Gounod's "Romeo et Juliette" is not one of my favorite operas. It's a treacly treatment of a Shakespearean play that already borders dangerously close to the saccharine and sentimental.
Nevertheless, stage Gounod's "Romeo" with sufficient elegance and eloquence and it's easy to see why it was among the most popular vehicles for the great stars of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There's a good deal to like about the production of "Romeo et Juliette" that the Baltimore Opera Company unveiled Saturday night at the Lyric Opera House.
The Romeo of Fernando de la Mora was quite impressive. This young tenor -- he's in his early 30s -- reminds me a little of the young Domingo. The voice is not as large, but it has a firm, baritonal quality, moves easily enough through its various registers and has a secure, if not brilliant, top. Good tenors are in short supply nowadays, and it worries me that de la Mora occasionally had a tendency to sing louder than he had to.
In the even younger Sujung Kim, de la Mora had a lovely Juliette. In the opera's first act, the bright-voiced soprano had a few moments in which I wondered about the steadiness of her rather small voice and the security of her top. But as the opera progressed, most of those doubts disappeared. While her top notes continued to show some stridency, her manner was warm, she was touching in both the potion scene and the death scene and she has a good deal of presence.
The biggest impression was made by baritone Daniel Mobbs as Mercutio. He is a truly nimble Mercutio -- visually as well as musically. Perhaps because he has had a good deal of ballet training, Mobbs moves brilliantly, commanding the stage at every moment. Vocally, he isn't bad either. He sung the Ballad of Queen Mab with ease, passionate thrust and joy -- qualities that persisted in his singing throughout the rest of the performance.
In smaller parts, Kurt Link was a sturdy Pere Laurent, Sandra Walker a rich-voiced Nurse, Peter Klaveness a gruff but affecting Capulet, Alain Gabriel a fiery Tybalt and Nicole Biondo a spirited Stephano.
The stage direction of Bernard Uzan was effective, the costumes by John Lehmeyer were convincing. Under conductor Guido Ajmone-Marsan, the chorus and orchestra of the Baltimore Opera performed with impressive vitality.
'Romeo et Juliette'
What: Baltimore Opera Company
Where: Lyric Opera House, 140 W. Mount Royal Ave.
When: 7: 30 p.m. Wednesday; 8: 15 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday
Tickets: $19-$99
Call: 410-727-6000
Pub Date: 5/12/97
