The Advance

Issue date: 12/8/06 Section: News

Media Credit: Brad Anderson Freshman Matt Scwhann plays Papageno in Mozart's "The Magic Flute."

Matt Schwan, a freshman majoring in music education, encountered a great challenge during the months of October and November. Schwan was cast as the bird-catcher named "Papageno" in Kansas Wesleyan University and Salina Symphony's production of Mozart's "The Magic Flute," an opera that was performed at the Stiefel Theatre in downtown Salina on Nov. 16 and 17.
Schwan saw the demands of the role take up his evenings with an average of about sixteen hours per week spent at rehearsals to help accomplish the vision of Director Barbara Marshall or in the individual practice rooms to get his songs memorized and up to his and Musical Director Ken Hakoda's standards.
Draped in a costume ornamented with feathers, Schwan merrily pranced around the stage during the performances on those Thursday and Friday nights. Even as the mulletesque haircut fell on the back of his neck and a high-pitched panpipe hung over the front of his brilliantly adorned midsection, Schwan's story goes back to the day when the cast list was first posted on the door outside Miller Chapel in Pioneer Hall and he discovered that he had received a bigger role than he had expected.
"I saw 'Bird-catcher' and thought it would be easy," he confessed. "Then people started telling me it was one of the major roles." In retrospect, he further admits his surprise, saying, "I was shocked, to be honest."
As elements of the character and Mozart's challenging music presented hurdles, Schwan took joy from the costume he wore. Asked about his first impressions, he proclaimed, "Oh, I loved it. I loved my costume. Me and Katie's (the lady who played Papageno's soul-mate Pagagena) costume. I loved it; I loved it; I loved it; I loved it."
The Fine Arts programs at Kansas Wesleyan University has encouraged Schwan such that he does not harbor regret that he did not travel elsewhere for college, saying that being here is exceeding his expectations. With his degree, Schwan plans to become a vocal instructor. He has performed other leading roles in Salina such as The Beast in "Beauty and the Beast" in the Summer of 2005 at Salina Community Theatre and as Jean Valjean in Salina South High School's production of "Les Miserables."
Schwan sees his participation in the opera as a reflection of his personal philosophy. "To join performing arts is one of the greatest experiences to have in life. Music is a relaxant. Performing the arts relieves stress and helps everyone."

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