Little known facts: Sakakawea, in addition to all her other talents and skills, was an opera singer.

And there were two of her.

Well, not quite. But this week that will be the case, somewhat.

Two North Dakota women who went on to professional opera careers at New York's Metropolitan Opera and other venues - Tammy Hensrud, of Grand Forks, and Korliss Uecker, of Hettinger -are in Bismarck this week to play the role of Sakakawea in performances of the opera "Sakakawea," accompanied by the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra.

In the opera - created by Thomas Peterson, a North Dakota composer, and lyricist William Borden - an elderly Sakakawea, played by Hensrud, looks back on her journey with Lewis and Clark. Uecker plays Sakakawea as a young woman.

"It'll be a real live opera," said Tom Wellin, the symphony's conductor. "Stage, sets lighting, scenery and design."

The singers and orchestra performed Wednesday at educational concerts for school children. But the main event will take place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Belle Mehus City Auditorium.

Among other accomplishments, Uecker has sung more than 100 leading role performances with the Metropolitan Opera. Her debut performance was in "Donizetti's Daughter of the Regiment" with tenor Luciano Pavarotti and director James Levine. Uecker, daughter of Charles and Edna Uecker, of Hettinger, is a graduate of the University of North Dakota and Juilliard School of Music.

Hensrud, a college roommate of Uecker's, went on to perform leading roles with the Vienna State Opera, Stuttgart Opera, Theatre de Catelet in Paris, Klangfurt Opera, Salzburg Opera and the Metropolitan Opera and more. She will soon perform in Puccini's "Tosca" with the Manhattan Concert Opera.

The opera chorus duties will be taken on by an all-male choir, Cantus, the newest choir to be formed by the Central Dakota Children's Choir.

The opera's stage director will be Nancy Lillis, of Minneapolis, formerly of New Salem, who has performed with the Minnesota Opera, Guthrie Theatre and at other venues. Lighting will be by Craig Moxon of Bismarck State College, stage design by Tom Hug, costumes and production by Stephanie Delmore and Sleepy Hollow Productions and stage production by Lynn Bryntensen.

Brian Palecek, a North Dakota humanities lecturer, will present a pre-concert chat on the evening's performance in the conductor's room beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets are priced from $7 to $30. For more information, call 258-8345.

(Reach reporter Virginia Grantier at 250-8254 or at vgrantier@ndonline.com.)