OPERA REVIEW : ‘CARMEN’ IN PALOS VERDES

Apart from the stylish, promising conducting of 24-year-old Gualtiero Negrini, there was not much to recommend in the San Carlo Opera production of Bizet’s “Carmen” at the Norris Community Theatre in Palos Verdes on Saturday.

Janine Tavoularis offered a hard-driving, steely voiced Carmen, without much vocal allure or pitch reliability. Her hands-on-hips swagger got a little tiring, though it was preferable to Hedley Nosworthy’s sleep-walking through the role of Don Jose and singing with a small, chalky voice.

Laila Soiland came to grief in the heights of Micaela’s aria, but she did look appealing. (Another soprano was scheduled in the role on Sunday afternoon.)

John McConnell sang his Toreador song strongly, but had little tone left for the rest of the evening. Margery Brown and Beverly Passon sounded shrill in the roles of Frasquita and Mercedes, respectively.

The small opera chorus sang with more vigor than finesse.

Mario Leonetti moved people about efficiently on the cramped and narrow stage, though he sanctioned a great deal of pushing and shoving between Carmen and Don Jose and allowed some odd ideas otherwise to intrude, such as Jose’s gallant bow to let Carmen pass into the arena before he stabs her. The courtesy did not seem in character for a desperate man.

The rented pastel-painted backdrops served as reasonably functional sets, except for such moments as when the whole square of Seville swayed in the wind.

Finally, the chamber-sized orchestra (roughly 30 players) displayed a wide range of competency, but many players rose to the occasion and responded to Negrini’s energetic leadership with brio and sensitivity.