MUSIC REVIEW : Pita as Pinkerton in ‘Butterfly’

Standing in Placido Domingo’s shoes had to be daunting for Jorge Antonio Pita, who made his local debut in the Pinkerton role for Music Center Opera, Sunday at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

But matched with the grave, nearly morbid presence of Maria Ewing’s Cio-Cio San, the 29-year-old, Cuban-born, American-trained tenor seemed more like a self-conscious, slightly overweight Boy Scout visiting a brothel than the dashing lieutenant who commands the geisha’s undying love.

Luckily, he sang with a warm, bright tone and could even muster an Italianate cry. He lacked power at the top, however, lost support of some high notes and was overwhelmed by Ewing in the duet.

No sense of the lout or charming braggadocio or impatient bridegroom in his opening monologue, for Pita concerned himself with vocal projection, facing front for that purpose and not attempting to interact.

Only in the last act did his stage discomfort translate into a useful dramatic meaning. And in a nice touch, Pita fell, horror-struck into Sharpless’ arms at Butterfly’s suicide, striking an image of the real boy he was.