But the main reason the opera, despite its lushly harmonic score from Strauss's autumnal period, seldom turns up is the challenges it poses to the orchestra, the lead soprano and the two supporting tenors.
Sherry Boone sang stylishly in the jazz-band sections, and Steven Goldstein brought a powerful, emotionally supported tenor to a handful of roles, most notably the overwrought Selwyn and the personable David Gordon.
There were some gems among the supporting singers, including the tenor Nicola Pamio, the baritone David Pershall and, as the elderly Madelon, the great mezzo-soprano Rosalind Elias.
He has worked extensively as a sideman over the last 25 years, supporting elders like the tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin and the trumpeter Art Farmer.
His ensemble consists of musicians he's supported elsewhere: the tenor saxophonist Tony Malaby, the violinist Mat Maneri, the keyboardist Craig Taborn and the bassist Drew Gress. 10 p.m., Barbes, 376 Ninth Street at Sixth Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn, (718 965-9177, $8.
The influential tenor saxophonist is supporting a new record, "Time Is of the Essence" (Verve), and his recent performances have been powerful.
During this period Mr. Steinmetz, who had a fine tenor voice, supported himself by working as a cantor.
Turunen again played at the Savonlinna Opera Festival in July 2006, this time as the main act; she sang alongside Finnish tenor Raimo Sirkiä, supported by the Kuopio Symphonic Orchestra.
Supporting roles were taken by such fine British singers as the bass Matthew Rose, baritones Mark Stone, Matthew Best, Roderick Williams and Neal Davies, tenors Andrew Kennedy and Alasdair Elliott.
At the culmination of the routine, the players emerged from the tunnel, accompanied by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli singing Il Gladiatore – a song based on Earth from the soundtrack to the film Gladiator – before Bocelli sang supporting vocals to the UEFA Champions League Anthem.
