BELLO BELLINI

Steven LaBrie and Christine Lyons in Bellini's La Straniera
(photo by Steven Pisano)

Last night at Rose Hall we enjoyed a rare performance of an early Bellini opera presented by Will Crutchfield's Bel Canto ensemble Teatro Nuovo; contrary to its nomenclature, the ensemble aims to bring back the performance style of the early 19th c.  This involves the use of period instruments, improvisatory vocalism, and the shifting of responsibility from a conductor to singers and musicians. We were not the only member of the audience to find this approach novel and thrilling; the applause at the end was thunderous and well deserved.

The opera premiered at La Scala in 1829; Bellini lavished this work with endless melodic invention--not the tunes of Rossini tumbling out one on top of the other, but long lyric lines that stretched and reached, rising and falling, replete with scale passages rather than vocal acrobatics.

Librettist Felice Romani based his libretto on an historical novel L'Étrangère written in 1825 by Charles-Victor Prévost d'Arlincourt which was also dramatized into a play, contributing somewhat to the libretto. The story is based on 12th c. history involving King Philip II of France whose first marriage was annulled and then later reinstated, both events by means of some papal finagling.

A cursory knowledge of this history went a long way toward making sense of the odd plot which we will try to summarize briefly. A woman has been hidden away somewhere with her brother to watch over her. (She is actually the discarded second wife of King Philip who has been obliged to return to wife number one.) She is veiled and mysterious; the locals consider her to be a witch.

Meanwhile, Count Arturo, about to be married to Isoletta, daughter of the Count of Montolino, is obsessively in love with her, although this sad and lonely Alaide (formerly Queen Agnes) rejects him and feels as if her life is accursed. Ultimately Isoletta realizes that Arturo will never love her, and in a move worthy of a 21st c. woman, rejects him at the altar.

Before the end, there is a duel, a suspected murder, a trial, and accusations of betrayal, all tropes of Romantic literature. 19th c. audiences lapped up this stuff but last night we heard quite a few titters in the audience at some of the twists and turns of the improbable plot.

We ourself did not laugh. We are accustomed to silly plots and can enjoy the music for its merit. At the harpsichord (here called the cembalo) was Mr. Crutchfield himself, focusing on the singers; Associate Artistic Director and Concertmaster Jakob Lehmann focused on the musicians. It was astonishing to observe the absence of a conductor with a baton on a podium !

We loved the sound of the early instruments, particularly that of the wooden flute. This is the sound we would love to hear in duet with Lucia in her mad scene, if a glass harmonica were not available. We noticed a very different layout of the orchestra with musicians facing one another, presumably for collaborative advantage. The brass instruments were valveless. The harp was briefly onstage and thrilled us with celestial arpeggi.

The Teatro Nuovo chorus was superb and opened the work with a gentle rocking barcarolle, a setting of some perfectly poetic text. Soon we would meet the anxious bride Isoletta, sung by soprano Alina Tamborini whose promotion from Apprentice Artist was well deserved. She has a beautiful presence onstage and a voice to match, with a lovely resonance and beautiful Bellini phrasing. Sadly, we wouldn't hear much more of her until the end of the opera.

In the starring role we had a Teatro Nuovo regular--soprano Christine Lyons whose passion brought Alaide to life. Her innate musicality brought out the beauty of Bellini's vocal lines in the lyrical passages. The vocal range called for was quite wide but Ms. Lyons was undaunted. There was the requisite brilliance in the upper register and substantial power at the bottom.

In the role of the tortured Arturo we had the sweet voiced tenor Derrek Stark--another Teatro Nuovo regular. He sang the challenging role with open throat and convincing passion. We remember Mr. Stark from his two years as an Apprentice Artist at Santa Fe Opera and more recently as a young artist with Palm Beach Opera. It is exciting to witness his growth as an artist.

As Alaide's brother Valdeburgo, baritone Steven LaBrie gave one of his superbly intense performances. His instrument is muscular yet flexible and his acting flawless. He is one of those artists whom we recognized as a rising star upon first hearing. Maestro Eve Queler brought Mr. LaBrie to our attention 7 years ago at a recital in which he sang Silvio's duet from Pagliacci, Figaro's "Largo al Factotum", "Ya vas lyublyu" from Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades, and "Vision fugitive" from Massenet's Herodiade. Hearing a baritone singing in bel canto and realismo styles, and in Italian, French, and Russian, convinced us he was on the path to stardom.

