The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-12-27
Young High School
 Singer Faces Test Natalie Reich in Recent Professional Opera Debut in Home Town to Appear Before Musical Critics Monday Evening
 Talented Singer Confident
 About Career.
About Career.

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 On the night of December il, 6 fifteen-year-old HanSel, for the first time in her life performed in the entirety of an opefatic production.
 A home audience damned the Waterbury Women's Club that Thursday night--aIl audience, which if not critical in the sense that sea- soned New York opera.goerS are critical, was at the very least audi bly receptive to the charming whirnsey of Humperdinck'S beguiling legend.
 Cast in "TIansel and oretel" on December il was a composite of hopeful young prirna donnas, in the many stages Of early tutelage, and c number of performers who had seen operatic stardoni in other days. The title roles were sung by Natalie Reich as Hansel, and Viyienne Be- loiu as dretei, two students at the Henriette Wakefield Studio in Nor- walk.
 Crosby High Student
 Natalie Reich Is not only c pupil ct Madam Wakefields "Theater.ir. the. Woods, but c student at Crosby High school, and c young parsonage wel-known to Waterbury audiences in Q variety Of guiSeS, and through many media.
 Natalie, although the Humper. dinck opera was her first complete operatic role, has ben singing since the tiny age of six. The frail child'B voice that piped over station WAT,R, reading comics on the Uncle Harry program, has since rounded into the near -aturlty of Q lyric soprano.
 Between the Uncle Harry days and the present, Natalie has been subjecting herself to the relentless novltiate required of all who would aspire to the stage of the famed Met" she has had multitude of instructors, both in singing, elocus ton and drafnatics. She has ap. peared as sololst at countless organ. izatlonai functions and on numerous radio programs.
 Instruction in plano has also formed part of Natalie's musical education. Her tutor on the key- board has been Stanley Freedman, e teacher ct the Julius Hart School of Music, and c former resident of Waterbury. Le@ons in elocutiofl, q sine qua non for the lyriclBt who would master the precise forms Of diction, were provided by Elizabeth Ronainc of this city. For nearly two years she has been studying at the studio conducted by Madam wakefield, herself c member of the Metropolitan Opera company for 28 years. At some future time Natalie will attend c school of dramaticg, as yet undecided upon.
 All this involves SedulouS devotion, and difficult, taxing work which only complete dedication to q goal can achieve. It means foregoing the pleasures, and the sheer delight Of Just loaflng, 70 dear to the hearts of children and adoleBcentS. But Natalie has managed to strike q happy middle course, which keeps her pinned to the stringent regimen she has chosen for herself, but never tIleleSs allows her time to participate ii the activities Of her fellow stu- dents ct Crosby.
 Radio SOlOIst
 Tn past years Bhe has appeared on radio programs with many nota- bles in the realm of song. Four years ago she sang with Baby Rose Marie oyer station WATR, and one of her many instructors has been the musical director of Tommy Dor- sey'S Matinee Meadowbrook" pro- gram, Perry Lafferty of the ColuTn- bia Broadcasting System.
 On station VERY she sang as the "Slumberland Princess" for about four months. Later her voice was heard on & weekly Sunday 16- minute program on the same station. In Hartford and Bridgeport as well, Natalie has figured both in broad casts and at performances of the air.
 Somewhat more than two weeks ago the youthful soprano sang at an engagement in New Haven's Garde hotel, sponsored by the True Sisters. About 6 week before she had thrilled an audience of parent less children at the New Haven Jewish Orphanage.
 In Waterbury Natalie's public performances have not been limited to the musical. She has appeared in productions presented by the Little Theatre and Civic Theatre groups, and, in general, her inter ests incline towards the dramatic.
 Aptitude for the histrionic art is 6 quality without which the poten- tial opeTatic performer cannot hope to succeed. A thorough grounding in theatrical skill Is as essential to an integrated presentation aS the most rigorous training in voice cul- ture.
 The program, therefore, that the youthful singer will have to follow in the future will include extensive instruction in acting. as well as in singing. It will involve sacrifices and hard york. years of tifezoine t0lllng thEounh elsdnA and mnRn