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-o > o m ^.SNW.SNVNS\N\WJN\NVS%N\N\V.%W.V.V.V.V.\V.V*\%V. ?: inron nma rnia*? H X m C/5 o e H X M 90 z c/5 90 > m £ H m Rose, David and Kurt Felsberg Kurt's Deli formerly Larry's Deli Village Cast Amoco "We've gor rhe goods'' 971 -9357 wv.w.wv.ww.w.w.wv.-.w.v.w.w.ww.w.wX COUNTRY SHOPPE 50% SALE ON OUR Country Furniture Buy Direct From Our I' -C Outlet Stores DUNWOODY EAST COBB Dunwoody Hall Market Plaza 5568 Chamblee/Dunwoody 1255 Johnson Ferry Road Road 977-7788 394-7788 Roberta Peters to at A.A. centennial Happy New Year to all our friends and customers REGG3ES • Hair Stylist Toco Hills Shopping Center*2205 LaVista Rd. ( Suite C*633-3832 Hours: Monday-Frlday 8:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Saturday 8:30 a.m.-€:00 p.m. by Carolyn Gold Roberta Peters will perform in the Ahavath Achim Sanctuary on Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m., marking the gala opening event in the synagogue’s Centennial Cele bration. Any appearance by famed coloratura soprano Peters calls for the re-telling of her storybook "Cinderella debut” at the Metro politan Opera. The fairy tale began in the Bronx where Roberta Peters, nee Peter man, was born into a Jewish family of moderate means. She has des cribed her family as “completely non-musical” with the exception of maybe one grandfather who be longed to a choir. Her mother, who was “always stage-struck.” worked as a milliner and her father was a shoe salesman. The young daugh ter exhibited an amazing natural voice and imitated songs she heard on the radio and in movies. This Jewish folk tale continues with a grandfather who was the first maitre d’ at Grossinger’s in the Catskills. He asked Jan Peerce, who was singing at the hotel, to hear his 12-year-old granddaugh ter. The famed tenor recommended voice lessons with William Her man, a New York voice teacher credited with having taught Patrice M unsel and other opera stars. Peerce promised to follow her progress. Teacher Herman insisted that the 13-year-old Peters leave school. He wrote a letter stating that her education would be taken care of and her concentration would be on vocal studies. To this day all of Roberta Peters’ diplomas are hon- NOW ON ATLANTATV the SHALOM SHOW ‘We Bring the Best of Israel to You! Shalom Show Host Richard Peritz WATL-TV—CH. 36 Sunday 7 a.m. • Monday 12:30 a.m. ENTERTAINMENT • TRAVEL • DISCUSSIONS • RELIGION For local advertising information call (404) 455-1493 Roberta Peters orary. Thus began a “work-a-day Cin derella” regime of subway trips from the Bronx to Manhattan every morning, six days a week. Voice lessons were only the beginning. Her schedule included lessons in ballet, French, German, Italian and acting, interspersed with trips to museums, operas, concerts and bookshops. At 14 she was reading Dante in Italian. For six years this intensive study continued. Miss Peters is quoted as saying that during her teens she was never with people her own age. “I never dated. 1 never went to a prom.” Peerce arranged for the impres- sarioSol Hurok to hear Miss Peters when she was 19. Hurok arranged for an audition with Rudolf Bing, then general manager of the Met. Miss Peters sang the Queen of the Night’s big aria from Mozart’s “T he Magic Flute” three times for Bing. So impressed was he by her remarkable voice and good looks that he asked: “If you have any more high Fs left, would you mind repeating the aria?” She did, this time with the legendary conductor Fritz Reiner also listening, and got a contract. Her debut was scheduled for later in the season, but three weeks after the Met’s opening, the sche duled soprano became ill and Roberta Peters stepped into her role. With only a few hours’ notice, and with never having sung profes sionally before, Miss Peters created a sensation as Zerlina in “Don Giovanni.” It was a true Cinderella fantasy. A beautiful 20-year-old, without rehearsal, saved the show in her * Mont Blanc • Cross • Parke, * Sheaffer • Dupont * Lamy • Colibri • Dunhill • Waterman 113 OFF ALL CROSS PENS LARGE st selection OF WRITING INSTRUMENTS AND REFI yW/%1851 Piedmon mMr OPHCE SUPPLIES ft Fi perform opening first stage appearance anywhere, and started a career at the Metro politan Opera that has lasted for over 35 years. When she discusses the glamorous legend of instant fame, Roberta Peters prefers to emphasize that when her oppor tunity arose, she was ready. She had prepared herself through the years of hard work and when the time came, she was able to deliver. “I sang in the studio for Hurok in November, auditioned for Bing in January and made my debut the following November.” In the early ’50s she established herself as a reigning coloratura soprano, singers specializing in light, quick, agile runs, trills and sparkling embellishments. Of her generation of coloratura sopranos, only she and Joan Sutherland still sing. Today at a surprisingly young 56 (the result of starting so early), Roberta Peters continues to make over 40 appearances each season. Three years after her debut, Miss Peters, then 22, and baritone Robert Merrill were married following a brief and heady courtship. The marriage lasted a few short months but the two, apparently friends, still do two or three concerts a year. Roberta Peters later married Bertram Fields, a prominent real estate investor. Their marriage, now in its 30th year, is a happy one, centered in what the singer calls a “Jewish home” in Scarsdale, N Y. They have two grown sons, Paul and Bruce. Mrs. Fields credits her husband as the “anchor” of their house, since her career as Roberta Peters demanded that she be away a great deal. Luciano Pavarotti describes her as “a beautiful, elegant, pretty lady...She’s great!” Critic George Rubin says “...there is absolutely no singer on the scene today who projects her charm and appeal, her graciousness and warmth and her utterly beguiling femininity. She knows how to captivate an audience and hold it in the palm of her hand. Talk about stage presence!" Talk about fairy tales and happ ily ever after! But in the real world, Roberta Peters continues her vocal studies, sings her old teacher’s ad vised clarinet exercises almost daily, and appears in operas, recitals and concerts here and abroad. She has sung in Russia and more recently in China. She has appeared in Israel often, even having been caught there during the Six-Day War. Her many appearances on television have made hers a famil iar face—recently seen hailing a cab in a well-known credit card advertisement. Tickets to hear Roberta Peters Atlanta performance at the Aha vath Achim Synagogue are S15 tor sponsors and $75 for patrons. Pa trons will be invited to a cham pagne reception following the con cert to meet the celebrated guest artist. To make reservations, call 355-5222. Norman Diamond and Dave Al- terman are co-chairmen of the Centennial Celebration.