Puccini's "La Rondine" ("The Swallow"), an unjustly neglected small-size
(if lengthy) opera/operetta, fit perfectly into the small-stage treatment
Sunday afternoon by Donald Pippin's Pocket Opera in the tiny jewel box of
the San Francisco Palace of Legion's Florence Gould Theater.

It's hard to believe that Pocket Opera is a quarter century old, and it
is equally amazing how much of Pippin's unique characteristics are still
in evidence - even while some appear partially missing.

Pippin's constant, imaginative search for communication - woefully in
short supply at the world's biggest opera houses - still dominates at
Pocket performances.  Pippin's inimitable story-telling introduction to
the gloriously melodic story of young Parisians' search for true love is
followed by the work in Pippin's sparkling English.  If he had the funds,
I bet he would have had supertitles too, this friend of "understandable
opera."

Against that background and tradition, it's all the stranger that the cast
had varying luck with diction.  When Lisette, the colorful maid, entered
breathlessly, I made a note:  "No diction," but then William Neely as the
fine, seasoned Rambaldo told her the same thing:  "I cannot understand a
word you're saying." OK, so it's deliberate then.  Alas, no.  New Zealander
Marla Kavanaugh, otherwise a good singer, kept delivering her lines in some
kind of pidgin - very unPocket.

Another important thing about the Pippin tradition is to maintain good
communication in singing as well - to perform to the audience at hand, in
the given space.  A break with that tradition on this occasion came from
the lead soprano, Elin Carlson as Magda.  A very tall singer with a very
big voice, she disregarded the venue, the audience sitting close by, the
nature of the music, and she belted out those lovely, intricate notes in
a Merman mode, often going shrill in the process, although her diction was
fine.

Pippin-standard singing and diction did come from Daniel Alejandro
Montenegro, who made up for his smallish voice with good delivery of all
but the most demanding notes of his arias and with crystalline diction
throughout.  There were also credible performances by Susanna Uher,
Desiree Earl and Sonia Garaieff as Magda three friends.

A questionable change from Pocket Opera's 25-year tradition is "full
production," complete with a simple set, fairly elaborate costumes and
everything fully acted out.  My (happy) memories from years of old are of
concert performances, singers with scores in hand, the focus on the music
and words.  When you try for an approximation of a staged performance,
something has to give, and the tradeoff is not fortuitous for fans of
opera-as-music, even while those who prefer opera-as-theater do not get
much in exchange.

Still, a very important continuing Pippin contribution to "miniature opera"
is the Pocket Philharmonic, eight excellent musicians making up for a full
pit, rallying around Pippin's consistently grand piano accompaniment.

Violinists Lylia Guion and Daryl Schilling, violist Mark Fish, cellist
Sarah Fiene, flutist Diana Grubbe, oboist Kathleen Conner, clarinetist
Diana Dorman and bassoonist Alice Benjamin each sounds as a whole section
and twice as sweet.  Of the live "Rondine" productions I heard, this was my
favorite orchestral performance.  There is something authentically Italian
about the sound of this sub-chamber orchestra.  Many years ago, when the
central piazza was still the heart of small towns in Italy (instead of
individuals gathering around their TVs separately), I often heard small
bands at night play music from opera - that's the nostalgia-making,
charming sound of the Pocket Philharmonic.

Janos Gereben/SF
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