Flashy Feast for the Eyes

Things are not what they used to be in the kingdom of Luis Miguel. Last year, the Latin pop superstar lost the opportunity of a lifetime to deliver the English-language crossover album that many expected him to produce long before Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias or Marc Anthony did so.

A venture into the unknown of the mainstream market at least would have upped the ante and provided a new challenge--though Miguel, 29, has never been known for his adventurous spirit. Throughout the ‘90s, he spearheaded a revival of the ultra-conservative bolero genre, and before that his music flirted with disco and harmless elevator pop.

Instead of an English-language work, Miguel offered “Amarte es un Placer,” a business-as-usual record that sounded so close to the singer’s previous hits that even his staunchest admirers became concerned about his apparent timidity.

But you wouldn’t deduce that Miguel’s reputation is in any kind of jeopardy from his commanding performance Thursday at the Universal Amphitheatre, the first of five evenings there. Surrounded by an impeccable 13-piece band that included a full horn section and the inevitable trio of ever-smiling female vocalists, Miguel presented a spectacle that was a feast for the eyes.

His perfectly chiseled face looming larger than life on a gigantic video screen above the stage, Miguel began his performance with two tunes from “Amarte es un Placer”: “Quiero” and “Tu Solo Tu”--perhaps in an effort to dispel any doubts about the validity of his more recent material.

But does anybody really care that the new songs sound merely like subtle variations of past glories? The appeal of somebody like Miguel goes far beyond the music, since his show is based as much on the visual elements of the performance as it is on the songs. And the crowd was kept occupied with plenty of fireworks, costume changes and even some skillful artistry on the video screen, as the singer’s figure was dissolved into shots of his adoring fans or the glittering surface of a tenor saxophone.

The only hint that Miguel might be concerned about boring his audience came with his persistent use of extended medleys, which became tiresome after a while, especially during a bolero segment that included “Contigo Aprendi,” “Por Debajo de la Mesa” and “Sabor A Mi.” These Latin torch songs need more time to exhale their tender longing to the very last breath.

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Although the star was remarkably relaxed and eager to communicate with his audience, the evening was marked by a surprising lack of heat from the female fans. There were no screaming adolescents, no lingerie launched onto the stage, no fainting senoritas carried away by security personnel.

Perhaps the singer’s widely publicized romance with Mariah Carey has burst the bubble for many a fan. The idea of a single Miguel available for idealized moments of passionate romance is no longer a fantasy to be treasured on lonely nights.

* Luis Miguel appears through Monday at the Universal Amphitheatre, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, 8:15 p.m. $53.50-$78.50 (tonight sold out). (818) 622-4440.