Kelli and Traci English

THEY ARE Sisters who helped create an original one-act opera that'sbeing performed this weekend. Traci is at top in photo. SPONSORED BY SPONSORED BY The opera is under auspices of the MERITMusic Program, a tuition-free comprehensive conservatory for talentedarea youngsters.

WHEN, WHERE WHEN, WHERE "A Suite Musical Interval" will play at 8p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday in MERIT's recital hall at DearbornStation, 47 W. Polk. It was plotted, written, composed, scored byMERIT kids, backed by opera director Lisa Richter. Of MERITstudents in it, seven sing solo, 10 are in the chorus, 11 playinstruments. KELLI STATS KELLI STATS Kelli is 14 and a freshman at Whitney YoungHigh, 211 S. Laflin. She helped compose the opera and sings therole of Octavia, a composer who's having difficulty getting musicalnotes to fit. In a dream, the notes come alive. Besides singing,Kelli has been a MERIT violin student since fourth grade. She'sactive in school musicals, was a scholarship student to Interlochen,won a Young Black Achievers contest. TRACI STATS TRACI STATS Traci is 12 and a seventh-grader at WhitneyYoung Academic Center. She's assistant producer of the opera, helpedcompose one song. Studies violin at MERIT, also sings. Runner-up ina 1990 Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest. She and Kelli live onthe South Side with their parents, both public school teachers. DadJami teaches at Dyett, mom Thelma at McDade. Dad is opera"videographer," will videotape it. GOALS? GOALS? Traci: "I'd like to be a child psychiatrist."Kelli: "Anything from a doctor to a professional violinist. I thinkI'll probably go into science." ADVICE RECEIVED ADVICE RECEIVED Traci: "I receive the same piece ofadvice everyday: `Don't talk so quietly.' From everybody." Kelli:"My parents told me not to be a pessimist. And not to put off thingstill the last minute."