A grand night for singing

Significant operatic voices and more than a few showstopping moments had the smallish Riverbend crowd on its feet several times in Sunday's "Salute to Cincinnati Opera" with Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Symphony.

With such singers, it was like the kind of opera gala you might find in New York City, airing over PBS. (Except for the Riverbend sound system. Yikes.)

Here's the cast: The radiant opera singer Lisa Daltirus, who stars as Aida next week (shown), Canadian tenor Richard Margison -- who possesses one of the most impressive voices I've heard -- Cincinnati tenor Mark Panuccio (a rising star with a knockout voice), a wonderful Metropolitan Opera baritone named Gordon Hawkins, mezzo-soprano Soon Cho and CCM student Brendan Tuohy (a young tenor to watch) performed arias and scenes, backed by the May Festival Summer Chorus and the CSO.

Gordon Hawkins soared through the "Toreador Song" from Carmen with powerful high notes and an electric presence. Later, he delivered a beautifully felt rendition of "Di Provenza il mar" from "La Traviata."

Other Carmen offerings included a not-too-steamy Habanera by Soon Cho (I like her better in Mozart), and a delightful Flower Song by Tuohy. This tenor has a natural communicative power, effortless delivery and I thought his enunciation of the French was excellent.

Then we came to La Boheme, with Mark Panuccio and Lisa Daltirus. His "Che gelida manina" was simply stunning. He displayed a bright Italianate tenor with the thrilling timbre of a young Pavarotti, and nuanced phrasing. (What a switch from the John Adams he sang last week!! This is his music.) Daltirus was ravishing in a drop-dead golden gown, as she sang "Mi chiamano Mimi," projecting a creamy, stunning sound and great beauty of line. Their duet, "O soave fanciulla" took your breath away.

We all wondered WHO would be the one to sing "Nessun dorma." It turned out to be Richard Margison, surely one of the great tenors of the world right now, who gave it his stentorian all. What fun it was, then, when he brought out his daughter, Lauren, 15, and the two sang a pop duet, "Somewhere Out There" from "An American Tale." She's a natural. Look out, American Idol.

After intermission, it was a lighter program, that had Hawkins and Daltirus singing "Bess, You is My Woman Now," from "Porgy and Bess" -- she glowing, he like a rock.

"Tonight" from "West Side Story" was fun, with the chorus as Sharks and Jets setting the scene before the rumble. Too bad the mikes were so off balance for the soloists.

The Triumphal Scene from "Aida" made a great finale. Kunzel kept tempos brisk and the orchestra sounded terrific. (The CSO trumpets are always incomparable in that fanfare.) Kunzel opened with the Prelude to Die Meistersinger (marred by a faulty sound system, from where I sat in pavilion), and also did a nicely phrased "Bacchanale" from Samson et Dalilah.

The chorus provided wonderful color in numbers such as the Brindisi from La traviata.

Heads up: Half of this cast will be in "Aida."

Cincinnati Opera's "Aida" finishes the opera season with four performances, starting next Wednesday. Click here for tickets.

The Pops continues this weekend at Riverbend. Click here for info.