Review: 'Bel canto' lives large in West Bay's stunning 'Lucia' Review: 'Bel canto' lives large in West Bay's stunning 'Lucia' (February 23, 2005)

By Renee Batti

Almanac News Editor

One limitation of staging grand opera on a small stage is that the razzle-dazzle -- the spectacle -- that so excites some opera lovers can't be created with lavish sets and space-demanding choreography.

Grand opera on a small stage must rely almost completely on the quality of the voices projected to an expectant audience. It is all about singing.

In this regard, West Bay Opera doesn't have a worry in the world as it presents its gorgeous rendering of Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor," a classic in the world of bel canto -- "beautiful singing." Set on the not-so-grand stage of the Lucie Stern Theatre, this "Lucia" features singers who make almost everything other than their art irrelevant.

The lead roles of ill-fated lovers Lucia and Edgardo are sung in alternating performances by Marnie Breckenridge and Christopher Bengochea, and Saundra DeAthos and Harold Gray Meers.

Ms. Breckenridge and Mr. Bengochea gave breathtaking performances in those roles the night I attended.

As Lucia, Ms. Breckenridge was willing to take risks with her stunning bel canto technique, and those risks paid off richly. Her voice was as powerful as it was lovely, her acting was convincing, and her performance of the extraordinary "Mad Scene" -- Il dolce suono, Ardon gli incensi and Spargi d'amaro pianto -- was brilliant.

Mr. Bengochea gave his Edgardo convincing passion, fury and a solid physical presence. His rich, powerful voice could melt into such sweetness that the audience might forget for a time that his character was as bellicose as that of Enrico, Lucia's brother.

It was Enrico, sung by baritone Jordan Shanahan, who betrayed his sister to save his own neck, and essentially forced her to marry a man she didn't even know, let alone love.

As Enrico, Mr. Shanahan joined the other two lead singers in raising the theater's roof with powerful and masterful singing. Their voices penetrated the house in the famous, thrilling sextet, Chi mi frena , which culminates in a multitude of voices.

Mr. Shanahan's acting was also a delight to watch; he lent heat and menace to the role of a selfish, cowardly man whose treachery leads to his sister's death. As Enrico, his convincing Italianate suffering coupled with his fine singing almost made me like the creep.

Singers in smaller roles also gave strong performances, particularly Todd Robinson as Raimondo and Patrice Houston as Alisa. It was hard to measure the vocal quality of Chad Millar in the role of Arturo, Lucia's doomed bridegroom. His weak projection often left him drowned out by the more powerfully voiced lead singers and the orchestra.

A chorus of strong singers was icing on the cake of this performance, beautifully propelling the sextet to a glorious conclusion, and adding solemn texture to the tragic and haunting final scene.

Music director David Sloss and stage director David Ostwald should take a bow for this fine production, which runs through this weekend.

In the complaint department, I summarize: Slow down. Please.

Some of Donizetti's and librettist Salvatore Cammarano's richest moments whooshed by in rushed tempi, including the gem, Verranno a te sull'aure, a duet by Lucia and Edgardo in which they pledge their devotion.

But the most egregious and frustrating example of rushing was in the last scene, from the time Edgardo was told of Lucia's imminent death to his death at his own hand.

The heartbreaking Tu che a Dio spiegasti l'ali was foreign to my ears in this performance. The tempo of this section was so fast that the orchestration, typically articulated in marcato though subdued fashion, sounded downright bouncy -- as if the carnival had just come to town and the dying Edgardo was preparing to mount a winged carousel horse and fly off to heaven to join his beloved.

The singers in this opera have superb voices and expressive instincts. They have so much to say in the lingering note and in the pause. Two lovers furtively meeting at the fountain, or a heartbroken man dying for love, should be allowed their lingering notes and pauses.

Those who love bel canto and those who want to become acquainted with it should not miss West Bay's "Lucia." The art of singing is under the spotlight, and it glows brilliantly.

The diva Renee Fleming has written that bel canto represents for her "the culmination of all the elements of great singing." She also noted that it presents the singer with the ultimate challenge.

The singers in this production are up to the challenge.
PERFORMANCES

West Bay Opera's "Lucia di Lammermoor" ends this weekend, February 25-27, with 8 p.m. performances on Friday and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Presented at the Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Ave., Palo Alto. Tickets: $46, general; $23, students/youth under 17. Call 424-9999; or log on at wbopera.org.

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