Opera Review: L'enigma di Lea

Remember when your mother would make you eat your spinach if you wanted dessert? Well, I ate my spinach this week at the debut of Benet Casablancas’ new opera “L’enigma di Lea” — and I am very glad I did.

If your taste in music tends to resist most everything dated after around 1914, it might be time to re-examine your prejudices. Some of us may never succeed in loving modern compositions, but at least, we can attempt to evaluate them intelligently. That was what I set out to do this week.

Even apart from its score, “Enigma” was a roaring theatrical success. Beautifully staged, exquisitely sung and strongly supported by the orchestra and chorus (bravo, as ever, Conxita Garcia), the Liceu made this unfamiliar taste very easy to swallow.

As Lea, American mezzo-soprano Allison Cook was mesmerizing. A stalwart supporter of edgy modern works, who was superb in the equally difficult 2017 production of “Quartett” (based on “Les Liaisons dangereuses”), here she combined an attractive presence, skilled acting and a beautiful voice.

Baritone José Antonio López matched her note for note as her partner, Ram. They made an outstandingly compatible couple, above all in the love duet that, for me (and, I gather, many others in the audience) was the high spot of the evening.

Stage director Carme Portaceli is new to the Liceu. She has received awards for her previous outstanding productions and undoubtedly deserves another for the dramatic strength of this one.

Alas, the production has a short run at the Liceu. If you missed it this go-round, I urge you to remember it because it deserves to return and I am sure it will, albeit perhaps not immediately. So keep your eye on the schedule.

L'enigma di Lea ran February 9-13, 2019 at the Gran Teatre del Liceu.