After a spiritedly conducted overture, in which the strings sang, sometimes meltingly, sometimes not so, and the winds blew happily with the percussion section drumming merrily along, the farce began.
Strong singers, whose voices evenly matched, insured that the audience left chuckling.
Stefano de Peppo, and experienced bass baritone, set the pace, portraying the Don Pasquale with tongue in cheek acting without making him the archetypical caricature of an old doddering codger.
Equally strong performance came from the Norina, soprano Julia Engel, who was a saucy girl turned into fury. Her high notes were stratospheric and held, seemingly, forever.
Wesley Landry, baritone, as Dr. Malatesta, was quite convincing as the co conspirator to teach the old fool Don P. A lesson. His mellow baritone was, IMO, a bit too "nice" for the role.
Eric Bowden, sang Ernesto, the romantic lead, with penetrating power and endurance.
The non singing role of Notary was taken by Maxim Bitner, a bass, who is part of the chorus.
All in all an amusing interlude on a muggy afternoon in Houston.
If, cheers readers, you miss the usual inclusions of video clips, if available, or photos, I apologize . My trusty desk top languishes at the computer whizz " hospital", and the iPad and I are yet strangers to each other, to permit such fancies...... ;)!
Just one more note:
both de Peppo and Bowden sing in all performances which will be Nov.21,22,23,and 24. So you have time to go and enjoy!
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