Opportunes Will Appear Tomorrow on 'Today'

The Harvard-Radcliffe Opportunes, Harvard's oldest co-ed a capella group, will appear on NBC's "Today Show" tomorrow morning.

The group was invited to the show to promote the fifth anniversary of the Arts First Festival, which will be taking place at Harvard from May 1 to 4 this year.

The Opportunes were referred to the show by John A. Lithgow '67, who helped to start the Arts First Festival at Harvard, said Benjamin S. Edelson '00.

Lithgow, an award-winning actor currently plays the lead role in the weekly NBC show "Third Rock from the Sun."

A performance by the group impressed Lithgow last year, Edelson said. Producers of the show listened to the group's songs on CD and selected one, according to Deedee Thomas, a senior researcher at the "Today Show."

"They are doing the Zombie Jamboree, which is a mix of a cappella, dance and singing," she said. "It sounds like it's going to be good."

Thomas said that the nature of the "Today Show" is ideal for the a cappella group's performance.

"It's a perfect arrangement because of the way the 'Today Show' works," she said. "We have this outside space on the street where they will perform."

The song was picked by the show's producers, according to J. Christopher Paul '98, the group's music director.

Paul said he had to rearrange the song to fit it into the two-and-a-half minute time slot the group is allotted.

"I've been with the group three years, and we've been working ridiculously hard to establish a name for ourselves given we've only been around for .17 years," he said. "It seems to be a reward for all our work. This is our 'big break."

Daniel A. Simon '99 will sing the solo of the song and also take part in a brief interview about Arts First.

"It's going to be great. Obviously I'm very excited to be singing a solo," he said.

Sixteen members of the group will be traveling by bus to New York tonight. NBC will pay for their hotel accommodations, according to group member Marcy E. Beller '00.

"It's awesome," Edelson said. "My mom has told everyone at home and my grandma has told everyone in her town too.

"It's going to be great. Obviously I'm very excited to be singing a solo," he said.

Sixteen members of the group will be traveling by bus to New York tonight. NBC will pay for their hotel accommodations, according to group member Marcy E. Beller '00.

"It's awesome," Edelson said. "My mom has told everyone at home and my grandma has told everyone in her town too.