Now here's the coincidence. As rarely performed as this opera is, it was Maestro Queler who brought it to New York in 1993. Mr. LaBrie probably hadn't even started to sing then.

Tenor Isaac Fishman did well as the dissembling Osburgo and bass Vincent Grana lent authority to the role of Il Priore, who judged Alaide and recognized her as the French queen. Bass-baritone Dorian McCall had the role of Isoletta's father. All three men also sang in the excellent chorus.

The production was semi-staged. Fortunately everyone knew their roles and there were no music stands onstage. Singers were free to act; there were no sets or costumes; it was all about the music.

We left satisfied on every level and are looking forward to tonight's opera--Rossini's comedy La Gazza Ladra.

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ON HEROES AND MISSING LINKS

Christopher Bozeka, William Lee Bryan, Teresa Castillo, Jennifer Rowley, Derrek Stark, Mingjie Lei Elena Snow, and Junhan Choi

The hero of Mayr's 1813 opera Medea is Giasone (Jason of the Golden Fleece) and he ain't our idea of a hero at all.  More on that anon. For us, the hero of the evening was Will Crutchfield who has a mission of exploring Bel Canto opera--its traditions, and the radical implications of its history. In this mission, he has introduced us to several barely known and rarely produced operas. This summer he has moved from his lengthy stint at Caramoor to a new home at Purchase College, for a summer festival entitled Teatro Nuovo. 

Last night, his pre-opera lecture filled us in on "the missing link", i.e. how we got from Mozart to Rossini. How did Classical opera become Bel Canto? The question rests on the shoulders of one Giovanni Simone Mayr (né Johannes Simon Mayr in Bavaria). It is a strange mystery how such a seminal character is so ill-known today when he was all the rage in Italy from the end of the 18th c. on. He put down roots in Bergamo and had a three decade career from his initial commission by La Fenice in 1794, receiving commissions from La Scala in Milan and Teatro San Carlo in Naples. His operatic output numbers about 70!

In 1806 he opened a school and gave young Gaetano Donizetti all the knowledge he needed to become the next great star in the operatic firmament. He also had significant influence on Rossini and Bellini. Hearing his opera one was tempted to think he plagiarized them but he came first and his influence on them is clear.

Before Mayr, the tradition of opera seria involved a happy ending in which order is re-established. Was Medea the first serious opera in which people die? Subsequently, serious operas almost always involve death. In Mayr's operas, the number of set pieces is reduced but their development is enhanced by greater length and a variety of sections--recitativ, cantabile, and cabaletta. These tripartite arias now served a dramatic purpose and were no longer fungible. Furthermore, he changed the nature of the recitativi by using the orchestra, rather than the harpsichord as accompaniment. 

The forms he used were Italian but he brought Germanic technique to them by the use of winds and the use of a chorus. Harmonies became more "modern" and orchestral colors became more, well, colorful.

Just as Maestro Crutchfield's lecture enhanced our appreciation of the opera, so did a minimal knowledge of the backstory. The eponymous heroine Medea is one Bad Girl. She has a long history of evil deeds, including murdering her brother. Her love for Jason kept her busy with misdeeds, ensuring his political success.  Jason ain't no prize neither! After all Medea did for him, he has abandoned her and their two sons to enter into matrimony with Creusa, daughter of Creonte.

Guess who comes to spoil the wedding! Yes, it's Medea and she joins forces with Egeo, King of Athens, who has been spurned by Creusa. Hell hath no fury like a pair of scorned lovers acting in concert!

The singing last night was uniformly excellent. Resident Artists who failed to make much of an impression at Tuesday's recital dazzled us on the operatic stage. Guest Artist soprano Jennifer Rowley made a fiery Medea, grasping the audience with her entrance aria and an intense duet with Giasone.  In Act II, when she summons her underworld demons (singing from outside the open side door of the theater) she made our blood run cold. Her revenge aria clearly showed the ambivalence she felt between her maternal instinct and her wish to torment Giasone.

Tenor Derrek Stark made a fine Giasone, even though it seemed unlikely that his fickle romantic history would have made him a suitable husband for a Princess of Corinth! His tone was pleasing, as was his Italianate phrasing and his romantic duet with Creusa was lovely.

