Merola Opera Program staged Rossini’s “Le Comte Ory,” a charming, farcical work full of luscious bel canto singing, in a delightful production at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Calling for at least six high-line voices, Rossini’s last comic opera, which premiered in Paris in 1828, is a good choice for young singers in the prestigious opera training program, a nonprofit that works closely with San Francisco Opera. Performances of “Comte” on July 31 and Aug. 2 preceded the summer program’s finale featuring all participants, slated for Aug. 16 in San Franciso’s War Memorial Opera House.
The Count is a lecherous 13th-century French aristocrat who, disguised first as a hermit and then as a nun, pursues a Countess named Adèle, whose guardian brother has gone off to the Crusades. A male chorus of hermits and nuns follows him everywhere.
Director Garnett Bruce and Liliana Piñeiro’s fetching set design made the most of the too-small stage, and conductor Pierre Vallet, challenged by being placed next to the audience to the point of occasionally swamping the voices, led the musicians with verve and fine detail.
Everything came together dramatically and in near-perfect vocal combustion in the Act 1 septet, and the usually messy second-act “three-in-a-bed” scene was unusually well conceived.
Tenor Minghao Liu and soprano Eva Rae Martinez hit it off brilliantly as Ory and Adèle. He has all the requisite high Cs and more, and her bright, edgy soprano made for vocal fireworks throughout the performance.
Mezzo-soprano Meg Brilleslyper, playing Ory’s page Isolier, the object of the Countess’ affections, often stole the show. The role was sung with just the right amount of vocal swagger. Bass-baritone Wanchun Liang and baritone Benjamin Dickerson made strong appearances as Ory’s overworked tutor and his sidekick Raimbaud.
Mezzo Ariana Maubach was a standout in the role of Adèle’s companion Ragonde, too, and soprano Sofia Gotch was a sweet-toned Alice. The chorus shone throughout, particularly the men in their joyful moments as dancing nuns.
Merola Opera Program’s Grand Finale is at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 16 at War Memorial Opera House, Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. Tickets are $18-$95 at merola.org.
The post Review: Merola Opera’s production of Rossini’s ‘Le Comte Ory’ is boisterous, joyful appeared first on Local News Matters.