Così fan tutte

Condrut Birsan, Founder and Musical Director of Chicago's Candid Concert Opera (CCO) opened the Friday May 9 production of "?Cos� fan tutte" by elaborating on the group's name and mission statement.

Candid, according to Birsan, refers to more than the intimacy of CCO's venue and the stripped down nature of the production. Rather, the group maintains a focus on accessibility that goes beyond the monetary, although the suggested $20 donation for a performance of this quality in gorgeous venues like Logan Square's Stan Mansion is not easily dismissed. By also presenting opera in minimally staged concert versions, CCO places the audience steps from singers and musical performers alike, affording access to the inner workings of an opera production.

On the whole the outcome of CCO's take in the case of this "Cos�" is charming and enlightening, if occasionally imperfect.

Birsan also conducts the twenty-plus-piece Orchestra Nova for CCO. As promised in the opening statement, one of the most interesting aspects of the production was much more direct access to the music, and the opportunity to watch the interaction between Birsan and this talented group.

Mozart's overture was a particular revelation in this format, as it was nearly perfectly executed and proximity to the pit underscored the extent to which the music is a clever, gorgeous, rapid-fire conversation between instruments. At rare moments throughout the opera, when the orchestra was slightly less than perfect, the insight into the teaching, learning, and correction that goes on between instrumentalist and conductor emphasized what CCO has to offer that no other group in Chicago does.

Singers and musicians alike perform in straightforward concert attire, and the "staging" is truly stripped down. In this case, a few pieces of deliberately over-the-top jewelry and ridiculous mustaches on sticks join a couple of light trees and a projection screen in making up the stage. As a long-time lover of full-on, Lyric-scale opera, I did not miss the material aspects at all.

Birsan's cast of singers relied, quite rightly, on their strong voices and a readily observable command of the emotional arc of their characters. It's true that "emotional arc" may be overstatement in the case of something as light and delightful as "Cos�," but it's to the performers' credit that they carve out and consistently project individual personalities while hitting every comedic and melodramatic note along the way.

As the lovestruck (if practical in the end) sisters, Leila Bowie (Fiordiligi) and Lauren Auge (Dorabella) have lovely chemistry with one another and range from smitten to shrewd with their beaux in both their mustachioed and non-mustachioed states. In terms of technical chops, the two certainly offer something transformative to the audience in being able to see such talented singers up close and personal.

Among the male cast, Birsan is burdened with a good problem to have. It was difficult, if not impossible to choose a favorite from among Greg Gallagher (Ferrando), Michael Orlinsky (Guglielmo) and Alex Soare (Don Alfonso). (For the record, Gallagher might just edge out the other two for sheer strength and beauty of his voice.)

The one slightly off note in CCO's production is more "inconsistent" than truly a negative. The group wisely strips out the recitative and keeps up the links of connection by use of narration. Here, the tone and quality of writing for the framing story is uneven.

Opera plot synopses are thankless work at the best of times, and "Cos�'s" may be more daunting than most, but in several cases, the linking material was more confusing than simply moving from number to number might have been. Moreover, although an obviously strong and engaging performer overall, Tom Kastle's narration seemed somewhat under-rehearsed, as though the group had limited time to come together.

That minor imperfection aside, though, CCO more than makes good on its own mission statement.

"Cos� fan tutte" played on May 9 at Stan Mansion and May 10 at Edgebrook Lutheran Church in Chicago. For tickets and information on upcoming shows, visit www.candidconcertopera.org