From around the world: San Francisco.(North America)(Opera Review)

Virgil Thomson's The Mother of Us All has been performed by student and regional theaters many times since its modest debut at Columbia University in 1947, but it is rarely staged by major companies--and never by San Francisco Opera, prior to September 6, when Mother stepped to the head of the class. Thomson's score often is played by a single piano, but the SFO orchestra, the War Memorial Opera House's size (3,200 seats) and acoustic properties didn't diminish the work--quite the contrary. Musically, this Mother proved satisfying (heard Sept. 21); with the help of conductor Donald Runnicles, the opera seemed imbued with a fresh sense of majesty.

Much credit goes to Luana DeVol's Susan B. Anthony. DeVol's voice was assured and bright as she navigated the knotty tonalism of Thomson's melodies. Her precision was technically impressive; moreover, it seemed an extension of her carefully constructed character. Unlike Lauren Flanigan's starry Susan B. at New York City Opera (where this production appeared last, in 2000), DeVol's Anthony was an earthy, unglamorous crusader who didn't try to win over the audience with charm--but then, the historical suffragette was never the life of the party, either. DeVol's gruff, uncompromising characterization rang both dramatically and historically true.

The opera's many other roles were performed with great skill. Many in the cast were making their company debuts, which perhaps explained the palpable energy of the performance. As Daniel Webster, Jeffrey Wells, a Louisiana native, displayed an unaffected, ...