ELISSA JOSEPHSOHN Leslie Goldman brings two short operas to First Friday.

2 Golden Key operas
highlight First Friday

The Hawaii Opera Theatre steps in with a special program at the Hawaii Theatre as part of this month's First Friday event, the popular downtown gallery walk.

Soprano Leslie Goldman co-produces two Golden Key productions of Gian Carlo Menotti operas. The short "The Telephone" is a comic "curtain-raiser" that precedes "The Medium," a spine-tingling story about a fraudulent fortune teller haunted by spirits of the underworld.

The debut of the company's Golden Key productions features young professionals fully engaged in all aspects of staging operas.

The 25-year-old brought the project to HOT, and since she's featured in both operas, this will mark her Hawaii stage debut. "It is part of Hawaii Opera Theatre's overall mission to increase opera offerings and expand programs beyond our main opera season and summer productions," Executive Director Karen Tiller said. "We are delighted to support the up-and-coming generation of opera artists."

Goldman spent the past seven years in New York City, where she earned her bachelor's degree from the Manhattan School of Music and launched her career performing with opera ensembles around the city.

Along with Goldman, other talent featured from both here and New York opera circles in the Menotti operas are Carrington Vilmont, Brian Gustaveson and Vicky Gorman.

Reserved seat tickets for $25 and $35 for Friday and Saturday 8 p.m. performances are available by either calling 596-7858 or going online at www.hawaiiopera.org. And only for the Friday performance being held as part of First Friday, unreserved seats will go on sale for $20, available only two hours before curtain.

AS FOR the remainder of August's First Friday, new updated pink-and-green maps will be available at any of the participating venues, such as:

» The ARTS at Marks Garage (1159 Nuuanu Ave., 521-2903): It'll be hot glass and HOT live opera music. Hawaii Glass Artist will set up furnaces and create works made of silica to dazzle young and old. The combination of physical dexterity and teamwork makes glass blowing a great spectacle. Also, as aforementioned, singers from the Hawaii Opera Theatre will roam nearby and revel anybody within earshot their favorite tunes from 6 to 7:45 p.m., before the Golden Key production at the Hawaii Theatre.

» The Contemporary Museum at First Hawaiian Center (999 Bishop St., 526-1322): The exhibit "Honolulu to New York" comprises 15 former Hawaii residents currently living and working in New York City. The exhibition features a variety of media including, painting, sculpture, prints, photography and mixed media. Artists include: Ralph Iwamoto, Brendt Berger, Robert Yasuda, Charles Yuen, Willa Cox, Sheila Fletcher Kriemelman, Robert Kobayashi, Kimberly Rector, Allen Maertz, Lynne Yamamoto, Paul Pfeiffer, Dennis Oppenheim, Chris Churchill, Gordon M. Sasaki and Lawrence Seward. A docent will speak about the current exhibition from 7 to 7:30 p.m.., with acoustic guitar music in the galleries with Michael Tanenbaum and Randy Wheeler from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. Validated parking will be from 6 to 9 p.m.

» thirtyninehotel (39 Hotel St., 599-2552): Featuring the Collab Project; David Ellis and Kiku Yamaguchi from the Barnstormers, New York based VJ [sic] and local Maui born artist Joseph K. Pa'ahana collaborated on a mixed media installation that was created during the Cinema Paradise Independent Film Festival.

» Cafe Che Pasta (1001 Bishop St., 524-0004): Andy Kay And Friends -- Kay, a longtime student and assistant of painting and calligraphy master to Ho Tit-Wah is featured this month. Master Ho, born in China, taught internationally and at his Iron Flower Chan Art Center in Honolulu until his death in 1983. Kay has traveled with Ho Tit-Wah with whom he studied and calligraphy and ink painting. Kay has exhibited and sold his paintings and calligraphy in galleries throughout the U.S. His work has been featured in solo shows in New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Washington, D.C., Cincinnati and Honolulu.

» Next Door (43 N. Hotel St., 550-0496): Presenting the work of New York artists Dave Ellis and Kiku Yamaguchi from the Barnstormers collective. Works include a 14-by-25-foot mural and the Barnstormers videos of timelapsed paintings. Newjass Quartet's Ryan Kunimura will be playing the tenor saxophone.

