Portland, OR. (North America).(Il Trovatore)(Opera Review)

Caruso is said to have said that all you need for Il Trovatore are the four greatest voices in the world. If only that were all! Caruso should've counted five voices (Ferrando needs a spectacular interpreter, too), and he neglected to mention that Verdi's flaming drama demands exciting, intense actors. They need agility, too: Verdi asks for grace notes and swift alternation between legato and staccato phrasing from all five principals, and trills from all but the Count di Luna.

Maybe singers 150 years ago really could sing it, but today the Trovatore score seems an idealistic, blazing vision that isn't executed accurately or realized fully even in New York or Milan. That said, Portland Opera's production (Sept. 21) was a noble stab at Trovatore.

Best of the cast was mezzo-soprano Victoria Livengood as Azucena. Her voice was a size larger than anyone else's, yet only she came close to a clean trill. Her singing and acting radiated intensity. She riveted attention before singing a note, even through the clanging anvils. Baritone Louis Otey matched her intensity level and proved a fine actor who made more of di Luna than a blowhard heavy. He sang "Il balen" smoothly, then summoned enough power to ride the brassy orchestration of "Per me ora ...