“(…) The tone was set by conductor David Stern’s nicely shaped overture, taken at a moderate pace, with solo instruments given the freedom to ornament their lines. This musical approach immediately engaged fans of bel canto opera and signaled that this would not be a routine reading of a familiar score. Throughout the evening, the prospect of interesting variations never let the listener’s attention lag and each singer was able to personalize his or her character musically. Stern kept a firm had throughout the evening with a brief exception during the Act I finale, from which the ensemble quickly recovered. (…)”
Karl Hesser
