Dynamic duos.

Byline: Fred Crafts The Register-Guard

If two heads are better than one, then four heads should be much, much better. Right?

So went the reasoning of Marc Siegel and Pamela Lehan-Siegel in bringing Robert Ashens and Carol Ann Manzi into the Dance Theatre of Oregon's next concert, "Gems of the Valley," which will be performed this Thursday and Saturday.

Highly placed in Eugene's arts hierarchy - Siegel and Lehan-Siegel are the co-artistic directors of Dance Theatre of Oregon; Ashens is the artistic director and conductor of Eugene Opera; and Manzi is a rising star in national operatic circles - the two husband-and-wife teams will be melding their singing, dancing, acting and piano playing abilities in unusual ways at the concert.

Genre-bending will be the order of the day. Dancer Siegel will also sing. Singer Manzi will also dance (maybe). Dancer Lehan-Siegel will also do some spoken word. However, pianist Ashens will only play the piano - on just about every number.

Clearly, even though this extravaganza is produced by the Dance Theatre of Oregon, it is not truly a dance concert. In many ways, it is more like a song-and-dance revue by four talented and multifaceted performers (hence the self-anointed "Gems of the Valley" title).

Generally speaking, the Siegels will dance, Manzi will sing and Ashens will play. But that's not how the fast-evolving program began, and not how it likely will end up.

The idea for the show was hatched the moment the two couples laid eyes on each other, they all insist.

"When I first came to Oregon and first saw Dance Theatre of Oregon, I thought their work was full of a lot of interesting and unusual details, particularly with things like phrasing and dramatic risk-taking," Manzi says.

"I was professionally interested in it because the kind of detail they (Dance Theatre of Oregon) put into their work is the kind of detail I like to put into my work. I look at every word and every phrase and try to make it special - try to really make it true and authentic. I think they do the same thing."

One thing led to another.

Ashens and Manzi praised the Siegels for the concerts. The foursome got together socially at each other's homes. Ashens hired the Siegels to perform in the Eugene Opera's ``Pagliacci'' and ``Carmen'' productions. An invitation to collaborate was extended by the Siegels. Much discussion, and laughter, ensued.

And, Ashens jokes, "all of a sudden - a couple of wine glasses later - we had a program."

``It started out as an idea of, `Wouldn't it be funny if Robert had to dance something, and Marc sat down (at the piano) and played?' We were just throwing things into the ring,'' Ashens recalls. ``But we also had ideas of beautiful pieces we'd like to see choreographed.''

Talking to the foursome is like being immersed in a mutual admiration society.

``Robert is just incredibly talented. He can play anything. As a person, he has so much energy and puts that into his playing. We're confident he's going to be able to fill the hall just with his fingers,'' Siegel says.

Moving to Manzi, Siegel says ``Carol Ann has one of the best voices I've ever heard. It's poignant. It's fun. She's just an incredibly talented woman. With the two of them together it's just a really thick sound. Very professional. Inspiring to dance to.''

As for the Siegels, Ashens says he has long been "a fan of theirs because of the eclectic things - and wild and wacky things, funny things - that they do on the stage."

Early on, the idea was to put the performers in unusual roles. For instance, Manzi (the singer) would dance. But that notion hit a stonewall a month ago when she broke her toe while performing in ``Madama Butterfly'' at Abilene (Texas) Opera earlier this month. She's just now beginning to walk normally, and will decide at the last moment whether she can dance.

Otherwise, the program is pretty much set. The foursome will collaborate on a Stephen Sondheim medley (``Being Alive,'' ``Anyone Can Whistle,'' ``Take Me to the World''), then Ashens will play a Stephen Foster medley (``Swanee River,'' ``Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair,'' ``Old Folks at Home,'' ``Oh, Susanna,'' ``Beautiful Dreamer,'' ``Old Kent Home,'' ``Camptown Races'').

The Siegels will dance "Duos and Last Turns" (to "Twilight Time," "After the Ball," ``Will You Love Me in September''), choreographed by Susan Zadoff. Then Siegel and Manzi will do a George Gershwin medley (``They Can't Take That Away from Me,'' ``S'Wonderful,'' ``Crazy for You'').

Opening the second half will be a French salute with Manzi singing "An Affair to Remember," Lehan-Siegel dancing to Francis Poulenc's "Le Violin" (sung by Manzi) and a skit in which Ashens plays "The Godfather Theme" then gives an impersonation of Liberace.

The Siegels will reprise their popular "Opera Buffo" dance spoof, Manzi will sing "Children Will Listen," the foursome will conclude with "Rainbow Connection" (with a guest appearance by the dancers' daughter, Kyra).

Other pieces are being discussed, including a dramatic reading by Lehan-Siegel, an operatic aria by Manzi and a "Lost Generation" dance piece by Siegel, who also wrote the music.

"The idea for the concert was just to make it simple for people to watch and listen, to try to move people, make them laugh, make them cry," Siegel says.

Adds Lehan-Siegel, "It just seemed like the right thing to do. We were inspired by them (Ashens and Manzi). Marc and I wanted to challenge ourselves and take ourselves in new directions."

Even before the concert debuts, it's already a hit. It will be repeated at the Florence Events Center on Sept. 10.

Beyond that, says Manzi, ``Who knows?''

Reach Fred Crafts at 338-2575 or [e-mail].

DANCE CONCERT PREVIEW

Gems of the Valley

What: Dancers Marc Siegel and Pamela Lehan-Siegel, soprano Carol Ann Manzi and pianist Robert Ashens team up for a music and dance concert

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturday

Where: The Hult Center's Soreng Theatre, Seventh Avenue and Willamette Street

How much: $17 and $20, through the Hult Center box office (682-5000)

CAPTION(S):

The friendship of two Eugene couples - dancers Pamela Lehan-Siegel and Marc Siegel and singer Carol Ann Manzi and her pianist husband Robert Ashens - led to an idea for a joint show.