Michael Hendrick made an amusing, vibrant-voiced Guillot.

Sarasota Opera’s Manon reconfirmed the beauty and engaging nature of a work that doesn’t get much attention these days. On February 28, Cherie Caluda’s performance in the title role sometimes lacked vocal assurance; the lower register was but a shadow. Still, she conveyed the character’s charms and sensitively tapped the pathos of the finale. Barton Green’s Des Grieux was sung with fine style. What his tenor lacked in weight and ring it easily compensated for in sensitivity (his soft notes were especially winning) and elegant phrasing. Though Oziel Garza-Ornelas had a little trouble sustaining high-lying passages, he was nonetheless an engaging Lescaut. Peter Volpe brought a sturdy bass and aristocratic bearing to the Count. Michael Hendrick made an amusing, vibrant-voiced Guillot. The chorus offered rich sound.

Providing inspired leadership in the pit was Emmanuel Villaume, whose account of the judiciously abridged score balanced passionate sweep with delicate reflection. If he sometimes pushed the cohesive, dynamic orchestra too hard, submerging the singers in the process, the resultant musical electricity was worth it. Claudia Zahn’s fluid direction managed to keep the opera’s blend of comedy and drama reasonably balanced within the mostly appealing scenery from Central City Opera.

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by Tim Smith

Opera News