She sang like an angel.  In the first act, she was charming; in the second,
she became the quiet focal point among the unruly bohemians; in the third,
she broke your heart; in the fourth, she died with simple, deeply affecting
dignity.

What a difference a good Mimi makes!  In a series of daily "Boheme"
performances, after a lifetime of hearing the work, one can hear it again
as if for the first time when you care about the heroine and become
enchanted by her voice.

>From the motherlode of the San Francisco Opera Center comes today another
young singer on her way to fame.

Donita Volkwijn, 31, an Adler Fellow from Capetown (via Oberlin), has been
singing here since her Merola Program year in 1998, but today's performance
was an important breakthrough.

At the SFO "Young Boheme" matinee, featuring Opera Center singers in all
roles, it was Volkwijn's turn to make her mark for the first time in the
War Memorial the way Swenson, Vaness, Voigt, Racette, Zajick did: an
unknown turning in a memorable performance.

Volkswijn's voice, already making in impression in past months in
several Mozart operas, soared today, even in an unfair competition with
50 instruments not well under the control of William Lacey.  (The talented
young English conductor may well be among the many local flu victims, what
with a lifeless first act, and a noisy orchestral sound for the balance of
the afternoon.)

The only other performance on Volkwijn's level came (predictably) from
Tammy Jenkins and a riotous Musetta that turned into a quiet and moving
character in the fourth act.

Among the men, John Ames' Colline commanded attention at first (a big,
broad voice, with powerful presence), but his only real opportunity -- the
"coat aria" -- was strangely thrown away, in a colorless performance, so
much so that there was no applause at all.

Todd Geer's Rodolfo had its good moments, especially late in the
performance, but he was not in good form today.  The same was true about
the very talented and promising James Westman, who sang Marcello while
obviously still fighting a cold.  Armando Gama's Schaunard was well acted,
but he couldn't fight his way through the orchestral curtain.

Still, at the end, nothing mattered except Volkwijn's brilliant Mimi
accompanying the listener into the street darkened by an approaching storm.

Janos Gereben/SF
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