Baltz, who teaches at Northridge part time and is artistic director of Los Angeles-based OperaWorks, will be given a Red Carpet Award by Women in Theatre during a special ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn Hotel in North Hollywood.

"I'm one of those persons who usually stays behind the scene, so this is really quite an honor," Baltz said. "It's exciting to be recognized for doing something you love."

Organized in 1978 as a support group for women in the arts, Women in Theatre is dedicated to promoting positive images of women and empowering theatre arts professionals through performance, education, networking, service and outreach in Southern California.

The Sept. 11 awards ceremony marks the inauguration of the organization's Red Carpet Awards. The individuals and organizations to be honored that day have been selected for their extensive support of theater in the greater Los Angeles area.

Baltz, who has taught at Northridge for the past seven years, is receiving an award for her efforts with OperaWorks, a nationally recognized performance training program she founded in 1987. The program uses non-traditional methods to prepare opera singers for performing on stage as well as handling what happens after the curtain falls.

"It's basically a training program to teach singers how to look and sound like normal people on stage," Baltz said.

The program uses non-traditional techniques--from mind and body exercises like yoga to acting and marketing classes--in addition to voice classes in order to develop complete performers who are comfortable with themselves and the stage. Traditional opera classes tend to limit themselves to voice lessons and stage direction, she said.