It’s partly a result of that characteristically plangent timbre, partly the many expressive touches she delivers (the way her “Taci” to Alfredo, for instance, is a half-whisper, more a loving attempt to save him from embarrassment than anything else). She’s wonderful throughout, but it’s in the Act II duet where she’s most uniquely treasurable. The first syllable, that “Ah” which instantly registers as a de los Angeles sound and shape, carries worlds within it. and that’s just the beginning. Infinitely touching. And to hear her with a favorite baritone, and with Serafin giving everything time to breathe–it’s magic every time.