<<  -- 7 --  Roderic Dunnett    VERGING ON LONDON STANDARDS

James Gower's awesome-voiced Friar made for a good start. This young bass, the Royal Schools Opera's well-cast Commendatore and Pavilion Opera's Sarastro, is scheduled to return to Don Carlo, singing Philip II for Pavilion. Stowe's Carlo, Nicholas Buxton -- a Don José for Scottish Opera's (and English Touring Opera's) Carmen - is one of Britain's abler jobbing tenors, has many solid credits in Italy's smaller houses, and palpably merits a better break with one of the larger UK or American companies. Buxton began well, abetted by weaving clarinet, though less aided by an occasionally wayward vibrato, and a tendency occasionally to belt the note, and grew as the role progressed. This was no walk-on-performer, but a singer capable of generating intensity and feeling.

Charles Johnston, from his forceful entry as Posa, had one of his best evenings ever. Always a civilising presence (his Michonnet in Holland Park Opera's Adriana Lecouvreur this summer was imaginatively first-rate) he has overcome a certain shy stage presence to become a performer, as well as a singer, of note. The voice -- strong, firm, urgent -- was as pleasing as it was excellent. The Carlo-Posa duet at the act's close ('Dio, che nell'alma infondere amor volestie speme') was terrific.

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