUE.

>> THE OTHER THING THAT'S GREAT, ONE, IT'S PUBLISHED OUT OF -- ON A COMPANY, FROM NORTH POMFORT, VERMONT WHICH CANNOT BE A LARGE TOWN, AND IT'S QUITE AFFORDABLE FOR SUCH -- >> THE PUBLISHER, EDITOR, CAROLYN ROBBINS, WAS ABSOLUTELY INSISTENT THAT THE PRICE OF THE BOOK BE AT A LEVEL THAT WAS AFFORDABLE FOR VIRTUALLY ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY.

AND CAROLYN HAS BEEN TOLD THAT SHE COULD HAVE GOTTEN A LOT MORE FOR THE BOOK, AND SHE SAID THAT WAS NOT MY INTENT.

NOT MY POINT.

I WANTED THE BOOK OUT THERE, AND AVAILABLE TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.

>> THAT'S TERRIFIC.

IS YOU WRITE THAT, IN THIS BOOK, THAT OPERA HAS THE ABILITY TO SHATTER THE EMOTIONS.

I ALWAYS THINK OF IT AS EXPRESSING RAW EMOTION.

THIS MIGHT -- HOW DOES IT DO THAT?

>> I INDICATE AT ONE POINT IN THE BOOK THAT I AM JUST NOT SURE WHAT THIS POWER OF OPERA IS AND HOW IT WORKS.

BUT, I HAVE SEEN IT WORK SO MANY TIMES.

I TELL IN THE BOOK THE STORY OF A CLASS OF BEGINNING STUDENTS AT DARTMOUTH, AND THE VIDEO THAT I WAS SHOWING ON THIS PARTICULAR OCCASION WAS THE FINALE TO ONE, AND WHEN IT WAS OVER I ALWAYS MAKE A FEW REMARKS, AND I TURNED ON THE LIGHTS.

THERE WERE GIRLS CRYING.

MEN WITH HANDKERCHIEFS UP TO THEIR EYES, AND THESE YOUNG PEOPLE HAD NEVER EVEN SEEN AN OPERA IN THEIR LIFE.

THEY WERE ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS, AND THAT JUST MADE IT VERY CLEAR TO ME HOW POWERFUL OPERA CAN BE, SO WITH THESE HUGE, DRAMATIC MOMENTS AFTER THAT, I ALWAYS DIMMED THE LIGHTS JUST A BIT SO THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE THESE EMBARRASSING TEARS.

>> AND WAITED A MOMENT.

>> YES.

>> LET THEM GO OUT.

>> I ASKED YOU TO BRING A PIECE OF MUSIC THAT YOU SAY IS HAIR RAISING EVEN FOR YOU AFTER ALL THESE YEARS JUST TO HEAR THIS INTENSITY COMING THROUGH THE HUMAN INSTRUMENT, SO THIS IS FROM -- LEAD US UP TO THIS.

>> THIS IS IN THE SECOND ACT, AND FOR ME IT'S ONE OF THOSE AMAZING EXAMPLES OF HOW POETRY CAN BE USED BY MUSIC.

SHE HAS GIVEN UP HER LOVE, ALFREDO.

SHE KNOWS SHE MUST SURRENDER HIM.

HE'S DYING, SHE DOES NOT KNOW IT, AND SHE'S SAYING, ALFREDO, LOVE ME, FAREWELL.

♪ >> IT IS JUST SOMETHING.

THERE ARE MOMENTS THAT CANNOT BE EXPRESSED IN ANY OTHER WAY.

>> WELL, A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT YOU JUST WAIT FOR THE BIG ARIAS, AND THAT, I THINK, IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF SOMETIMES THE MOST POWERFUL, DIMENSIONS OF AN OPERA CAN BE A 30-SECOND SEGMENT THAT ALSO REACHES ME VERY DEEPLY BECAUSE IT WAS SUNG BY MY DEAR FRIEND.

