I talked last week about how opera has changed because of television and filmed operas, but it also changes as it is being performed.

An onstage perspective is much different than an audience perspective. Onstage everything looks overdone and this goes for musical theatre too, but, when you step out into the audience it looks as if they are interacting normally between each other with an effortless wave of the hand or nod of the head.

Its not easy being an actor onstage because you feel ridiculous exaggerating your moves so much.

During my time in “Carmen” I had the opportunity to watch the women in a huge group fight scene from an onstage perspective. During rehearsals, I sat right behind them and every moment was afraid I would get whacked in the face by a flailing hand or foot.

Their faces were overly animated and they were screaming like wild animals! It was definitely something to keep you on your toes.

I had no idea how it was going to come together onstage in the end and was disappointed I wouldn’t get to see it. During the shows however, we kids were surprised and delighted to hear that during the intermission after our scene, we could go out and watch the rest of the opera from the audience’s perspective.

It was amazing because it really looked as if they were fighting in real life! It all came together to look totally unexaggerated and real.

Another funny exaggeration that I am always in awe about is the stage makeup. Tons of it gobbed everywhere on your face. Eyeliner, lipstick, base, concealer, eye shadow, eyebrow filler, and yes even sometimes the funny fake eyelashes.

Some people who aren’t in theatre might find it funny that they also put this makeup on boys, but it looks perfectly normal from the audience’s perspective. The makeup is just to fill in and define your facial features so you don’t look like a washed out blob onstage on account of all the lights shining down on you.

It’s pretty intense being out there on stage. You look out and sometimes all you see is darkness, yet you know there are thousands of eyes staring up at you. Everyone depends on one another to keep the story going.

If nobody knows what they are doing nothing can happen. It’s like a well oiled machine. If all of the parts do their job then the product can be amazing, but if one part forgets, doesn’t know their part, or anything else that could stop it happens, it depends on the other parts to keep the machine moving to create a beautiful story.

I learned something this week. I forgot how much I loved singing because it had become an everyday repeating thing for me. But I have been sick for the past week and I lost my voice which felt to me as a singer and actress like the end of the world. I couldn’t sing for a week and that’s when I realized I usually sing every single day.

I couldn’t go to “Turandot” rehearsals or voice lessons for only a week and I already felt terrible.

I don’t know what life would be without music or acting. My life IS music and acting.

Music can make us feel happy, sad, angry, and even teach us very important things. It’s very important and we all should have a little in our lives.

Join in next week to read about where Turandot rehearsals stand at the moment and what is expected of the youth choristers at this moment.

Morgan Roberts is a 13-year-old from Maple Valley preparing to sing in her second production with Seattle Opera. She will be writing about her experiences as part of Puccini’s “Turandot” which will be performed at McCaw Hall this August.

She was profiled in the Maple Valley Reporter in fall of 2010 when she was cast in her first professional show, A Christmas Carol at ACT Theater in Seattle.

Morgan is a familiar face within Tahoma School District’s musical theater after-school program, performing the roles of Pinocchio, Violet Beauregard and Mary Poppins. She also appeared with the Hi-Liners in Burien as Young Cosette in Les Miserables.