It ain't over 'til it's over...

By Albert H. Cohen

Published in The Asbury Park Press, Sunday, July 18, 1999

Era Tognoli started her career as a singer at the age of 15. She won't say exactly how long ago that was, but it was in the 1940s. Five decades later, as the impresario of Asbury Park's Metro Lyric Opera, she is still as enterprising as she was at her first winning rehearsal for that first job.

Beginning her 40^th year of being Miss Everything to the company, Tognoli recently talked about the past and the future. Her professional life started very early and with a bit of good fortune.

"I went for an audition at (New York) radio station WEVD. It was a Jewish language station that performed two live concerts with orchestra each week. The one in charge didn't know that the day I came in was a Jewish holiday and the musicians were off," Tognoli said, talking from her Allenhurst home. "So I sat down at the piano and accompanied myself in the 'Mad Scene' from 'Lucia Di Lammermoor.' I got the job."

Many more jobs followed, even though Tognoli was a rarity on opera stages: a teenager. Among the roles the teenager Tognoli sang were as Liu in Puccini's "Turandot" in Verona, Italy, in 1948, with Maria Callas in the title role, and as a 17 year-old Violetta in Verdi's "La Traviata" in the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Here she was supported by two Metropolitan Opera stars: baritone Claudio Frigerio and tenor Eugene Connelly. Her two favorite roles: Violetta in Verdi's "La Traviata" and the title role in "Madame Butterfly," the Puccini favorite that kicked off the Metro Lyric Opera's season yesterday.

She has never lost her love for the art of singing. In addition to nearly single-handedly arranging for the casting, rehearsals, props, directors, orchestra and conductor and even the wigs, she continues an active teaching schedule both in Allenhurst and New York. Many of her students and graduates appear in supporting roles with the company each summer.

There's also the matter of finding, then training the chorus. On this subject, Tognoli's voice sounds tired. The question is obvious: After 40 years, is it time to stop and smell the salt air?

"No, this isn't my final season. I'm not tired. What I am is aggravated. Finding enough people for the chorus who are dedicated enough to come to practice is a problem. The ones we have are wonderful, but we need more of them."

She seemingly has no problems finding singers for the major roles. Stars of the Met, New York City Opera and the Bolshoi regularly appear. "I deal with people I've known a long time. We have good relationships. Sometimes, I forget to send a contract and when I apologize, the artist says, "Don't worry, I know you."

The same holds for her maestro for this season, 81-year-old Anton Coppola. "I sang with Coppola with (New York's) San Carlo Opera around 1950. I was very impressed with him; he was a fine conductor. When I started the Metro Lyric I wanted him, so I called. He was always too busy, but I didn't give up. Finally, about seven years ago, he gave in and did one opera. Now he accepted to be with us all summer."

The combination of Coppola and soprano Kelly Cae Hogan produced the best performance of all those at the Metro Lyric Opera, according to Tognoli. It was "Norma," with Hogan in the title role.

"It was her first 'Norma,' as October's 'Tosca' will be her first, also. She was unsure of the role (a notoriously difficult one), but she trusted me. I told her 'you can do it' and she was wonderful. The production was filled with enthusiasm and quality singers and musicians," she said.

Although Tognoli continues in her difficult tasks, it hasn't been as if she ignored the future. A former singer, Lucious Zachary, was being groomed to take over. Unfortunately, an illness has forced him to leave. Looking forward, she pondered Metro Lyric's life after her.

"It's hard to answer about the future. I work without a salary. So do many board members. Sometimes we even put our own money into cover expenses. I need to find a dedicated person. I'm not ready to make a decision to stop but when I do, it will be a problem. This is not a job, it's a labor of love."

Any volunteers?