Creusa was performed by soprano Teresa Castillo whose performance of a zarzuela aria we just reviewed a few days ago. She showed herself to be an incredibly versatile artist by completely changing the color of her voice to one of melting sweetness.

Tenor Mingjie Lei has a gorgeous instrument and used it well in his portrayal of Egeo. We had a sense that big roles will be coming his way.

Baritone William Lee Bryan sang the role of Creonte, King of Corinth whilst tenor Christopher Bozeka sang the role of Creonte's confidant Evandro. Both were excellent.

There are no small roles, as the say, and we were happy to hear baritone Junhan Choi as Tideo, a friend of Giasone. The role was, we believe, written for the tenor fach, but that seemed to present no problem for Mr. Choi.  Mezzo-soprano Elena Snow also made the most of her portrayal of Medea's friend Ismene.

The Teatro Nuovo Chorus sang well under the direction of Derrick Goff and the Teatro Nuovo Orchestra played Mayr's accessible music with panache. Jonathan Brandani was  Maestro al Cembalo and Jakob Lehmann served as Primo Violino e Capo d'Orchestra. The arrangement of the orchestra was the same as in Tancredi, reviewed last week. The violins could face each other and coordinate their bowing without a conductor on the podium. The period winds and brass were pure delight and we heard some memorable solos from flute and clarinet.

But the most special solo of all was at the beginning of Act II when harpist Frances Duffy delighted our ears with a lengthy onstage solo.

If we were to name one aspect of this melodramma tragico that disappointed, it would be the libretto by the otherwise wonderful Felice Romani, who adapted it from Euripides and Pierre Corneille.  All the action happens offstage and the characters onstage just talk (sing) a lot. Of course, this was his earliest effort, as far as we can determine. He would get better!

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IL BELLISSIMO BELLINI

Angela Meade

Santiago Ballerini

What a superb farewell for the "Bel Canto at Caramoor"' program.  After twenty years of bel canto, the opera program at this beautiful Venetian estate will revert to its original mission of presenting opera from many different traditions and to continue training and fostering the development of young singers through its Schwab Vocal Rising Stars program; Maestro Will Crutchfield will move his Bel Canto program to the nearby Performing Arts Center at SUNY Purchase. The new program will be called Teatro Nuovo and we will keep our readers informed as details become available.

The glorious farewell piece was Vincenzo Bellini's third opera Il Pirata. Inspired by Mozart and admired by Wagner, Donizetti, and Chopin, Bellini was a child prodigy trained at the conservatory in Naples. He came from a family of musicians and attended by virtue of a scholarship.

The head of the school gave him a valuable lesson that we wish the composers of today would heed.  To paraphrase, if you don't master melody, you will wind up as a church organist in some small town. This must have stung since that pretty much described Bellini's family!

Fortunately, young Vincenzo heeded the advice and became known for his melodic gifts.  It seems to us that he spun out long silken melodies like a silkworm whereas Rossini's melodies tumble out helter skelter. If his brilliant fioritura is reserved for moments of heightened passion, it permits long lyric lines to unspool at leisure.

So it was with Il Pirata, so magnificently performed by some major stars with Maestro Crutchfield conducting the Orchestra of St. Luke's. Soprano Angela Meade, about whom we have written before, needs no introduction. She is a confirmed superstar with a luxurious sound that sets the air to vibrating and a generous palette of vocal colors. Her coloratura in the final mad scene drove the audience wild with appreciation.

On the other hand, Argentinean tenor Santiago Ballerini just appeared on our event horizon but we recognize a star when we hear one. His physical stature is on the slight side but his vocal stature towers over most of the tenors we have recently heard. Not yet thirty years old, he has created a sensation in South America and is just achieving recognition in the United States.

The timbre of his voice is hugely appealing and he does not push or oversing. He possesses a stunning messa di voce and manages to float the high notes without apparent effort. We consider ourself a fan.

The opera itself does not have the most interesting libretto but Felice Romani worked exceptionally well with Bellini and the poetry of the text is outstanding, especially as married to Bellini's gorgeous melodies.

The story concerns two rivals for political supremacy and for the love of a woman. Gualtiero, the Count of Montalto (Mr. Ballerini) had been defeated by Ernesto, the Duke of Caldora (bass Harold Wilson) and lost everything except for his love for Imogene (Ms. Meade) who was obliged to wed Caldora to save her father's life. That's the backstory.

