Three Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students are the regional finalists for the first-ever Texaco Opera Quiz Kids competition, a radio quiz program about opera that will be broadcast live on April 1 during the final intermission of the Texaco-Metropolitan Opera radio broadcast of the Met's production of Wagner's Die Walkure.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Richard Montgomery, and Quince Orchard high schools joined two area private schools to field teams of three students each for the competition. All of the schools have music programs that include opportunities for students to learn about opera.

The three local finalists are:

Richard Montgomery High School: Mahan Esfahani and Kristl Dorschner

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School: Felipe Valencia

A total of nine finalists were selected from 57 participants at a first and second round competition on January 29th - three each from the Washington D.C., New York City and Houston, Texas regions. Each of these regions has a sponsoring opera company.

Questions answered by the participants included written examinations, oral quizzes and team interviews. Some questions required students to identify operas and characters from music excerpts and to interpret operatic story lines in contemporary terms. Answers were judged by a panel of professionals in the field of opera.

A student representative from each region, to be selected in a third round of competition on February 15, will travel to New York City as the guest of Texaco for the broadcast and a weekend of special events, including a private backstage tour of the Metropolitan Opera House.