UNIVERSITY STUDENT WINS METROPOLITAN OPERA PRIZE

Jeni Kafka had been thinking about switching her college major from vocal performance to something with a more practical sound.

That was before she won a prestigious award Saturday in St. Louis in a contest sponsored by the Metropolitan Opera.

At 18, she is the youngest singer ever to enter the St. Louis District Awards competition much less the youngest ever to win a prize. Her $500 award was for the most promising contestant from Missouri or Southern Illinois.

Kafka, a freshman at Southeast Missouri State University, competed against 14 other singers ages 24-32 from Missouri and Illinois. Her vocal teacher, Louisa Panou-Takahashi, said recognition for such a young performer at this level of competition is astounding.

"Last year it was given to a girl much more mature, 6 or 7 years," said Panou-Takahashi, who wanted her student "to see the hard competition she's going to face if she wants to be a singer."

Kafka, a coloratura soprano, was even nervous about entering. "When they handed me a glass of water backstage I could barely hold it I was shaking so bad," she said. "The whole time I sang I could feel my legs shaking."

She sang "Volta la Terrea" from Verdi's "Masked Ball" and "Vedrai Carino" from Mozart's "Don Giovanni."

"I felt I did very well, but compared to adults I felt I had no chance whatsoever," she said.

The competition was held at noon at the St. Louis Art Museum Auditorium. Afterward, Kafka had to hurry back to Cape Girardeau to appear in the chorus of "Very Good Eddie," the University Theatre musical running through this weekend.

Kafka is a Cape Girardeau native. Her mother, Judy Sharp, teaches music at Oak Ridge High School, and her father, Ralph Sharp, manages a store at the mall.

Judging the contest were Erica Gastelli, longtime music administrator of the Spoleto Festivals in Italy and the U.S.; Speight Jenkins, general director of the Seattle Opera; and Marlene Kleinman Malas, a former soloist with the New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia Symphony orchestras.

Christopher Goeke, an instructor of music at the university, also did well in the competition. The 32-year-old tenor was named the second alternate, and would compete in the upcoming regional competition in Kansas City if one of the top finishers cannot.

Kafka credits Panou-Takahashi, Central High School vocal teacher Judy Williams, and her late grandfather, Capt. Kenneth D. Sharp, with inspiring her to continue with music this far.

Now she's determined to find out if she can be a professional singer. "I had thought about changing my major. I was really starting to wonder if I was good enough to get into this field," she said.

"...This audition got me back on my feet. I'm going to stick to my music."