It is very gratifying to see how the Penn State Opera program has grown over the years, thanks to the wonderful work of Susan Boardman and her colleagues in the School of Music.

Last week, in the middle of a snowstorm, in a two-hour Opera Gala with arias and ensembles from operatic treasures spanning four centuries, close to 30 inspired students warmed the hearts of a sparse but in the end enthusiastic audience in the Esber Recital Hall. Some of us may remember that the first such galas, not long ago, needed the vocal and instrumental support of both professors and alumni, but not anymore. It is a pity that the house was not full (as it usually is around here at much less enlightened musical performances).

The Penn State Opera Theatre deserves much more support from both town and gown, because it can now become an essential pillar of an inspiring cultural life in central Pennsylvania.