>> AND IS THIS SOMEONE THAT YOU MET THROUGH YOUR GRANDPARENTS?

OR SOMEONE THAT YOU MET LATER?

>> I MET HER LATER IN MY LECTURING WORK AND RADIO WORK.

>> WONDERFUL.

THE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW.

YOU GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO LABRETAS, WHICH MANY PEOPLE FORGET.

WHY AREN'T THE POETS OF OPERA CREDITED MORE AND HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT?

>> WELL, THAT'S A VERY PROFOUND QUESTION, FRAN.

IN SOME CASES, POETS ARE NOT GIVEN A LOT OF CREDIT WITH REGARD TO THE WORLD OF OPERA BECAUSE THEY WERE HACK POETS.

THEY TURNED OUT A LABRETO QUICKLY, BY THE HUNDREDS, AND IF THE MUSIC WAS GOOD, THE STORIES SURVIVED, AND IF THE MUSIC WAS NOT WONDERFUL, IT DID NOT.

BUT IN SOME CASES THERE ARE THOSE LABRETAS THAT WERE FIRST GREAT POETS, LORENZO DEPONTE WAS ONE OF THEM.

IN THE WORLD OF AMERICAN MUSICAL, WE GENERALLY SPEAK OF BOTH THE POET AND THE MUSICIAN, ROGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN, LEARNER AND LOWE.

THAT'S NOT OFTEN DONE IN OPERA, IN FACT, IT'S ALMOST NEVER DONE.

I TRY TO ARGUE IN THE BOOK WITH REGARD THE THREE MASTERPIECES AT LEAST OF THE MARRIAGE OF THREE, THOSE WORKS ARE BY MOZART AND DEPONTE BECAUSE T IT IS BRILLIA.

>> SOME ARE INTIMIDATE BY THE LANGUAGE BARRIER, AND YOU TALK ABOUT THE AMERICAN MUSICAL.

DOES IT MATTER THAT SO FEW ARE IN ENGLISH?

>> ANOTHER PROFOUND QUESTION.

YOU ARE REALLY ON TODAY.

THERE ARE THOSE THAT BELIEVE OPERA SHOULD BE PERFORMED IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN THE OPERA HOUSE, AND SO THAT WOULD MEAN THAT IF WE GO TO HEAR A PRODUCTION IN BURL-- INBURLINGTON, THAT IT SHN ENGLISH, I DON'T BUY THAT AT ALL, I THINK OPERA SHOULD BE PERFORMED IN THE LANGUAGE WITH THE POET, IN WHICH THE POET WROTE.

BECAUSE THAT'S THE LANGUAGE THAT THE MUSICIAN HEARD WHEN HE SAID THE WORDS.

NOW, THERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN GOOD TRANSLATIONS BUT FOR ME THERE IS NOTHING MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN BEAUTIFUL POETRY SET BY A COMPOSER, AND I DON'T LIKE TO HEAR THAT WHEN IT'S PLAYED WITH.

>> WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OPERA, OPERETTA AND THE MUSICAL, WHY IS THAT NOT A PART OF OPERA.

>> I ALWAYS ARGUE ON MY VERMONT SUMMER RADIO PROGRAMS THE AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE IS A DISTANT COUSIN OF EUROPEAN OPERA.

OF COURSE EUROPEAN OPERETTA IS A FIRST COUSIN OF THE WORLD OF OPERA.

IT JUST TENDS TO BE A SITUATION WHERE IN OPERETTAS ARE LIGHTER IN SOME WAYS.

THEY TEND TO HAVE MAYBE MORE FRIVOLOUS STORIES.

A LOT OF MISTAKEN IDENTITIES AND DISGUISES.

USUALLY THE FIRST HALF OF AN OPERETTA ENDS, AND THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF CONFUSION, AND THE END OF THE OPERETTA EVERYTHING IS HAPPILY RESOLVED.

LAHAR WAS AN UNUSUAL COMPOSER IN THAT HE WROTE AN UNHAPPY OPERETTA.

