San Francisco Classical Voice

So why would Irene Dalis' Opera San José take on The Pearl Fishers, at the company's last production in Montgomery Theater, before the fall opening of a big, new facility? A few discernible reasons: Dalis has traditionally mixed standards with lesser-known works, she likes to give young singers big challenges, and The Pearl Fishers, well described as "one of the loveliest and silliest" operas, still captures audiences, especially on first hearing.

(San Francisco Opera general director Pamela Rosenberg has said that when she gets requests for future productions, Wagner's Ring and The Pearl Fishers are mentioned most often. She has scheduled the Bizet for the next season, a coproduction with the San Diego Opera, where it will open this week, to be shown at the New York City Opera in April, 2005, before coming to San Francisco.)

David Rohrbaugh conducted at the San Jose opening night performance, in a cautious, slow manner, which brought a pretty, dreamy, and occasionally schmaltzy sound from the exceptionally fine small orchestra.

Stage director David Cox met an impossible challenge brilliantly. On a tiny stage, without basic theatrical tools, Cox was to present a dream version of ancient Ceylon, complete with a colorful village, a storm-lashed seashore, temple dancers, a bacchanalia, a town on fire . . . Assisted by Ken Holamon's Stonehenge-in-disrepair sets, the colorful Elizabeth Poindexter costumes remounted by Sherrol Simard (without the obviously needed thrift showing), and Janet Van Swoll's determined (if bizarre) choreography, it all came together, albeit in an unavoidably minimalist fashion. A seemingly ever-present pas de quatre provided wonders of dancing in place, with high kicks galore. Noel Heilman, Jada Pogue, Jill Reasoner and Kristal Schwartz brought a fantasy picture of Ceylon to life.

One reason for the survival of The Pearl Fishers may be that it requires only three principal singers. True, they have to sing very well, but still, there is (fiscal) strength in the lack of numbers. The standout on opening night was Christina Major.

As the mysterious priestess with a past, Major gave a remarkable vocal performance, in face of the slow tempi which constrained her ability to maintain lively phrasing. The voice is fresh and full, her coloratura is secure, her control of messa di voce passages impressive, soft dynamic levels building to a peak, then diminishing seamlessly. Her performance proved, once again, that it is more difficult — and more rewarding — to sing quietly than to belt it out. Even with a static stage performance (not that you can do much with the role), Major emerged as the star of the evening. (In the alternative cast, Sandra Rubalcava will sing Leila.)

Joseph Wright's Zurga was properly burly in appearance and voice, uncertain only in a few high notes, he also impressed with the clearest French on stage. (Lea Frey is language coach for the production.)

Joseph Muir was the Nadir, a tenor with an appealing lyrical voice, but having a hard time on opening night. Potentially, he has the right voice for the role, but time and again, he ran into trouble, most notably at the end of his big aria, as the voice veered unavoidably towards a cracked note — not because of a physical problem, but as the consequence of poor technique and phrasing that just got away from him. The hope for somebody with such a fine voice is that more work (and, perhaps, luck) will show Muir off in a better light. In the production's other cast, Jason Detwiler and Adam Flowers will sing Zurga and Nadir, respectively.