An Earnest Debut

Composer John Biggs has written a wide variety of music in his day, but last week he officially began the operatic chapter of his catalog, when the Ventura College Opera Workshop premiered his comic opera “Ernest Worthing.” It turned out to be a highly worthy event, for Venturan theater and in terms of Biggs’ output. Performances continue through this weekend.

Biggs has taken the plunge with one foot in musical theater and one in theater, proper, in this adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Biggs leaves large chunks of it intact, adding sumptuous songs, and also adding bits of dialogue to the witty maze of the original.

Purists could cry foul, considering Biggs’ retooling of a classic comedy of manners. At times, he clarifies the story line to a fault, smoothing out the elliptical transitions of the original. But his musical touch is just right. Echoing Sondheim’s music to some extent, Biggs conveys a flowing, sophisticated musical language that savors witty wordplay, a sly irreverence and an underlying tenderness--the innate hallmarks of Wilde’s piece.

The production is well-rendered, put together by director Vicki Harrop and lighting and set designer Roger Meyer, and featuring strong talents on stage. James Carlin shines as Ernest, as does Karen Sonnenschein as Lady Bracknell. We also hear bold, good things from Andrew Samonsky as Algernon, Lorraine McDonald as Gwendolyn and Cathleen McCarthy as Cecily. Pianist Miriam Arichea played from the stage, sometimes rearing her head as a tinkling character in the periphery.

But beyond the particulars of this production, this is one of those impressive endeavors that deserves a good life in the general repertoire, which happened to have its christening right here in Ventura in the summertime. Stranger things have happened.

* “Ernest Worthing,” tonight through Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m., at Ventura College Circus Theater, 4667 Telegraph Road in Ventura. $15, $12 students and seniors (tonight’s understudy performance, $13, $10, students and seniors); (805) 654-6459.