NO ONE HAD EVER ATTENDED ONE OF THESE BEFORE.

VICTOR HERBERT CAME FROM IRELAND.

THEY CAME TO THE UNITED STATES AND DID THE ON PRESSAS IN THIS COUNTRY, AND OUT OF THAT GREW THE AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE SO THEY ARE ALL CLOSELY RELATED.

BUT AMERICAN MUSICALS OFTEN ARE SUNG BY PEOPLE THAT HAVE A GREAT STYLE OR STYLISTIC TYPE OF VOICE.

AND OPERAS AND OPERETTAS HAVE TO BE SUNG BY PEOPLE THAT HAVE GREAT, TRAINED, CLASSICAL, OPERA VOICES.

>> IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE TRAINING?

>> YES.

>> I AM WONDERING IF OPERA HAS CHANGED?

HAS THE ART CHANGED?

THE PRESENTATION OF THE ART CHANGED IN YOUR LIFETIME?

>> YES.

AND IT HAS CHANGED IN MY OPINION MUCH FOR THE WORSE.

BECAUSE IT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY THE ART OF THE DIRECTOR OR THE PRODUCER.

BY THAT, I MEAN, PEOPLE WHO DIRECT OR PRODUCE OPERAS SEEKING TO ACHIEVE A NAME FOR THEMSELVES, AND MOVE THE OPERA INTO CONTEMPORARY DRESS, INTO MODERN TIMES, AND THEY DO ALL SORTS OF THINGS TO THE GREAT WORKS OF PUCHINI AND VERDE AND OTHER COMPOSERS, AND I AM AT THE POINT NOW, BEFORE I WILL GO TO A PERFORMANCE, I CALL THE BOX OFFICE AND SAY, IS THIS A TRADITIONAL PRODUCTION OR IS THIS A BASTARDIZED PRODUCTION, AND I DON'T GO TO THE OTHER ONES.

>> I AM WONDERING IF OPERA HAS BEEN AN ART OF THE PAST.

WE HAD A FLEETING ANIMAL WITH DAVID BUDBILL AND ERIK NELSEN, OF COURSE.

>> THEY HAVE BEEN ON MY PROGRAM.

>> ONE FROM VERMONT, BUT IT SEEMS, IS IT REALLY AN ART OF THE PAST?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

THERE ARE STILL MANY PEOPLE DOING IT IN A TRADITIONAL WAY.

I SAW NOT TOO LONG AGO IN ZURICH, ONE THAT WAS THE MOST FASCINATING OPERA SPENCER I HAVS I HAVE HAD.

IT WAS JUST DONE BRILLIANTLY.

THE WILLIAM MAYOR, WHO MADE A NICE STATEMENT ON THE BACK OF THE BOOK RECEIVED WONDERFUL AWARDS FOR HIS OPERA, A DEATH IN THE FAMILY, AND THAT'S STRAIGHTFORWARD, AND IT'S ONLY A FEW YEARS OLD, AND IT'S MAGNIFICENT WORK.

>> WHAT ABOUT SEEING OPERA LIVE?

HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT?

THE SINGING IS, BUT THE ACTING IS IMPORTANT, TOO.

>> ACTING HAS BECOME, THANK GOODNESS, MUCH MORE IMPORTANT IN CONTEMPORARY PRODUCTIONS, AND MANY SINGERS NO LONGER ARE ABLE TO PREPARE FOR AN OPERA BY JUST LEARNING THE MUSIC.

THEY ALSO HAVE TO GO TO ACTING SCHOOL.

AND THERE IS A HUGE EMPHASIS ON THE DRAMA AND DRAMATICALLY CONVEYING THAT, SOMETIMES ONLY WITH A GESTURE.

AND THE RIGHT GESTURE, AT THE EXACT MOMENT.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

>> AND WHERE SHOULD PEOPLE SEE?

DO WE HAVE TO GO TO MONTREAL OR THE METROPOLITAN OPERA IN NEW YORK?

WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND?

>> WELL, I RECOMMEND A NUMBER OF THINGS.

THERE ARE NUMEROUS OPERA HOUSES, AS YOU JUST INDICATED, THE LANE SERIES BRINGS OPERA, AND I DON'T WANT TO OVERLOOK SOMEBODY AND SLIGHT SOMEBODY SO QUICKLY WHAT COMES TO MIND, WE HAVE OPERA NORTH IN THE UPPER VALLEY, GLIMMER GLASS IN COOPERSTOWN, THE MONTREAL OPERA HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF SMALLER GROUPS, BUT THERE ARE MANY, MANY WONDERFUL VIDEOS, AND THAT'S A WONDERFUL WAY TO START WITH OPERA IN YOUR OWN HOME.

>> SURE.

AND OPERA IS VERY EXPENSIVE, AND SOME KIND OF HAVE A SENSE THAT IT'S JUST FOR THE RICH BECAUSE IT IS EXPENSIVE TO GO TO.

WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THIS PERCEIVED EXCLUSIVITY ABOUT OPERA?

>> PART OF MY RESPONSE IS THAT YOUR LISTENERS MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE STOOD ON THE STEPS OF THE MET AND PAID $5 OR $10 TO A SCALPER TO GO IN TO A PERFORMANCE.

BUT YES, OPERA, I MEAN, WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE NUMBER OF SINGERS, THE CHORUS, THE ORCHESTRA, THE CONDUCTOR, THE SETS, THE COSTUMES, IT IS CLEARLY THE MOST COMPLICATED AND EXPENSIVE OF ALL THE ARTS, AND THERE'S GOT TO BE MONEY TO PAY FOR THAT.

AND THAT DOES DEMAND A CERTAIN EXCLUSIVITY TO IT.

A LOT OF THE SMALLER THEATRES DO WONDERS WITH COSTUMING AND LIGHTING AND VERY GOOD ACTING, AND I HAVE SEEN SOME SIGNIFICANT PERFORMANCES DONE WITH JUST THE LIGHTING.

>> WONDERFUL.

BEFORE WE RUN OUT OF TIME, I THINK SOME PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU ARE AN ASTUTE AND VERY THOROUGH SCHOLAR.

BUT SOME MAY NOT KNOW THAT THERE IS THIS REALLY FUN LOVING AND QUITE IRRIV RENT SIDE TO YOU, THOSE THAT KNOW YOUR POETRY WOULD KNOW THAT BECAUSE YOU WRITE ABOUT SEX AND POLITICS AND HUMOR, OF COURSE, AND YOU ALSO WRITE ABOUT LOVE AND NATURE AND WONDERFUL THINGS, AND I JUST WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO READ MAYBE TWO QUICK, AND WHO IS VOICE IS THIS FALLING -- CALLING, ABOUT THAT TEMPTATION TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE OUT OF THE BOX.

>> I WILL BE HAPPY TO.

>> AND WHOSE VOICE IS THIS CALLING?

IS IT A TASTE OF WINTER'S END?

IS IT A TASTE OF OUR EXPIRING?

OR A TASTE OF OUR DESIRING?

OR A TASTE OF HOW WE BEND BEFORE A STOP, POSTED IN FRONT OF US BY COPS WHO WANT TO KEEP TIDY AND TIGHT A ALMA NEW HAVEN BUREAU -L THINGS?

WE FIND OURSELVES ALONE IN A REALM WHERE WE ATTEMPT TO DECEIVE FATE.

WE BRACE, LOOK, VIE LATE AND FLEE.

IT'S TOO LATE, WE ARE OUR FATE.

WAS IT A TASTE OF WINTER'S END?

A TASTE OF OUR FAST, EXPIRING?

OR WAS IT A TASTE OF DESIRE TURNED COLD TO ASHES?

AFTER FIRE.

>> HOW DOES POETRY FIT INTO YOUR LIFE?

