Nadine Sierra seems to be the current French/Italian coloratura of choice with management (no argument with that). Meanwhile Oropesa is triumphing in Lucia di Lammermoor, La Sonnambula, Les Huguenots, I Masnadieri, Alcina et al. on European stages. I have no complaints about Erin Morley either, but surely there must be room on the roster for this internationally renowned artist with deep roots at the Met.

Therefore, it was a particularly welcome opportunity to hear her up close and personal in recital at Zankel Hall in the lower level of Carnegie Hall on Wednesday night, October 23^rd performing a charmingly curated program of French, Spanish, Latin American, and Italian song and operatic repertoire. (Ms. Oropesa also provided the translations in the program booklet in French, Italian and Spanish – Jessye Norman is the only other multilingual diva I remember doing similar service.) The Spanish element in the program (several French examples of “espagnolerie” by Massenet, Delibes, and Ravel were programmed along with zarzuela and canción) provided a preview of her upcoming zarzuela album, “Mis amores son las flores” (to be released on October 25^th).

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The program started with a nod to Ms. Oropesa’s roots in bel canto: “L’invito” from Rossini’s Les soirées musicales which was enticing but capped with a jarringly pushed high note.

In fact, a certain tension in the upper register was evident in the first half of the program as well as a certain “correct” rigidity of phrasing without the subtle touches of rubato, fermatas, ritards, and spun tone that gives this type of material seductive playfulness and charm. Zankel is an intimate hall and there is never any need to push or rush. It is the perfect venue for subtlety and finely detailed singing to bring the audience close to you. This eventually improved as the music went from 19^th century classical to 20^th century zarzuela and Latin American song after intermission.

The program ranged ambitiously from serious 20^th century art song like Ravel’s “Chanson espagnole” and Vocalise-étude en forme de habanera as well as less familiar selections from Joaquin Nin’s 20 cantos populares españoles. (“Tonada del Conde Sol” instead of “Polo” or “Asturiana”) to French salon showpieces like Delibes’s “Les filles de Cadix” and the splashy “Sevillana” adapted from an instrumental entr’acte from Massenet’s Don César de Bazan (recorded famously by Nellie Melba).

One of the striking features of the program was how quickly and seamlessly Oropesa could turn on a dime from extroverted vocal display to quiet introspection or sensuous languor in the more serious song selections. The timbre would morph from diamantine brilliance to a darker silver tone with a cool luster depending on the music.

Oropesa ended the first half with “Merci, jeunes amies” (aka “Mercé dilette amiche”) the famous “Bolero” (or more accurately “Siciliana”) from Verdi’s Les vêpres siciliennes. This was sung with accurate scales and tight trills but also with a touch of inhibition and square phrasing which is surprising since Oropesa was in good voice and has fine technique. Oropesa took the surprisingly conservative but musical choice of the written B-flat ending rather than opting for the high E-natural sopracuto favored by Callas and Sutherland in this bravura showpiece.

The second half was entirely Spanish and Latin American. Oropesa returned in a sleeveless blue ballgown with billowing skirt, visibly relaxed, and began to live inside the music, phrase with imagination and élan, and let her personality come through.

The Nin folkloric selections had cool authority which heated up with the zarzuela and folkloric numbers which followed. The highlight was the evocative “Flor de Yumurí” by Jorge Anckermann with its visions of sparkling rivers and colorful flowers in an unspoiled Cuba. (Ms. Oropesa mentioned that it is a personal favorite since her family is Cuban – though she has never visited the island country.)

Inhibitions were further shed with two selections dealing with the same heroine: the “Romanza de María” from María la O by Ernesto Lecuona and a sizzling, sexy, in-your-face entrance song for the title character of Gonzalo Roig’s zarzuela Cecilia Valdés. (Selections from both these works are included on her new zarzuela cd.)

In many ways the encores were the highlight of the evening. The haunting aria “Robert, toi que j’aime” from Meyerbeer’s Robert le diable was sung with youthful vulnerability and was worthy of comparison with Beverly Sills’s rendition on her “French Arias” recital:

In fact, Oropesa’s tight quick vibrato and lean silvery tone have some similarity to Sills, though she lacks the Brooklyn diva’s sunny timbral warmth.

The “Carceleras” from Las hijas de Zebedeo was buoyant and fun (despite a brief memory lapse) though not as idiomatic (or chesty) as versions by other Spanish divas (namely Teresa Berganza):

Oropesa took a big chance with her generous final encore: “Casta Diva” (cavatina only) from Bellini’s Norma sung as a rapt internalized reverie with effortless high notes and poised legato, keeping the audience spellbound.

The lovely evening was not without a few foibles and drawbacks. I found her accompanist Ken Noda lacking in the necessary energy and brio to fully match Oropesa and he dulled the sparkle of several of the up-tempo display pieces with his dowdy, tired playing. Oropesa, as I said, was initially too square and vocally lunged at climactic high notes – some of them need to be attacked lightly or tossed off nonchalantly. Also, sometimes I wanted to hear a little more pianissimo float and spun tone from Oropesa. She can look to the late Pilar Lorengar for inspiration: this haunting zarzuela barcarolle by Serrano would make a lovely addition to her repertoire.

Oropesa is a treasurable artist and if a company like Opera Orchestra of New York were currently performing we might be hearing her in local concert versions of Robert le Diable, La Sonnambula, I Masnadieri, Dinorah ou le Pardon de Ploërmel, Hamlet, Lakmé or Maria Stuarda.

As it is, it was a magical experience to be in the same space with her as our charming guide as we traveled through France, Spain and Latin America in song.

Photos: Jennifer Taylor