<<  -- 2 --  Maria Nockin    IMAGINATIVE ARTISTRY

Making her LA début, Patricia Racette was a sympathetic Cio-Cio-San who sang with a warm enveloping sound. She is an experienced artist and she moved the audience with her vocal acting while performing the director's characteristic motions. Marcus Haddock was a strong and virile Pinkerton with a rich, romantic sound. He seemed somewhat less at home with Wilson's motions than Racette, but you could see why Butterfly fell for his enticements. Russian baritone Vladimir Chernov has sung a number of roles with this opera company since his début in 1990. A skillful actor, he was a compassionate Sharpless and he sang with burnished tones.

Margaret Warner was a dutiful Suzuki with a smooth, even voice. Her high tones were silken and the notes at the bottom of her range were resonant and impressively well projected. Canadian tenor Peter Blanchet was an intimidating Goro and the Bonze, sung with a robust sound by bass-baritone Wayne Tigges, was truly terrifying.

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