San Francisco Classical Voice

It was an interestingly-organized program. Following the orchestral prelude to Aida, Licitra strolled onstage and, without interruption, proceeded into “Celeste Aida” and stormed the rafters. It was a thrilling way to declare himself, and from that moment he never let up. The first half of the concert was all-Verdi, and I found “Ah, la paterna mano” from Macbeth especially compelling. It is an aria built on the tragic acceptance of loss and a father's failure to protect his sons. Brief, painful, and pressing in its rhetoric — Licitra caught all of that in his voice. This was an instrument of anguished expression, and deeply moving.

No less bold was the inevitable ”Nessun Dorma.” To the surprise of all, it opened the second half of the program. This work has become the anthem of popular tenors everywhere and degenerated into a spectacle of held notes, melody divorced from meaning. Licitra restored the text. He did so with manifest comprehension of its spirit, and the secret it held, and the promise of a kiss. For once in a concert, the work was restored to its context. It shone with purpose.

Even more compelling was the fatal ”E lucevan le stelle” from Puccini's Tosca. Once again, Licitra was master of this drama. His voice trembled with fear and hopelessness. The stars nearly winked out as he imagined losing the whole beauty of the world to an executioner. The printed program ended with two sentimental ballads by DeCurtis.

Throughout, conductor Eugene Kohn was an apostle of the obvious. Leading 70 members of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, he sub-divided without cause, used a relentless pile-driver downbeat, and drained dynamics of all meaning. His left hand fluttered with "Play Vibrato Here" semaphore. When even pianissimo entries were prepared with sforzato attack, this conductor's currency was quickly debased. It was the worst of his work, and ennervating to watch. Paradoxically, he also proved an alert accompanist. Kohn was exceptionally responsive to Licitra's phrase and fermata, and in that regard a faithful servant from beginning to end.

Licitra gave four encores. The first was a parody of Hollywood cross-over clichés. The others were introduced by Licitra and Kohn. The tenor, now 35, graciously thanked Cal Performance's Robert Cole for inviting him back this year after last year's problems. Leaping into Jose Carreras' territory, he sang “Maria” from Bernstein and Sondheim's West Side Story. All went well until the final note, held falsetto and a step too long. His voice cracked in it, and Licitra immediately gave a self-deprecating little shrug and sigh of acknowledgement. The audience loved him for it.

The evening ended with a repeat of ”E lucevan le stelle'.” Hard to believe, but it was even more pursuasive than an hour earlier. This is a tenor who knows how to enthrall.