Music Reviews : Comic Double-Bill by South Bay Opera

Opening its seventh season, the South Bay Light Opera Society paired the Gilbert & Sullivan classic “Trial by Jury” with Menotti’s “The Old Maid and the Thief”--its first non-G&S; production--Friday and Saturday at the James Armstrong Theatre of the Torrance Cultural Arts Center.

The Menotti, originally written for radio, presents some real challenges, to stagecraft as well as voices. Director Jackson Schoos did well by the opening period manners and the farcical denouement. But, with little help from the composer, he left the triangular relationships burgeoning in the center undeveloped.

Fortunately, this is a community company that places rare emphasis on voices. Friday (some roles are double-cast) Virenia Lind sang Laetitia with gleaming purity, Jennifer Roderer provided an articulate and sympathetic Miss Todd and Margaret Ivy made Miss Pinkerton’s nosy plaints uncommonly lyrical.

Jeff Calof, apparently with the least-trained voice, proved a characterful presence in the conversational exchanges as Bob. Sitting him upstage struggling with his boots during his haunting aria, however, did him and Menotti no favor.

Director Doug Vasquez filled the stage with cheerful pandemonium for “Trial by Jury.” He worked knowingly with later-generation D’Oyly Carte conventions, while incorporating some more contemporary twists, such as Edwin’s Elvis imitation in “When First My Old, Old Love I Knew.”

Ann Grennan pouted prettily as Angelina, Kent Kornmeyer sang Edwin with boyish charm, James Vandeveer offered incisive clarity as the Counsel for the Plaintiff, and Jason Daniel blustered bravely as the Usher. Robert Guest’s impish Learned Judge, wanly sung as it was, inevitably stole the show.

Schoos conducted an orchestra of mixed achievement in both pieces with brisk flair, though surprisingly doing more with Sullivan’s musical jokes than Menotti’s. His chorus sang lustily.

The low-budget, functional sets were designed by Mark Wood, and the effective lighting was by Stephen Norris.

The bill repeats Friday and Saturday.