Music : Peters Offers Generous Program

Some aging prima donnas put on pounds, add chins and even retire from the stage--at a proper cue from deteriorating vocal cords.

Then there is Roberta Peters, who used to be America’s own sweetheart soprano. Still pert and trim and notably pretty, the one-time darling of the Met turned up again in a recital at the South Bay Center for the Arts at El Camino College, Saturday night.

But, alas, time has passed and the singer has not chosen to acknowledge same. No matter how remarkably well preserved her outer condition, the voice is no longer supple, the tone no longer sweet or luscious. At 60, the veteran soprano should hardly be surprised.

Habits die hard, especially for those who love the stage as Peters so obviously does. At her entrance, for example, she was a vision of loveliness, gorgeously gowned in emerald peau de soie . After intermission she changed to a red number, emphasizing sight over sound.

So do identities die hard, like those lovable heroines, Rosina and Norina. But for Peters’ opening group, they made for unwisely chosen entries--Italian bel-canto arias require pristine vocal condition and offer no hiding places.

The coloratura hurdles in “Una voce poco fa” (Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia”) and “Quel guardo il cavaliere” (Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale”) forced the singer to make all sorts of unpleasant compensations with only dry, effortful results--even popping her eyes and contorting facial features.

The rest of the program offered some respite from a siege of vocal battles.

In Schubert and Strauss songs the recitalist found a manageable poetic focus via expressive word pointing. Here, with the pyrotechnical burden off her voice, she could emit small but clearer and more dulcet tones.

But she came quite into her own in songs by Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov and Rachmaninoff; some of them lay lower, proving less taxing, and her spirited, characterful renditions were a welcome change of mode.

A Lehar group, however, was disappointing--Peters lacked any real sensuality or nostalgia; “Meine Lippen” was clipped and clenched. Taking no chances that the audience would give her an extension at the end of this generous program, she quickly marched back onstage before even getting to the wings for each encore: “Addio del passato,” from “La Traviata,” followed by Irving Berlin songs.

Throughout, Peters enjoyed the able support at the piano of Warren Jones.