<<<  <<  -- 4 --  Maria Nockin    ROBUST AND VIGOROUS

The San Diego audience was yearning to see Denyce Graves and they were in no way disappointed. She looked every inch the temptress and, except for one or two rough high notes, she sang with radiant, polished tones and suffused every phrase with emotion. Clifton Forbis, also singing his first role at San Diego Opera, proved to have enormous stamina as he sang with floods of sound. His voice was sometimes ringing and fiery, at other times it was warm and burnished, but it was always robust and vigorous. His acting was impressive as well, especially in the Dungeon Scene.

Greer Grimsley always brings a fine interpretation to every role he sings, and he made the High Priest of Dagon an excitingly dangerous villain. He sang with thrust and energized his words with conviction. Bass-baritone Philip Skinner was an authoritative Abimelech who sang with dark tones and Brazilian bass José Gallisa was a smooth sounding Old Hebrew. Bryan Register and Scott Sikon were commanding Philistines. Joseph Hu was a sonorous messenger. The San Diego Opera Chorus, as directed by Timothy Todd Simmons, performed magnificently. They moved well, so they appeared to be various segments of the population, but they sang with impeccable clarity. Conductor Karen Keltner gave an exciting rendition of this expansively romantic score. She drew accurate playing and well balanced harmonies from the members of the San Diego Symphony. This was a truly gala production with excellent singers that played to sold out houses for a very good reason.