Tenor Michael Hendrick, the Spakos, has a bright voice.

Five years ago, Opera Manhattan was formed to present staged productions of neglected operas in various smaller theaters around town. Its other driving goal was to raise money for AIDS research and care. In both areas the company has made notable contributions to the city.

On Wednesday night, Opera Manhattan took a big step in a new direction, obtaining Alice Tully Hall for a concert performance of Massenet’s little-known ”Cleopatre,” his last completed opera. It was a major undertaking for this small nonprofit organization, involving an orchestra of 44, a chorus of 28 and a large cast. Two of the principals had to bow out because of illness, including the esteemed American mezzo-soprano Florence Quivar, who was to have sung the title role. But the performance went on undaunted.

Massenet, a major figure of French Romantic opera, had a lyrical gift, a savvy sense of dramatic pacing and an ear for beguiling harmony. But with the exception of ”Manon,” his masterpiece, the mawkishness and cheap exoticism of the operas seem increasingly dated.

by Anthony Tommasini

The New York Times