Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 24, 1994                   TAG: 9406290041
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By JOE KENNEDY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

OPERA ROANOKE NAMES NEW DIRECTOR

Fields, an associate professor of vocal music at Virginia Tech, previously has served as the opera's production director and resident director. He has sung more than 40 baritone roles for opera companies in Geneva, Zurich, Berlin, San Francisco and other cities.

Fields' appointment comes a little more than a week after Judy Clark announced her resignation as the company's executive director, effective July 30. Clark, the organization's first full-time, paid employee, said her five-year tenure had left her physically fatigued.

James Jennings, the Roanoke lawyer who is co-chairman of the company's development committee, said he was ``personally sick to see her go.''

In appointing Fields, the opera's board has created a new position with responsibility for artistic and administrative management. In addition, it plans to hire an administrative director, another new position, to supervise nonartistic areas such as fund raising, marketing and office administration. The position of executive director has been eliminated.

Clark ``was really basically doing all of these things,'' said Joseph D. Logan, the opera's board president. ``We're changing her job and redefining it to make the title more specific.''

Victoria Bond will retain the title of artistic director at least through Dec. 31.

In the past, Fields has conducted auditions for the company in New York, served as chorus master, directed operas and performed on stage. This fall, he'll be on sabbatical from Virginia Tech, enabling him to spend more time with the company, Logan said.

Logan said the opera company hopes to continue to have a working relationship with Bond even after she leaves her position as artistic director with the Roanoke Symphony next spring. Bond will conduct ``Rigoletto'' for Opera Roanoke in September. Her opera, ``Travels,'' will be produced by the company in May 1995.