When the opera opens, Gualtiero is a pirate and he is losing his ship. This is recounted by the superb chorus, comprising the Bel Canto Young Artists who performed magnificently throughout the opera.

In the subsequent two acts he and Imogene recognize one another and realize that their love will never be consummated. The two men duel. The Duke dies. The Count turns himself in and is executed. Imogene goes mad.

Not much of a story but this was only 1827 and the beginning of the Romantic period of opera. Since the opera was semi-staged there was no ship and no shipwreck, just a lot of fantastic singing--not only arias but some impressive duets, trios, and ensembles.

We were particularly happy to hear tenor Sean Christensen, one of Caramoor's Young Artists in the substantial role of Itulbo, Gualtiero's lieutenant. We have been writing about Mr. Christensen's pleasing tenor for some time now and admired his growth as an artist.

As Goffredo, Gualtiero's former tutor, bass-baritone Joseph Beutel (well remembered from Santa Fe Opera) made a fine showing as well.  And soprano Robyn Marie Lamp excelled in the role of Adele, Imogene's companion, a more generous role than that usually given to companions.

It was a splendid evening and a genuine pleasure to hear such grand voices all onstage together. As Caramoor's operatic interest will expand to include different orchestras and conductors and Teatro Nuovo will continue to present bel canto masterpieces, there will be a strong impetus to pull this city girl upcountry! Caramoor's 2018 offering will be Handel's Atalanta.

We wish both programs well as we reflect on all the wonderful singing we have heard at Caramoor and all the special artists to whom we have been introduced.

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AN ELISIR TO LOVE

Sarah Moulton Faux and Aaron Blankfield

Amore Opera has found an excellent new home at the Sheen Center on Bleeker St. The small theater has a pit allowing the singers to project over the orchestra and is just the right size to permit a feeling of intimacy.  We are gratified that they have chosen Gaetano Donizetti to honor this season with one staple of the repertory and one rarely produced opera. Last night we had the pleasure of experiencing L’Elisir d’Amore up close and personal; next week we are looking forward to Poliuto, a drama about the 3rd century martyr. 

Donizetti is a melodist par excellence and he lavished his 1832 masterpiece L’Elisir d’Amore with a profusion of tunes that gladden the heart and touch the soul. Happily, his librettist Felice Romano adapted Augustin Eugène Scribe’s Le Philtre, a charming story with lovable characters. The setting is a small Italian village and the time has been updated to the early 20th c., which neither added new insights nor detracted from the story. (We have been terribly distressed by productions updated to the 20th c. because they just didn’t make sense.)

The production has been triple-cast and we very much enjoyed the cast we heard. We were quite impressed by Aaron Blankfield's performance as the timid lovesick Nemorino.  Not only did he exhibit a fine sweet tenor but he appeared to be drawing from someplace deep inside to create a most believable character whose ultimate success at love we wished to happen.  His “Una furtiva lagrima”, introduced by the most legato bassoon solo we have ever heard, was the epitome of soulfulness.

As Adina, the wealthy and educated landowner (here the owner of a bookshop), soprano Sarah Moulton Faux graced the stage with her beauty of form and voice. There was a bit of difficulty at the start getting the middle register to sail over the orchestra but that passed quickly and her brilliance with the coloratura passages was pure delight.

Baritone Gustavo Morales made an appropriately arrogant Sergeant Belcore, a rather ridiculous figure but ultimately a good-hearted chap and a gracious loser in the battle for Adina’s love.

As the traveling con man Dr. Dulcamara, we enjoyed the veteran performer Gary Giardina who really knows how to create a character. He arrived in high style and was accompanied by two lovely female assistants, Adrienne Chu and Angela Joy, whose antics were choreographed by Cara Chapman.

Merrin Lazyan sang the role of Giannetta while Marlene Williams filled several small roles. The chorus added greatly to the proceedings, especially the bumbling soldiers that did nothing to destroy the reputation carried by the Italian military. The children’s chorus fulfilled the adorable quotient.

Fine things happen when production personnel have experience in opera.  In this case, Stage Director (also Artistic Director) Nathan Hull and Conductor Daniele Tirilli both have backgrounds as opera singers and this clearly informed their performance of their tasks.