>> WELL, ABOUT HALF OF ME IS THIS AND THIS AND OTHER, LOTS OF OTHER POEMS THAT I AM WORKING ON, AND THE OTHER HALF OF ME IS THAT.

MUSIC AND POETRY ARE MY TWO DEEPEST AND PROFOUND LOVES AND HAVE BEEN ALL MY LIFE.

>> THERE IS ANOTHER ONE TO THIS FUNNY ONE, AND IT'S SHORT, NOT THAT THIS IS REPRESENTATIVE BUT BECAUSE IT'S SO MUCH FUN, I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT READ THIS ONE, AS WELL.

>> YOU ASKED ME TO READ THIS ONE, AND I WILL DO SO WITH JUST A VERY BRIEF STORY.

MY WIFE WAS WATCHING THE NEWS AS SHE DOES ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS.

SHE'S MUCH MORE INTERESTED TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST IN THE NEWS THAN I AM.

BUT I WAS THERE WITH HER WATCHING THE NEWS, AND THE TITLE OF THIS POEM IS A RESPONSE TO THE NEWS.

IT'S A, B, C NEWS, VOICE.

THE 2nd OF OCTOBER, 1997, 6:49 P.M.

THE POPE SAYS THE RULE SAYS TERESA IN DEATH MUST WAIT FIVE YEARS TO BECOME THE SAINT THAT SHE ALREADY IS BUT AIN'T.

NOW ISN'T THAT JUST CHRISTIAN QUAINT?

[LAUGHTER] >> FUN.

>> YOU WILL GET SOME RESPONSES FOR THAT, PROBABLY.

>> BACK TO OPERA, YOU START A PASSION FOR OPERA WITH LABOEM, WHY?

>> I START WITH THAT BECAUSE IN MY EXPERIENCE AND IN THE EXPERIENCE OF THE GREAT CONDUCTOR SIR THOMAS BEACHAM, IT IS THE ONE OPERA THAT ALMOST MIGHT BE CONSIDERED UNIVERSAL IN ITS APPEAL TO EVERYBODY INSTANTANEOUSLY.

I WANT PEOPLE TO GET INTO THE BOOK AND TO STAY WITH IT TO THE VERY END.

AND IF THAT CAN'T DO IT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAN.

>> INDEED.

YOU WRITE THAT DIOVONNI WAS YOUR FAVORITE OPERA AS A YOUTH.

WHAT IS IT NOW?

>> NOT AN EASY QUESTION TO ANSWER.

IT CLEARLY IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES.

MOZART, AS I INDICATED IN THE BOOK PROBABLY IS ON MOST DAYS MY FAVORITE COMPOSER AND HAS BEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN EIGHT YEARS OLD.

BUT, I WOULD ADD TO THAT, THAT THERE ARE DAYS WHEN ONLY VOGNER ARE DO, DAYS I HAVE TO LISTEN TO VERDE.

I ADORE THEM, AND WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO LOVE IT QUITE SO MUCH BECAUSE IT'S MAYBE THE MOST POPULAR OPERA IN THE WORLD.

I HAVE LOTS OF OPERAS THAT I LOVE VERY MUCH.

BUT NONE MORE THAN THE MAGIC FLUTE OF MOZART.

>> OKAY.

WE ARE OUT OF TIME, BUT ON OUR KAYAKING AND SAILING AND WILDERNESS CANOEING DO YOU EVER TAKE MUSIC?

>> NO.

THE ONLY MUSIC ON THOSE OCCASIONS I LISTEN TO THE WIND AND TO THE SILENCE OF NATURE.

>> AND YOU CAN LISTEN TO SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT THE OPERA AND DISCOVER THE JOY OF MUSIC WITH PETER FOX SMITH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY, AND THIS IS AN ARIA, A TRIO FROM THE FIRST ACT OF AN OPERA ALSO CHOSEN BY PETER FOR OUR CREDITS.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US ON "PROFILE."

♪ ♪