Classic Treats at Opera Pacific’s ‘Festa Italiana’

Opera Pacific no doubt intended its “Festa Italiana” concert Saturday night at the Irvine Bowl in Laguna Beach to be a frothy mix of bel canto favorites that would rev up audiences just as tickets go on sale for the company’s new season.

And that it was. Artistic director and conductor John DeMain offered an entertaining performance of Rossini, Donizetti and Bellini excerpts--a smart mix of old chestnuts and exotic treats--with a handful of soloists and the Opera Pacific orchestra and chorus.

But the real fun was in comparing the talented young singers he brought on stage. Which of these blossoming careers will go on to greatness? The flamboyant soprano? The handsome tenor?

With the Sydney Olympics in mind, let’s see how the competitors stack up:

Out of medal contention, to begin with, are a pair of resident artists for the season. Soprano Christina Suh and tenor Chad Berlinghieri will have their chance in the months ahead with such Opera Pacific roles as Papagena and Remendado. But Saturday they served gamely in tertiary roles on stage, their appearances brief and voices barely audible in the din.

In the next round we must, regretfully, send dapper bass David Michael to the locker room. Still taking classes at the Cincinnati Conservatory, according to the program notes, Michael is an obvious talent but his inexperience shows. His slightly nasal voice is resonant and expressive, but lacking in tone. And he is not fully comfortable on stage.

Now it gets tougher. The remaining four soloists were excellent.

But on this night, at least, tenor Gregory Turay was a shade less excellent than the rest. His tender and liquid voice could be passionate (for instance, in a very nice performance of the aria “Una furtiva lagrima” from Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore”) but he was uneven. His voice was often bland and his pitch not always good.

And now, ladies and gentlemen . . . the bronze medal goes to . . . soprano Laura Claycomb! It’s a surprise result for a young singer who was clearly the audience favorite. And she was unquestionably spectacular, regularly cavorting at the top of her register. As Elvira singing “Qui la voce” from Bellini’s “I Puritani,” she was shining and expressive, justly earning bravas from the house.

But the judges reluctantly must take off points for tone--hers was a bit raw--and a more indefinable sense of caution that she carried with her. Claycomb clearly has an important career ahead of her, but this night two others outdid her with virtually flawless performances.

The silver? It goes to baritone Earle Patriarco, whose fine voice and truly operatic stage skills mark him a natural star. He milked “Largo al factotum della citta” from Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” (the “Figaro-Figaro-Figaro” number well known to all careful students of the Cartoon Network) for every ounce of its comedy. He was powerful, musical and larger than life.

Coming out on top, winning the gold in a field of strong young talents, is mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, owner of a stunningly subtle and textured voice.

Never mind her agility as Angelina in the athletic aria “Nacqui all’affanno” from Rossini’s “La Cenerentola.” It is a dark, rich lyricism that distinguished DiDonato on stage. Here is a voice we can expect to hear often at some of the world’s top opera houses.