Maestro Tirilli’s conducting created plenty of room for the singers and Mr. Hull’s direction introduced lots of clever and original stage business that did not make the singers uncomfortable. (The Metropolitan Opera would do well to follow his example.) One touch we really liked was in the first scene when Nemorino is expressing his feelings for Adina; the action on stage froze as he enacted his fantasy of dancing with Adina.  This little twist was most touching. Another moment we cherished was the fumbling when Belcore is obliged to present Adina with flowers. 

Richard Cerullo's Scenic Design was simple but effective with a painted backdrop and two opposing shops between which was the village square, crowded with villagers. Simple costumes by Ghislaine Sabiti seemed appropriate to the early 20th c. 

But the most important thing for us was the singing and the lovely connection between Nemorino and Adina.  We were delighted that he overcame his faint heart and won the fair lady.

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NO SLEEPWALKING HERE!

Hyesang Park and Kang Wang (photo by Nan Melville)

Initially, we felt a trifle disappointed that Juilliard Opera would be presenting Bellini's La sonnambula in a semi-staged version, hoping to see a production that would wipe from our memory the overly complicated production at the Metropolitan Opera. Within the first few minutes we recognized that the performances themselves created the set and the action, much the way that mountains create their own weather.

With flawless conducting, instrumentalism, and vocal performance, this was a knockout production of which Bellini would have been very proud. It is well known how important to Bellini was the casting.

Two star sopranos took the stage last night and showed their mettle as masters of bel canto style. As Amina, we heard Hyesang Park, who first impressed us exactly two years ago when she performed the famous aria from this selfsame opera "Ah, non credea mirarti" in a master class with Renée Fleming. Clearly she has been working on this role for some time and appeared to inhabit it with ease.

Here, she had the opportunity to portray the modest and innocent Amina, in contrast with the flirtatious Florilla she portrayed in Rossini's Il turco in Italia. She colored her bright voice just right for the role, sounding as young and innocent as the character is meant to be. Her command of the trills, swoops, turns and other embellishments was definitive. Her petite stature abetted the characterization.

Clarissa Lyons was equally impressive as Lisa. We were introduced to this statuesque beauty last month at one of Marilyn Horne's Spotlight Recitals (all these reviews are archived and available through the search bar). It was exciting to see what she can do on an opera stage with her expressive instrument, splendid technique, and fine acting.

We have always found Elvino to be an unlikeable character by dint of his inconstancy. He abandoned Lisa for Amina and was ready to abandon Amina for Lisa when he suspected Amina of infidelity. But his arias and duets are divine, so we can forgive his fickleness! Last night the excellent tenor Kang Wang turned in a fine performance. His instrument is larger and darker than one would expect in this role but he handled it beautifully and musically.

Much of the plot hangs on the shoulders of the mysterious Count Rodolfo who appears in the Swiss town where he grew up and manages to restore sanity to the superstitious townfolk who think the sleepwalking Amina is a ghost. He must convince Elvino that Amina's presence in his room was innocent, as indeed it was.

On the broad shoulders of bass Sava Vemič rested this task and he acquitted himself admirably, as he always does. He has a wonderful instrument that can only grow with the years and the physical presence to assume a variety of roles in that fach.

We have always read between the lines of Felice Romani's libretto. If the Count observes that Amina bears a strong resemblance to a woman he once loved, and if he restrains himself from taking advantage of her sleepwalking into his room at the inn, and if he defends her honor vigorously, isn't it possible that he is her father?

We have never read the play by Eugène Scribe nor have we seen the ballet on which the opera is based, so we have made up the backstory for ourselves. "The Count got a local girl pregnant and disappeared. The woman died in childbirth and Teresa adopted her". Seeing some of this "backstory" acknowledged in the program notes gave us quite a sense of satisfaction!

As Lisa's rejected suitor, bass-baritone Thesele Kemane managed to be both ridiculous and touching. We look forward to hearing more of him.

Tenor Miles Mykkanen excels at putting a personal spin on a great variety of roles and last night he took the role of the Notary which offered little room for characterization but space to appreciate his characteristic sound.

Mezzo-soprano Sara Couden sang the part of Teresa, Amina's caring and protecting mother.

On the podium we had the compelling conductor Speranza Scappucci whom we always admire. She is one of those conductors who uses her entire body to elicit what she wants from the orchestra and The Juilliard Orchestra gave her exactly what she wanted.