» Studio of Roy Venters (1160 Nuuanu Ave., 381-3445): Showing an eclectic collection of antiques and, in his First Friday Gallery next door, yet more antiques.

» Hank's Cafe Honolulu (1038 Nuuanu Ave., 526-1410): Featuring the pau hana piano music of Bobby Cortezan and, always on display, paintings and prints by Hank Taufaasau.

» The Hawaii State Art Museum (250 S. Hotel St. 586-0900): With its latest exhibition entitled "Summertime."

» Ramsay Museum (1128 Smith St., 537-2787): Featuring a collection of Ramsay's original drawings and prints.

MAPS WILL also be available at:

» Bethel Street Gallery, 1140 Bethel St., 524-3552

» The Cathedral Gallery 1184 Bishop St., 536-7036

» Exhibit Space at 1132 Bishop Street, 599-5009

» Got Art? 1136 Nuuanu Ave., 521-1097

» Jeff Chang Pottery, 808 Fort Street Mall, (between Queen and Merchant), 599-2502

» Louis Pohl Gallery, 1111 Nuuanu Ave., 521-1812

» Mercury, 1154 Fort Street Mall, (on Chaplin Lane between Bethel and Fort Street Mall), 521-2519

» Pacific Traditions Gallery, 19 N. Pauahi St., 531-5122

» The Pegge Hopper Gallery, 1164 Nuuanu Ave., 524-1160

» Sharkey's Tattoo, 1138 Nuuanu Ave. 585-0076

» Toshiko Takaezu Ceramics Studio at the YWCA, 1040 Richards St., 538-7061, ext. 236

OTHER FIRST Friday venues include:

» Daspace (1192 Smith St., 2nd floor): A new place to be creative, dance and get projects done. Opening night will feature a variety of SmarTItas -- that is, Tough, Intelligent, Tender, Artistic Sistas. Meleanna, Mahina & Kai, Hannah and Patrice will be among the SmarTitas in Daspace Friday night. Regular hours will be noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, or by appointment. Call 351-4960 for more info or bookings.

» Mendonca Building Courtyard (1126 Smith St., next to #18 on the Gallery Walk Guide): Four prominent artists in Hawaii contribute to the second of a series of "one night stands" in the Chinatown courtyard. This month features Dieter Runge, well known for using a variety of brilliant palettes to interpret the energetic dynamics of Taiji in novel and exciting ways particularly appropriate to Chinatown; Barbara Eberhart enlarges images to fill and overflow the canvas borders, assuring the unmistakable presence of nature; Ela Zapf brings arts and crafts together in a creative and playful way with her pastels and watercolors; Arthur Nelander's offering is an exploration into cyberspace with digital images; and Fred Gayagas will perform his slack key and contemporary Hawaiian favorites. Enter the courtyard through the gate on Smith Street as marked by the blue dragon and his small lanterns. Call 262-5930 for more info.

» Tea at 1024 (1024 Nuuanu Ave.): Angela Goldie's mixed media works of island life will be displayed throughout the month of August, and meet the artist from 5 to 9 p.m.

» The Nesting House (1151 Bethel St.): Handmade Victorian wreaths, topiaries, dolls and paintings by Jo Fraticelli, with 10 percent off all merchandise (except paintings and crocheted blankets) on First Friday.

» Open house for new business HASR Wine CO (31 N. Pauahi St.): A new retail fine wine store specializing in mostly California Wines that are highly allocated and exclusive to HASR, which stands for Highly Allocated Spoiled Rotten. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. through the week, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. Call 535-WINE (9463) for more info.

AND BESIDES the usual late night clubs after First Friday is pau for this month -- Mercury, thirtyninehotel, Indigo, O'Toole's, Bar 35 and Hank's Cafe -- Next Door and Pacific Standard present deejay Doc Martin in an exclusive Hawaii engagement. Doc Martin is one of the most sought after DJs in America. He'll be on the Decks somewhere between 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. for this 21-and-over event. Tickets are $15 presale and $20 at the door. Only 300 tickets are available, and you can order online at www.whoisnextdoor.com.