Tough Being Heard in This ‘Marriage’

The ending of Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” is so sublime that it inspires forgiveness, just as the Countess in the closing moments forgives the Count for his wanton behavior.

So it was Tuesday, when Los Angeles Opera revived the Peter Hall production seen here in 1990, 1994 and 1997. The opera, directed credibly, as in 1997, by Thor Steingraber, swept to its triumphant conclusion.

Even so, memories of problems hung in the mind.

The production was created in 1990 for the smaller stage of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The sets, though attractive, leave the sides of the stage empty, and hazardously for the singers, the top is open as well. This means that voices can evaporate into the air instead of being helpfully focused outward to the audience.

Which in turn meant it wasn’t clear, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, if some of the singers had small voices or if they were victims of poor-set-design syndrome.

Certainly, Pamela Armstrong, making her company debut as the Countess, had no problem projecting her luscious, creamy voice. So focused was it that both of her arias--especially the soft reprise in “Dove sono”--reached the ear with ravishing effect.

On top of that, Armstrong offered a detailed characterization. The pain at her husband’s philandering, revealed so publicly at the end of the third act, registered with persuasive impact. (Emily Pulley sings the role Jan. 30, and Feb. 1 and 3.)

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Richard Bernstein, who made his impressive debut as Figaro here in 1994, also had no projection problems. He has gotten only stronger and freer in the role, a consistently galvanizing force on stage. He has the comic elements refined and securely under control; now he needs only to make Figaro’s anguish at his apparent betrayal less exaggerated to raise his performance to an even more impressive level.

Maria Bayo triumphed over personal misfortune to make her very strong company debut as Susanna. Bayo’s mother died last week, and the singer flew back to Spain for the funeral. Whether she would make the opening for a while was in some doubt.

But the young soprano, whose CD of Handel operas and cantatas has just been nominated for a best classical vocal performance Grammy Award, made a spunky and small-but-rich-voiced Susanna. There was a cutting soubrette edginess to her voice that may reflect her natural timbre or, reasonably, the emotional strain she’s been under recently. She did darken and deepen the color for “Deh vieni, not tardar,” but the phrasing here was not ideally seamless.

The weak link in all this--and unfortunately, it’s a major one--was Claudio Otelli, making his company debut as the Count. Vocally, Otelli sounded monochromatic and dull. Most of the time he barely got his voice out of his face. His acting was also stolid and not dominating. Perhaps he was a victim of the set design. (John Atkins will sing the role Feb. 1 and 3.)

Among the smaller roles, Jonathan Mack energized his comic portrayal of Don Basilio. Every appearance of the character brought delight.

Graduates of the company’s Resident Artists Program included Jamie Offenbach as a deliciously supercilious Bartolo, singing his vengeance aria as a riot of rolling Rs, marred occasionally by drop-jawed hootiness. Megan Dey-Toth, another former resident artist, acted Cherubino with impulsive ardor, but succumbed to the small-voice or set problem syndrome.

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Several young singers, now in the Resident Artists Program, distinguished themselves in supporting roles. Chief among them was James Creswell, who sang and acted Antonio with strength and dignity.

Similarly, Shana Blake Hill brought vocal richness and poise to the role of Barbarina, and Bruce Sledge avoided character cliches as the stuttering Don Curzio. Cynthia Jansen’s Marcellina was pale, however.

Marco Guidarini conducted with lightness and a tendency toward speed. Figaro’s jaunty “Non piu andrai” fled by too quickly for maximum impact, but fortunately the conductor bathed the countess’ arias with luscious support.

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“The Marriage of Figaro” will be repeated at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., L.A., today, Sunday, Jan. 24, 26 and 30 and Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 3 at 1 p.m., with cast changes as indicated in the review. $28 to $148. (213) 365-3500.