The balance was perfect, particularly between the orchestra and the off-stage musicians. The woodwinds made a particularly fine showing and cellist Philip Sheegog's duet with Ms. Park was exquisite. Maybe not as terrifying as Lucia's mad scene with the glass harp but replete with gorgeous harmonies.

As noted above, the artists created the set, so to speak, but Kate Ashton's lighting design surely helped things along. There was one dramatic shift of lighting that deftly underscored the shift in the plot.

David Paul was dramatic consultant.

The chorus of townsfolk supported the action beautifully.

There was a moment when the townsfolk onstage were riveted by the apparition of Lisa sleepwalking. Elvino, the Count, Lisa, and Theresa seemed spellbound. This was a perfect parallel to the audience's rapt attention to the stage.

This production was a product of the fruitful partnership between Juilliard Opera and The Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. 

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WE DRANK IT AND FELL IN LOVE

Eunjin Jung, Kidon Choi, Pavel Sulyandziga, Sara Papini, Matthew Cossack

L'Elisir d'Amore is the perfect opera for a young cast. Gaetano Donizetti filled it to the brim with memorable melodies; librettist Felice Romani peopled it with characters that embody all the struggles of young love. Nemorino is a shy fellow in love with the vivacious and fickle Adina. She treats him dismissively as the young tend to do with those who put them on a pedestal.

To make him jealous she agrees to wed an arrogant army officer. In desperation, he buys a love potion from the traveling "doctor" Dulcamara. The potion is just Bordeaux and he gets very tipsy.  Meanwhile, the young ladies of the town learn that he has inherited a great deal of money and surround him with attention. He believes it's because of the love potion. Now it's Adina's turn to get jealous.

Of course, it all works out in the end and we leave the theater grinning from ear to ear.  The Mannes Opera gave Donizetti's 1832 comic masterpiece (which Donizetti tossed off in six weeks) a fine production at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. This just happens to be a fine comfortable theater with great sight lines but there is something strange about it's bi-level orchestra pit.

The strings are just a bit lower than the audience, with the winds behind and a level below that. Artistic Director and Conductor Maestro Joseph Colaneri conducted The Mannes Orchestra which turned in a well-balanced performance. The strings lay down a luscious carpet of sound with important contributions from the winds, particularly in Nemorino's big aria "Una furtiva lagrima", marked by some lovely arpeggios on the harp (Elena Caramihai).

The singers are all graduate level students at Mannes School of Music, which is part of The New School. Each and every one turned in a stellar performance and seems headed for a fine future in the opera world. The lead couple--soprano Sara Papini as Adina and tenor Pavel Sulyandziga as Nemorino--were perfectly cast and completely convincing in their acting. Adina is spunky and full of personality; Nemorino is shy and unassuming. Their body language told a great deal about their characters.

Similarly, the outrageous character of Dr. Dulcamara was well portrayed by bass-baritone Kidon Choi who manifested no difficulty with the wide range. As the self-important Belcore, baritone Matthew Cossack was admirable. Eunjin Jung was a pert Giannetta.

The direction of Laura Alley kept things moving forward nicely with plenty of appropriate stage business. Costume Designer Helen E. Rodgers duplicated the fashions of the 50's quite accurately, even dressing Adina in a poodle skirt. But, may we ask, how does setting this opera in the 1950's make it more relevant? We wondered how many people in the audience were alive 60 years ago!

Instead of a wealthy landowner, Adina is now the proprietor of a pasticceria in Little Italy. Roger Hanna's painted set, representing a street corner, was so accurate that we recognized the locale! We are convinced he copied Caffé Roma on Broome St. (If we are wrong we will atone by eating a dozen sfogliatelle!)

The chorus sings about sitting in the shade near a stream!  Other references in the libretto have been mistranslated to allow for Dr. Dulcamara to be driving a "snazzy car". We could justify the presence of military personnel because the time period coincided with the Korean war. But how do we account for Sergeant Belcore carrying around enlistment papers in his pocket and paying cash to Nemorino to enlist? We suppose most people would just overlook these anachronisms but they do bother us, purists as we are. But they didn't bother us enough to spoil the fun.

Mr. Sulyandziga's "Una furtiva lagrima" was delivered with his hands in his pockets, every nuance coming strictly from his voice. Never have we ever wanted so much to see a guy get the girl!

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