No opera house presents a new "Hoffmann" production without having lined up a compelling tenor to sing the challenging title role, that of a delusional and hopelessly romantic poet.
This fine cast included the luminous soprano Keri Alkema as Amaltea, Pharaoh's manipulative wife; the bright-voiced tenor Aldo Caputo as Aaron, Moses' worrisome brother; the rich mezzo-soprano Emily Righter as Amenofi, Moses' sister; and the compelling tenor Zachary Finkelstein as Mambre, a menacing Egyptian priest, who looked as if he had wandered in from "Blue Man Group".
One reason for the acclaim was undoubtedly the work of the superbly compelling English tenor Ian Bostridge, who is joined here by Ruby Philogene, a mezzo-soprano, and Julius Drake, a pianist.
The tenor Alex Richardson, compelling, even sympathetic, as Daisy's jocular, ignorant husband, Tom Buchanan; the tenor Gordon Gietz a refined Gatsby; the baritone David Kravitz an amiable Nick.
Mr. Siegel proved the standout of the show, his clarion, expressive tenor and compelling theatrical nuances resulting in a richly drawn interpretation of Siegfried's manipulative, power-hungry foster father.
The accomplished British conductor Mark Wigglesworth, in his first performance of "Parsifal," drew warm, plush and sensitive playing from the orchestra; the heroic Australian tenor Stuart Skelton was compelling in the title role.
With Mr. Mezzadri as a featured sideman, the music is intense and compelling as Mr. Lourau's tenor sax riffs mediate the ebb and flow of the powerful drum 'n' bass-influenced grooves.
The rich-voiced and powerful mezzo-soprano Daniela Barcellona, the ardent lyric tenor Gregory Kunde and the compelling bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen were the other exceptional soloists.
Alexander follows on tenor with an equally compelling voice.
The phenomenon has stemmed in part from an influx of talent: so many compelling baritones, mezzos, and light-voiced tenors have popped up that the names have begun to blur.
There were compelling solo contributions — notably by John Ellis, on tenor saxophone, and Erica von Kleist, on alto — but they all felt situational, set against the impressive canvas of the arrangements.
