Review: Domingo wows opera fans

Marilyn Larocque

Monday, March 18, 2002 | 8:28 a.m.

An eclectic crowd of opera lovers cheered, shouted, whistled and applauded legendary tenor Placido Domingo on Saturday at Mandalay Bay Events Center before he even sang a note.

They also gave an enthusiastic response to his young assisting artist, soprano Ana Maria Martinez.

Accompanied by the Las Vegas Philharmonic, under the direction of Domingo's conductor, Eugene Kohn, Domingo and Martinez performed solo arias, duets and theater classics. Domingo performed eight selections; Martinez seven.

Domingo sustains notes and phrases effortlessly, on pitch and with graceful dynamic changes.

Martinez obviously has the talent and complemented Domingo. She has depth of sound and marvelous range, with no breaks in her voice as she moved easily from low to high notes.

Among Domingo's arias was "E lucevan le stelle" (The Heavens Blaze with Stars) from Puccini's "Tosca." The pathos in Domingo's voice was palpable and moving.

Martinez was spotlighted in the famous soprano bellwether aria "Un bel di" (One Fine Day) from Puccini's "Madama Butterfly."

Domingo and Martinez joined voices for "Gia nella notte densa" (Once in the Dense Night) from Verdi's "Otello." There was excellent balance between the orchestra and singers.

The second part of the program provided lighter moments, beginning with Domingo's "Amor, vida de mi vida" (Love, Life of my Life) from "Maravilla" by Moreno-Torroba. The happy, flowing melody displayed the romantic warmth of his voice.

Martinez followed with the lively "D'Espana vengo" (I Come From Spain) from "Luna's El Nino Judio." Brilliant trills and charming, all-too-rare smiles showcased Martinez's impeccable soprano.

Also included were "Summer Time" from Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess," a beautifully sung but somewhat-stilted rendition by Martinez.

Richard Rogers' "Some Enchanted Evening" from "South Pacific," got off to a nightmarish start as Domingo, Kohn and the orchestra struggled to synchronize their efforts.

"Tonight," from Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story," concluded the programmed selections and catapulted the audience to its feet. The thunderous applause, cheering, yelling and foot stomping brought the singers back for six encores and elicited some of the most alive vocalizing from both Domingo and Martinez. His "Granada" brought down the house.

The Las Vegas Philharmonic was featured in two overtures -- Verdi's "La Forza del Destino," and Bernstein's "Candide." The former was excellent and successfully raced at warp speed to a resounding final chord. However, Kohn's tempo for the latter -- from fast to fastest -- left the orchestra scurrying to keep up.

Considering there was only one full rehearsal, plus a combination rehearsal/sound check for the entire performance, everyone deserves accolades. More rehearsals and a less-vast venue would have made a great night even better.