DOMINGO DAZZLES
What do world-renowned singers do once they have reached the age of retirement? On the strength of their name, they fill cabarets and concert houses across the land with nostalgia-filled patrons who seek a glimpse of their heroes live. Recent years have seen both opera and Broadway stars in just such concerts, and sadly they prove to be mere wisps of their former glory who should have hung up their vocal chords 
long ago. This is why I was somewhat skeptic to see the great opera tenor Plácido Domingo at the Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley last night. But the indefatigable Domingo not only sounded sensational as he proudly took on more baritone solos, but his emotional strength and passionate vitality actually gave me chills.
Equally surprising was the structure of the program, which avoided monotony with a variety of genres. The first act was pure opera, beginning with popular selections from Wagner, which showed off Domingo’s terrific enunciation. “Nemico della patria” from Giordano’s Andrea Chénier proved Domingo to be a strong, mature baritone, and Verdi’s Il Trovatore was represented with a fierce and sparkling “Udiste? Mira, d’acerbe lagrime.” The second act had a string of gems in which the Spanish tenor/baritone incorporated the many facets of his personality: Warm and tender in Lehár’s “Dein ist mein ganzes Herz”; silly, fun and comical in the Act I Trio from Die Fledermaus; and thrilling, commanding and stirring in Moreno-Tórroba’s zarzuela aria, “Amor, vida de mi vida.”
Instead of the syrupy mush that usually accompanies popular song, Domingo refused to be maudlin or puerile in songs that ranged from Broadway favorites “Some Enchanted Evening” and “Tonight” to the bolero standard “Bésame Mucho.”
Joining Domingo were two sopranos who have been starting their careers in his Young Artists Program: Angel Joy Blue from his program in Los Angeles and Micäela Oeste from his program in Washington. Both are indeed sopranos to watch out for, but Ms. Blue stood out for her natural, down-to-earth demeanor, with 
sturdy vocals awash with nuanced shading and inventive phrasing. She was powerful in the solo from Tannhäuser, “Dich, teure Halle,” but her unpretentiousness actually gave new life to “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady. Ms. Oeste was trill-tastic performing Gounod’s “Je veux vivre,” also showing off her silvery strength in “Canción del arlequín” from Amadeo Vives’ La Generala. However, at this point she is a bit mannered, lacking in diction and a commanding presence; her technique is superb but her performance skills are tenuous. As such, the gorgeous Ms. Oeste seemed like a Miss America Pageant contestant trying to show off her singing skills.
The Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of the tireless Eugene Kohn, elevated itself to world-class status as was evidenced in their performance sans singers. The Overture to Verdi’s Un giorno di regno was crisp and bright, and the brass section was outstanding keeping up a steady tempo in Suppé’s Overture to 
Light Cavalry. It’s a good thing that Maestro Kohn had such a wide elevated platform from which to conduct as his active demeanor brought to mind a football coach on the sidelines.
The act of an opera star reinventing himself with such success is a wonder to behold. At 72, Domingo’s vigorous energy may be genetic (he sings about 40 operatic performances a year, performs about 6 to 10 large-venue concerts and retains conducting duties as well), but by expanding his repertoire, the general director of the Los Angeles Opera proves that old tenors never die, they just find their inner baritone.
photos by Bay Area Music Scene photographer Marc Fong
Plácido Domingo
presented by Another Planet Entertainment
in association with Cal Performances
Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley
played on September 7, 2013
for info on future events, visit http://www.APEConcerts.com
