Rollicking Rossini Gem Revived at Met Sun Feb 15, 2:49 PM ET By MIKE SILVERMAN, Associated Press Writer http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=495&ncid=495&e=5&u=/ap/20040215/ap_en_mu/music_italian_girl NEW YORK - In a Rossini comic opera, there comes a moment when the characters stop in their tracks and join together to express varying degrees of bewilderment over the twists and turns of the plot. When these ensembles are performed with clockwork precision, the contrast between the disarray of emotion and the rigorous logic of the music creates a sublime sense of controlled chaos that is unmatched anywhere else in the repertory. The rollicking first-act finale of "L'italiana in Algeri" ("The Italian Girl in Algiers") is a particularly delicious example. And its performance by the expert cast at Friday night's revival by the Metropolitan Opera deservedly brought down the house. The star of the occasion was Russian mezzo Olga Borodina, whose previous roles at the Met have been femmes fatales like Dalilah or Carmen, light years away from either Rossini or comedy. There was no doubt she would possess the star power and glamour for the role of Isabella, who is shipwrecked in Algeria and forced to fend off the advances of the local ruler, Mustafa, until she can reunite with her true love, Lindoro. But it came as more of a surprise how lively a comedian she proved and how well she managed the vocal gymnastics Rossini requires of his heroine. Borodina sounded the slightest bit tentative in her entrance aria, "Cruda sorte," but she soon warmed up, and by the time she rallied Mustafa's Italian servants to her side in the rondo "Pensa alla patria," she had made the role her own. Vocal dexterity came as no surprise at all from her Lindoro, tenor Juan Diego Florez, who has become a sensation since making his debut here just two years ago in another Rossini favorite, "Il Barbiere di Siviglia." The young Peruvian has a flawless technique and a ringing top voice that carries easily above high C. His tight, slightly nasal production isn't everyone's idea of a beautiful sound, but it's a small price to pay for such virtuosity. As Mustafa, the veteran Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto stole the show on more than one occasion. Though his Rossinian technique is far from perfect, his booming voice and generous buffoonery added a crucial ingredient to the evening's fun. Notable contributions in lesser roles came from soprano Lyubov Petrova, as Mustafa's long-suffering wife, Elvira, and from baritones Earle Patriarco and Mariusz Kwiecien as, respectively, Isabella's shipwrecked companion, Taddeo, and Mustafa's henchman, Haly. The 1973 production by the late Jean-Pierre Ponnelle is naturally looking a bit faded these days, but its single set allows the action to keep flowing and most of the jokes to come through loud and clear. The presence of Met artistic director James Levine in the pit promised a revival that would be unusually well-rehearsed, and the results did not disappoint. He kept the merriment bubbling along and maintained the synchronization between performers and orchestra that is so vital in Rossini. On the net: http://www.metopera.org -Neb Rodgers <[log in to unmask]>