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rying to keep life in balance (Continued from page 16) sband noticed an ad in the program ffering a technical course at the ondon Opera Centre. "If I could learn the demanding Echniques of opera, I could do anyâ€" ing," she says. "I applied and was cepted because of my musical backâ€" fround. I fell in love with opera and ave never looked back." Her credits are impressive. In 977, Aster made her debut at the Plational Arts Centre Festival in pttawa. She joined the Canadian Dpera Company as resident director pf the ensemble after six years serving staff director in such prestigious pera houses as the Netherlands Ppera, Hamburg State Opera, and the eutch Opera Berlin. In 1986, she became associate director of the then, ewly formed Los Angeles Opera Association. Five years ago, Aster accepted the osition of artistic director of Opera yra Ottawa â€"â€" a position she currently olds. "*Since I have taken up my position n Ottawa, I have curtailed my interâ€" national freelance work," she adds. "I accept the work that interests me most, yet still allows me to have time with my family." In addition to her responsibilities in Ottawa, her recent successes include: Verdi‘s Falstaff in Los Angeles; Salome for the Lyric Opera in Chicago; Washington Opera; and the Royal Opera House Covent Gardens in England. Her production of Otello with tenor great Placido Domingo in Los Angeles and Houston won the 1990 International Critics Prize at the Maggio Musicale in Florence, Italy. This season, her productions have included Lucia Di Lammermoor in Hamilton and Ottawa; Madame Butterfly for the Washington Opera; and Tosca at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. After a summer vacation at the family home in France, Aster will be back in Ottawa this fall working on a new production of Rigoletto with Louis Quilico and Rebecca Caine. The life of an opera director can have its funny moments. Aster recounts the final day of rehearsal for an English version of La Boheme in Ottawa. "We hired a soprano to perform the role of Mimi. She was a wonderâ€" ful singer, but a little spacy, much to the chagrin of the cast. All was going well until the last act when the other female character, Muzetta comes runâ€" ning into the room to tell the men Mimi has tollapsed on the landing. But instead, she exclaimed, "Mimi has landed," at which point the entire cast visualizing that this spacy singer was back on earth, broke into laughâ€" ter, unable to continue the rehearsal." Aster loves living in Oakville. She thinks of it as her wonderful island of relief from all her work away from home. (Six to seven months a year.) The director finds it tough being away from her family. "When my children were smaller, they traveled with me," she says. "Now, they have full lives in Oakville. Both enjoy music and Samara is a serious ballerina." On special occasions, Aster takes her children out of school to accomâ€" pany her abroad. Aster feels the opportunity for her children to travel to these exotic locations is their best education. COMPUTER COURSES Pentecostal PaRTICIPaCTh _ 0. . ‘,ow‘"”) bgmner to Advanced Levels Over 25 Courses! Job Training More. Enroll Get Your COMPUTER EDGE! Save! Fall Courses Special From $99 ARIZE SOFTSKILLS ACADEMY 1235 Trafalgar Rd., Suite 409 849â€"0634 KIDS COURSES too! Real learning, not just games. 6 â€" 14 yr olds CD Roms, Modems, Scanners, Windows, DOS, Math More! SUMMER CAMPS ON NOW. SEATS AVAILABLE. (COURSES DURING SCHOOL YEAR TOO) Choose AM/PM/Full Day/Weekly or Longer Camps from $89 Pool 66 ASPHJ YIAVIY YTTHIANMNVO 4HL â€" Anglican ST. SIMON‘S ANGLICAN CHURCH ~IJ[~_ 1450 Litchfield Road 845â€"8351 (Trafalgar, south of Upper Middle) Rev. Brian Pearson, Rector Sundays 8:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Wed. 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OAKVILLE RESURRECTION CHURCH Meeting at: Sunningdale Public School 1434 Oxford Dr. (between McCraney St. W. Upper Middle Rd.) Sunday Celebration Service 10:00 a.m. Dedicated Sunday School Nursery Staff Meeting Family Needs TL.C. Home Fellowship Groups Call for the one nearest you! Pastor Blake Davidson T [ 842â€"5583 Phone Alone: Box 5065 "Jesus is Your Solution" (PA.0.C.) ST. JUDFES ANGLICAN CHURCH (Downtown Corner Thomas William St.) 844â€"3972 â€" Eucharist â€" Eucharist (1st, 3rd 5th Sundays) Morning Prayer (2nd 4th Sundays) Clergy: Canon Alex Hewitt, Rector Rev. Andrew Murray, Asst. Curate Ven. Wm. Sewell, Assistant Marcella Jager, Youth Ministry Mr. Jo!\n Laing,'FRCCO, Organist Choirmaster 8:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Presbyterian HOPEDALE PRESBYTERIAN 156 Third Line, Oakville 827â€"3851 Minister: The Rev. Peter D. Ruddell 10:30 a.m. Morning Worship Church School â€" Nursery Provided ALL WELCOME KNOX PRESBYTERIAN Lakeshore Rd. at Dunn St. Downtown Oakville 844â€"3472 10:30 a.m. WORSHIP SERVICE Rev. Harry McWilliams â€" Minister Vacation Bible School Aug 15 â€" 19 Ages 3 â€" 12 Theme: Celebration Park Nursery for Infants commanity CHdrecH Meeting at the River Oaks Recreation Center (On Sixth Line between Hwy. 5 and Upper Middle Rd.) NO SERVICE THIS SUNDAY ...but we‘re back next week! Pastor: Paul Mittelstaedt 842â€"1252 A PA.O0.C. affiliated church Care for Toddlers Church School Nazarene "In the Wesleyan Tradition" OAKVILLE CHURCH 320 Bronte Rd. 4 SUNDAY Presbyterian 11:00 A.M. â€" WORSHIP TRAFALGAR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH |Vacation Bible School 354 Upper Middle Rd. at Trafalgar. Aug. 8â€"12, (Enter from Trafalgar to White Oaks Blvd. E., N. on Litchfield) 9 a.m. â€" 11:45 a.m. Rev. Ferne Reeve 842â€"5873 10:00 a.m. REV. ANDREW REYNARD 827â€"2692 WORSHIP SERVICE Church School Nursery Facilities Provided <.a