About the Book:
   By day Signor Poochini is a dog, lying peacefully in his master’s living room and listening to music.  But by night he is the Great Poochini, the most acclaimed singer in all opera – dog opera, that is.  Poochini is all ready to leave home one evening.  The opera house is filling with dogs excitedly awaiting his performance.  But Poochini’s master has left the window locked, and Poochini cannot get out!  This beautiful and hilarious book works on two levels – the exciting story of Poochini’s adventure is accompanied by wonderful punning jokes on the world of the opera, which run through the text and the pictures.    

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About the Star:
Duane Skrabalak grew up in Johnson City, New York and graduated from the Johnson City High School.  He was at NYU in New York studying many subjects, including foreign languages, when he discovered that his interest in music was more than a hobby.  Returning to the Binghamton area he studied with Peyton Hibbitt and Carmen Savoca at the Tri-Cities Opera.   He played piano for rehearsals, sang many bass-baritone roles in the opera, and was soon directing the opera chorus.   In 1974 he made his conducting debut in a performance of Gounod’s Faust.  Since then he has conducted nearly a hundred productions with the Tri-Cities Opera, taught and coached voice with the opera’s Resident Artist Training Program, accompanied many well known singers in recital, guest-conducted performances and concerts in the US and appeared as both conductor and pianist in Jerusalem at the Israel Music Festival.  He also presents “Operalogue”, as an introduction to the current TCO production with is taped for later broadcast on public radio.  He maintains a studio in Binghamton and is currently artistic director of TCO and an adjunct assistant professor at Binghamton University in Voice/Opera. 

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